Date: Sunday, May 11

Time: 4:15pm

Venue: Croke Park, Dublin

Live on: RTÉ

Odds: Meath 4/6 | Louth 6/4 | Draw 13/2

Tip: Louth to win at 6/4 – the standout bet of the weekend

A classic Leinster rivalry returns to the big stage as Meath and Louth meet in the 2025 Leinster Football Final. With both counties bringing momentum and hunger to Croke Park, this promises to be one of the most eagerly anticipated provincial deciders in recent years.

Louth are 6/4 underdogs, despite a run of excellent form and a commanding 3-10 to 0-9 win over Meath in last year’s All-Ireland Round Robin. That result, combined with their defensive solidity this year, makes Louth the standout bet of the weekend.

Paths to the Final

Meath

• Beat Carlow (1-30 to 0-19)
• Beat Offaly (1-25 to 0-21)
• Beat Dublin (0-23 to 1-16)

Louth

• Beat Laois (2-16 to 0-17)
• Beat Kildare (1-18 to 0-18)

Both sides are unbeaten en route to the final, with Meath’s win over Dublin catching the eye. But Louth have quietly gone about their business, winning two close encounters without conceding a goal.

Recent Championship Head-to-Head

• 2024: Louth 3-10 Meath 0-9 (All-Ireland Round Robin)
• 2017: Meath 0-27 Louth 3-9
• 2016: Meath 0-20 Louth 1-13
• 2011: Meath 5-8 Louth 2-8
• 2010: Meath 1-12 Louth 1-10 (Leinster Final)

Historical Leinster Final Meetings

• 2010: Meath 1-12 Louth 1-10
• 1952: Meath 1-6 Louth 0-8
• 1950 (Replay): Louth 3-5 Meath 0-13
• 1950 (Draw): Louth 1-3 Meath 1-3

Stats & Storylines

• Louth are appearing in a third successive Leinster final for the first time since 1912-1914.
• Their last Leinster title came in 1957, the year they also won the All-Ireland.
• Meath haven’t won a Leinster title since 2010, when they last beat Louth in a final.
• Louth beat Meath 1-19 to 0-17 in the 2025 Allianz League.
• Both counties have conceded no goals on their path to the final.
• Louth manager Ger Brennan won three Leinster titles as a Dublin player between 2009 and 2013.

Verdict: Louth to Deliver at 6/4

The form guide, recent head-to-heads, and defensive record all point toward a real upset in the making. Louth at 6/4 to win their first Leinster crown in 68 years is tremendous value. Back the Reds to deliver.

The post Louth v Meath: Underdog Louth Carry the Value in Historic Leinster Final at Croke Park appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

Galway will look to bounce back from their recent defeat to Kilkenny when they host Wexford in a vital Leinster Senior Hurling Championship Round Robin fixture. Both counties come into this encounter with two points apiece, having won one and lost one from their opening two games.

The match is finely poised in the standings, but the bookmakers make Galway strong favourites at 1/3, with a -4 handicap applied. Wexford, available at 3/1, will need to defy recent form trends if they are to come away with a result.

Recent Form and Head-to-Head

Galway beat Offaly comfortably in Round 1 but came up short against Kilkenny last weekend. Wexford opened with a win over Antrim but were outclassed by Dublin in their second outing.

The last five championship meetings between Galway and Wexford show just how tight this rivalry has become:

• 2024: Wexford 1-28 Galway 0-23
• 2023: Galway 0-24 Wexford 2-12
• 2022: Galway 1-19 Wexford 1-19
• 2020: Galway 1-27 Wexford 0-17
• 2019: Galway 0-16 Wexford 0-16

This will be the 17th championship clash between the counties. Both have won seven each, with two draws—highlighting the historic parity. However, Galway hold the edge in more recent encounters, with an unbeaten run in their last four championship games in Pearse Stadium against Wexford.

Goals at a Premium

One of the standout stats in this fixture is the lack of goals. In the six games played from 2018 to 2024, only seven goals have been scored in total. This trend suggests another low-scoring tactical battle could be on the cards, especially with Galway’s defensive structure typically holding firm at home.

League Form and Home Advantage

Galway also defeated Wexford in this year’s Allianz League at Chadwicks Wexford Park by 2-19 to 1-20, a result that will give them added confidence coming into this weekend.

They will also take comfort from their six-point win over Wexford at home in the 2022 championship. That said, Wexford got revenge in 2024, winning by eight points on their own turf.

Betting and Prediction

With Galway -4 on the handicap and a price of 1/3 to win, the market strongly leans towards a home victory. The handicap line suggests the bookies expect Galway to win by at least five points. Given the trends and Galway’s strong form at Pearse Stadium, that looks a reasonable prediction.

Prediction: Galway to cover the -4 handicap in a tight, physical contest.

The post Galway v Wexford: Tribesmen Favourites in Crucial Leinster Hurling Championship Clash appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.