Galway’s summer draws to a close

Galway’s summer draws to a close

Galway (7/4) will face a resurgent Armagh (4/7) on Saturday who have won their last two games by 25 and 27 points. Lets hope the Orangemen don't run riot in Salthill like they did in Carrick on Shannon and....moving on. Paul Grimley has stuck to his guns with his all out attack policy and while this might suit Galway tactically, as they’ve struggled with the blanket defence, they’ve shown little defensive steel either. Galway lost by six in the league when these two sides last clashed and it’s hard to envisage them outscoring the Orchard county this weekend.

Connacht &Ulster finals
 
For the first time since 1983, no team from Northern Ireland will contest the Ulster final. The DUP must be raging, their July is ruined. Monaghan have been a bogey side to Donegal but that was in the pre McGuinness era and if Donegal are to show signs of defending their title, they’ll need to beat the handicap line of six with ease. The Connacht final is in the ‘neutral’ venue of McHale Park, Castlebar for Mayo and London. This is nearly as big a mismatch as Spain v Tahiti a few weeks ago. Can London avoid an 18 points or more beating in front of a baying Mayo crowd? At 33/1 London are the biggest priced underdogs in provincial final history and Mulhollands are betting 4/6 that the Connacht final will have a bigger winning margin than the other three provinces combined.

It’s wide Open
Its been an incredible twelve months for British sport but can a mainland golfer now win their national major for the first time this century? When Harrington won Ireland’s first major in sixty years, six more majors quickly followed. Justin Rose’s US Open win might be the catalyst for Lee Westwood, Luke Donald and others to reach out and grab their maiden major. Of the Irish contingent, McDowell (25/1), with three wins to his name this season, is rated a shorter price than McIlroy (28/1) for the second major in a row. Despite the notion that this type of course should suit GMac, the fact is he has never competed well at the Open. Lowry at 66/1 might be a good selection for 1^st round leader, whilst Harrington (66/1) could be best of the Irish on a course he finish 5^th in 2002. My selection is Phil Mickelson who won his first tournament on European soil on Sunday meaning he’s been second, second & first in his last three tournaments going to Muirfield. He’s 20/1 and John Mulholland is paying each way the first seven places.