Mayo vs Derry Preview
The Senior Football Championship is in full swing, meaning there are plenty of high-quality GAA games to enjoy this weekend. Mayo will play Derry at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park. The game will take place on Saturday, 22nd June at 6.30 pm and both sides will fancy their chances.
This is the pick of the preliminary quarter-final fixtures. Most GAA pundits expect one of these teams to be in semi-final contention. Mayo has had an impressive season while Derry rode their luck to reach this stage. One of these counties will have an early summer break. The stakes are massive as they both hope to break their All-Ireland ducks. Mayo is the favourite to win this quarterfinal, but the Oak Leaf County has the means to test them.
Mayo vs Derry Key Stats and Head-to-Head
Derry and Mayo are two of the strongest football teams in the country. The Oak Leaf County won a single All-Ireland title in 1993. Meanwhile, Mayo are three-time champions but haven’t lifted the Sam Maguire since 1951.
It’s been a tumultuous season for Derry. Mickey Harte’s men lost the Ulster semi-final against Donegal. Then they suffered back-to-back losses to Armagh and Galway in the All-Ireland Championship. They were fortunate to scrape a narrow win over Westmeath to earn a spot in the preliminary quarterfinals. Derry defeated the Lake County in Newry but they made hard work of it. Indeed, Westmeath will feel that they left this one behind. Conor McCluskey and Emmett Bradley were the heroes for Derry, as their goals proved to be the difference. Derry won 2-7 to 0-9 as Westmeath went down fighting.
Dessie Dolan’s men chased Derry throughout the game but lacked the incisiveness to score a goal. Derry’s cutting edge proved too much for the plucky Midlanders. Bradley’s 65th-minute goal gave the Oak Leaf County time to breathe after a frantic period. Mickey Harte endured plenty of criticism this season. He faced accusations of being too stubborn because of his team’s high line. Donegal and Galway exploited this with impressive effect, but he refused to change his ways. The win over Westmeath will provide a massive confidence boost.
Mayo enters this game after a draw with Dublin. They have an excellent record against the Dubs this season because they beat them in the league. The Westerners should have won this game too at Dr Hyde Park. Both teams made mistakes in this frantic but exciting game. Cormac Costello’s late point sealed Dublin’s spot in the quarterfinals. It was crushing for Mayo, who poured everything into this match.
Ryan O’Donoghue showed again why he’s one of the best players in the country. The Mayo star scored seven points and inspired his team forward. Aidan O’Shea also chose the best time for his game of the season. The veteran forward had some fine scores and the legs to play the full match. Mattie Ruane and Tommy Conroy also deserve credit because they’ve been outstanding for Mayo in their last couple of games. Ruane is in fine-scoring fettle with nine points in two games. Goalkeeper Colm Reape also got on the scoresheet with a massive ’45 late in the match.
It would be incredibly typical for Mayo to lose to Derry after they took Dublin to the brink. They didn’t expect to beat the Dubs, but the fact they came so close will frustrate them. The additional game could have serious ramifications for their season. Mayo and Derry played each other as recently as March in Division 1. The Oak Leaf County won 3-15 to 2-13 in Castlebar. It was a chastening defeat for the Westerners who must do better in this All-Ireland SFC clash.
Derry led by nine points in the second half after Niall McLoughlin and Shane McGuigan scored goals. Mayo deserves credit for the way they came roaring back. They chased a famous comeback but left themselves with too much to do. This was one of the best defensive performances of Derry’s season as they held back the Mayo onslaught. Jordan Flynn scored a late goal for the Westerners, but they struggled to breach the Derry rearguard.
Shane McGuigan was outstanding on the day and finished as the game’s top scorer. He will be crucial to Derry’s hopes of beating Mayo again and proceeding to the quarterfinals of the SFC.
Mayo vs Derry Predictions
Prediction: Mayo 1-16 – Derry 1-13
Our GAA prediction is for Mayo to win the All-Ireland SFC preliminary quarter-final. It’s going to be a tight clash between two closely matched teams. Both sides have flaws and can hurt each other in different ways. Derry will take confidence from their win over Mayo earlier this season.
However, Mayo’s recent record is better than Derry’s. They won’t want to lose to the Oak Leaf County in Castlebar again. Revenge is on their minds, and they’ll have a chip on their shoulder after the draw with Dublin.
Ryan O’Donoghue is arguably the most important player in the country right now. Mayo depends on him more than they’ll admit. He will be central to their hopes of beating Derry. Kevin McStay knows that he can always trust the Belmullet star.
Colm Reape may also have a significant impact on this game. He’s an experienced stopper, but he’s also a great free-taker. Meanwhile, McStay may try to exploit Derry’s notorious high line. Reape’s long kicks could be a massive weapon for the Westerners.
We predict three points will separate these teams, making every goal crucial in this game. Both counties have prolific scorers on their panels. Mayo knows what Shane McGuigan is capable of and they’ll try to shackle him.
This will probably be an edgy affair because the stakes are high. Mayo will be wary after their exertions against Dublin and will fear fatigue. They may play at a slower pace and look to counter-attack against the Oak Leaf County. However, tensions could force cynical fouls, meaning a black card could appear in this high-stakes game.
This is a great opportunity for Derry to pull off a shock. Suddenly, they find themselves as underdogs. It’s an unusual spot for the Ulster contenders. However, Mickey Harte is under pressure, so this game isn’t a free hit for them.
Live betting is a good option for this SFC preliminary quarter-final. Check the in-game odds if Derry takes a lead into half-time. It may be worth betting on Mayo to win the second half.
Mayo vs Derry Betting Tips
Mayo is the bookmakers’ favourite to win this game at our sports betting site. It’s 5/8 for them to beat Derry in this SFC preliminary quarter-final. A €10 stake could win €6.25 so it is quite profitable.
However, betting on Derry is an option despite their problems since the Ulster Championship Final. They got their season back on track against Westmeath and will fancy their chances of beating Mayo again. Nor will they fear playing them at Castlebar because they’ve already won there this year.
It’s 17/10 for the Oak Leaf County to beat the Westerners. This is an excellent price because a €10 bet would win €17 if successful. Many people will think that this is worthwhile. Perhaps the odds will shrink before the game.
Aidan O'Shea 90 championship appearances against Dublin today in championship 💪 pic.twitter.com/xmwZaUphIG
— Mayo GAA (@MayoGAA) June 16, 2024
Betting on the GAA is fun because there are many scores and markets. Why not gamble on the winning margin? It’s 12/5 for Mayo to win by 1 to 3 points. This also correlates with our predicted score. A €10 stake could win €24. If you think Derry will win by the same scoreline, why not bet on them at 7/2? The same stake could win €35. This is a significant profit and could be a good prop bet for those backing the Oak Leaf County to win outright.
It’s also worth checking out the first, last, and anytime goalscorer markets. Ryan O’Donoghue and Tommy Conroy are available for Mayo at 7/1 to be the first or last goalscorers in this game. Meanwhile, it’s 21/10 for them to score anytime, with €10 potentially winning €21. Derry’s Shane McGuigan is available at the same odds. However, it seems Mayo will have the best opportunity to score a decisive goal in this preliminary quarterfinal. Meanwhile, it’s 11/2 if you don’t think there will be any goals.
The winner of this game will automatically become one of the favourites when betting on the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. Mayo is currently available at 12/1 while it’s 20/1 for Derry to lift the Sam Maguire Cup.
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