Laois vs Offaly Preview
The All-Ireland Hurling Championship is in full swing. Laois will play their old rivals Offaly in the Joe McDonagh Cup Final. The game will take place on Saturday, June 8th at 3:30 pm in Croke Park.
Offaly enters this game as favourites, but Laois are live underdogs. There’s not much between these two teams as they faced off earlier in the season. Most hurling fans expect Offaly to win this game but Laois knows how to beat them.
The Faithful County seeks redemption after an agonising defeat in last season’s Joe McDonagh Cup Final. They hit 24 wides against Carlow in a game where they lost by two points after extra time. This was a gruelling match and one that they should have won. They’ll hope to mend their broken hearts against Laois.
Laois vs Offaly Key Stats and Head-to-Head
Offaly is historically one of Leinster’s best hurling counties. The senior panel will hope to emulate the success of their U-20 side who won the All-Ireland title last weekend. Offaly hurling is rising again which could be bad news for Laois. However, Laois defeated Offaly earlier this season at O’Moore Park. They won 2-21 to 0-24 as their goals proved crucial. This was a painful defeat for Offaly because they led the game for 50 minutes. Their physicality was also difficult for Laois to handle, especially in midfield.
Offaly led by five points at halftime, but Laois didn’t falter. They equalised in the 62nd minute before taking the lead through Jer Quinlan in injury time. There was more drama when Leon Fox tied the game with a point late in the day. It looked like a draw was on the cards before Paddy Purcell had the final say. His goal won the game for Laois and left Offaly with their heads in their hands. Laois last won this competition in 2019 when they defeated Westmeath in the Final.
Offaly is also in ominous form. They enter this final off the back of a crushing victory over Kerry. They demolished the Kingdom 3-24 to 0-15 in one of their most dominant wins of the season. Offaly scored 2-12 in the last half hour as Kerry didn’t know what hit them. Charlie Mitchell was clinical in the first half with three points. It was impressive how Offaly spread points and goals around their team with 10 players on the scoresheet. This will be a massive boost for them ahead of the Joe McDonagh Cup Final.
Laois breezed into the final with a game to spare. They defeated Down 4-31 to 0-17. This meant that they could rest players against Westmeath in the final round. They lost against Lake County but that result means little. Laois has enjoyed some massive victories this year, but it’s still difficult to assess what level the team is performing at. Anybody can beat each other at this level of hurling, adding to the excitement.
Eoghan Cahill will be a key player for the Faithful County in this GAA game. He shone in last year’s Final against Carlow as he scored eight points. Cahill was also brilliant in the previous round against Kerry. He is one of the best hurlers in the country and Offaly knows that he’s crucial to their hopes.
Paddy Purcell was outstanding for Laois in their last game against Offaly. He scored two goals in the game and is always dangerous. They’ll need him to be up for it if they want to win again. Laois will be without Mark Dowling as he recovers from his dislocated elbow.
The Joe McDonagh Cup Final winner usually has a worse short-term outcome than the loser. The victor will face Cork in an All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final. Meanwhile, the losing team will face Wexford. The chance to win a trophy doesn’t come around often for most teams, and promotion is the ultimate reward.
Laois vs Offaly Predictions
Predicted Score: Laois 1-20 Offaly 2-21
We predict Offaly will win this game against the O’Moore County. They are on the rise and, man for man, they have a stronger team than Laois. Laois can upset the odds and win a second Joe McDonagh Cup.
Offaly has several elite players in their panel. Eoghan Cahill holds the record for the most points in a single game in this competition. Laois must stop him from weaving his magic or they’ll find themselves in trouble. The Sampson brothers are two of Offaly’s rising stars. They have many fans in the Faithful County and can make a difference in this final. We’ve also seen Charlie Mitchell enjoy great scoring success against Meath as he stepped up from the minor level.
Offaly’s physicality put Laois on the ropes in their last meeting. They should win this game if they can sustain this against the O’Moore County. Laois also struggled with puck-outs in that match and Offaly manager Johnny Kelly should adjust.
The Faithful County’s biggest problem is their tendency to waste chances in the important games. They hit too many wides against Laois in their previous meeting. Despite dominating, they had the same problem in last year’s final when they lost against Carlow. This is something they must overcome if they want to earn a promotion.
Laois has a fantastic goal record this season. They scored at crucial moments against Offaly and Down. Even their goalkeeper, Enda Rowland, has found himself on the scoresheet. They offer threats all over the field. The shadow of last year’s final could affect this game. It will be interesting to see if the pressure gets to Offaly or if they can use this experience to their advantage. Johnny Kelly knows he must get his players in the right mental state.
Offaly also carries decades of frustration into this game. The four-time All-Ireland champions dominated throughout the eighties and their fans are desperate to see them succeed again. There are positive signs, but that’s a lot of emotional baggage.
Live betting is an excellent option for this game because it could go either way. Offaly are the current favourites, but Laois is enjoying a superb season. They’ve already beaten the Faithful County and have had high-scoring wins this season. Check the in-game markets if Laois takes the lead. It may be worth betting on Offaly to win the second half because the odds will be more favourable. This could be one of the most exciting games of the season and a great support act for the Leinster Final.
Laois vs Offaly Betting Tips
This Joe McDonagh Cup Final will be a brilliant hurling game. There isn’t much to separate these teams. Betting on Offaly is the sensible move as they are the slight favourite at 3/4. This means that a successful €10 stake could win €7.50. These odds may be attractive to some punters on our sports betting platform.
Laois is a 13/10 underdog, so the same stake would see a €13 profit. These are good odds because they already defeated Offaly earlier this season. Most analysts believe they can repeat their previous success. Betting on hurling is thrilling because games have so many scores. It’s important to check out different markets to see the most lucrative outcomes. Check out the first and last goal scorers or the over/under-betting options.
Eoghan Cahill is Offaly’s most dangerous attacking threat. He would start for almost any county in the country and will be decisive in this game. Meanwhile, Paddy Purcell is Laois’ captain and talisman. He can help his county to upset the odds. Scoring margins are always worth examining. It’s 8/13 for Offaly to take a seven-point lead at any point in this final. This time a €10 stake could win €6.15. The same bet on Laois could make €14 at 7/5.
Our betting site believes Offaly’s most likely winning margin is 4-6 points. This market is available at 9/2 with a potential €45 profit. They offer the same odds for Laois to win by 1-3 points. This could be a good prop bet if you’re backing the O’Moore County to win this game outright.
Another way to maximise returns is to choose a double result. Try selecting a team to win the first half and the game outright. It’s 11/8 for Offaly to take a lead into halftime and lift the Joe McDonagh Cup. The same bet on Laois is available with 3/1 odds. But what if you think the game will follow the same storyline as their last meeting? It’s 13/2 for Offaly to win the first half with Laois winning the game outright. The reverse is available at 9/2.
Remember to check out our welcome bonus after registering a new account. This is a great opportunity to bet on the All-Ireland hurling Championship winner without risk. Limerick is the current favourite at 4/5. Laois and Offaly are massive 500/1 outsiders.
