Clare v Down Predictions, Betting Tips & Odds [2025]
| Timetable | 18th May, 14:00 GMT |
| Prediction | Down To Win! |
| Odds | |
| Bookmaker | Lunubet Sports |
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The All-Ireland series kicks off this weekend with the beginning of the group stages, and the draw has created four intriguing sections. The so-called 'Group of Death' includes Galway, Dublin, Armagh, and Derry, which promises to be highly competitive. Tyrone, Mayo, and Cavan join Donegal in another tough group. Kerry is expected to have the upper hand in Group 2, but they will face strong competition from Roscommon, Meath, and Cork, who are all vying for a chance to advance.
Meanwhile, Leinster champions Louth find themselves in a wide-open section alongside beaten Munster finalists Clare and Ulster teams Monaghan and Down. Ennis is the venue on Sunday as Clare and Down lock horns in a game they will both view as winnable. We've got our Clare v Down prediction with odds from some of the best betting sites around for Sunday's game.
🏆 Clare v Down Prediction
Clare surprised Cork in their group stage opener last year in Ennis but fell to heavy defeats against Tyrone and Donegal, ending with three losses. The Banner will surely be wary now of having to face two more Ulster sides this time around, with a very wily Monaghan side also in this section.
They start, as they did last year, on home soil and face a Down outfit that went toe-to-toe with Donegal for decent spells in their Ulster semi-final in Clones last month.
Conor Laverty's side were the Tailteann Cup winners last season, something Odhran Murdock labelled a 'massive achievement'. They will, though, be disappointed to have been relegated from Division 2 in the Allianz League this spring after winning three games from seven. They'll join Clare in the third tier next season.
Down showed enough spark against Donegal in spells to suggest they can win this contest, and our Clare v Down betting tips are focused on the Mourne Men winning in Ennis.
OUR PREDICTION: 🏆 Down TO WIN 🏆
💯 Clare v Down Betting Odds
Last year's Tailteann Cup winners, Down, are back amongst the big boys in 2025, and a county with their pedigree truly belongs on this platform. The Clare v Down betting odds show the Ulster side as favourites to get an opening win after the Banner were swatted aside by Kerry in the Munster final before they had even settled into the game. There are lots of markets to choose from in this weekend's GAA games, so why not peek at our sportsbook reviews as you consider the best place to bet on the action.
✔️ Clare v Down Betting Tips
Down, inspired by goals from Daniel Guinness and Ryan McEvoy, came back from seven points behind to beat Fermanagh 0-23 to 2-19 at Brewster Park in the Ulster quarter-final. They then had a quick turnaround as they faced Donegal in the last-four. They engaged Jim McGuinness's side in a good battle, but a missed goal chance for Down, quickly followed by Donegal rattling the net, turned it irrevocably in favour of the now back-to-back Ulster kingpins. The 2024 Tailteann Cup winners, Conor Laverty's side, are best placed to win and get the nod in our Clare v Down All Ireland SFC prediction to do just that.
Clare conceded four goals in the first half against Kerry in the Munster decider, and, in Down, they face a side that typically goes for green flags when they can. The Mourne men scored two against Fermanagh, and over 1.5 Down goals appeals again.
Down took a long time to get going against Fermanagh in the Ulster quarter-final before getting the job done. After their early nightmare against Kerry, the home side will want to start this All Ireland SFC 2025 clash on the front foot. There's some value in a Clare half-time lead before Down gets the spoils.
- Tip 1: Down to win: Clare's confidence surely took a dent in how ruthlessly Kerry dispatched them in the Munster final, whereas Down made Donegal work hard in their Ulster exit. The visitors can win this at a price of 1.50 at DirectionBet.
- Tip 2: Over 1.5 Down goals: Conor Laverty's side have a predisposition for targeting goals in recent seasons, and Clare shipped four in the first half of the Munster final.
- Tip 3: Clare HT/Down FT Double Result: Neither side has been noted for fast starts, but after losing the clash with Kerry before it had truly begun, expect Clare to hang tough and maybe even lead at the break. Down's Ulster SFC success against Fermanagh showed they can get out of a tight situation coming down the stretch. This bet is priced at price of 5.50 at DirectionBet.
📈 Clare Squad Form
Kerry native Peter Keane was hit hard by his home county in the Munster final as Clare shipped goals in the fourth and seventh minutes to David Clifford. The Kingdom added two more before half-time to render the contest a non-event.
For the Clare players who had run Kerry to seven points in last year’s Munster final in Ennis, this year's game was a bruising one. Some pride was restored as Clare won the second half by four points, but Kerry's focus had shifted further up the summer road by then, with Manus Doherty, Mark McInerney and Emmet McMahon doing good work for the Banner.
Their challenge now is to lift spirits for the visit of Down, by recalling the five-point Munster semi-final win over Tipperary in Ennis, where Éire Óg clubman McInerney was their star performer with 2-05 on the scoresheet.
⚽ Down Squad Form
Down survived a major Ulster scare against Fermanagh in Brewster Park in their quarter-final, coming from seven points down in the closing eight minutes as Daniel Guinness rattled over a two-pointer, and he followed up with a goal in the 65th minute to spare their blushes.
They ultimately couldn't handle Donegal in the last-four, but there were certainly positives for boss Conor Laverty in that Clones encounter. Down spurned a great first-half goal chance and, within seconds, Patrick McBrearty had the ball in their net as the game was taken away from them by the would-be Ulster kingpins. The excellent Pat Havern kicked eight points in Clones that afternoon, and his ability to fire long-range efforts could be key in Ennis in this Clare v Down All-Ireland Football H2H.
👕 Clare v Down Predicted Lineups
6-2-6
6-2-6
6-2-6
6-2-6
✒️ Clare v Down - H2H Stats
Clare, winners of the Munster final in 1992, hosted Down, All-Ireland winners of 1991, in a much-recalled National League clash in the spring of 1993, with stars like Mickey Linden, Ross Carr, James McCartan and DJ Kane on show for the visitors, but it was Clare that won out.
More recently, Down's All-Ireland finalists of 2010 had to survive a major scare in a 'back door' tussle with Clare in the 2011 Clare v Down All-Ireland Football H2H. As we look ahead to this weekend's clash in Ennis, check out these free bet offers from major online operators that may help your GAA punting needs.
🎯 Updates from GAA Twitter (X)
Last weekend's provincial deciders in Ulster and Leinster really lived up to their billing and the football season is now at full throttle with the All-Ireland round robin series set to begin this weekend coming. Keep up to date with GAA news via the official X account, such as "Louth ending a 68-year wait for a Leinster title on Sunday" .
Enda McElhinney
Enda McElhinney is an Irish-based sportswriter, specialising in written content on the GAA, horse racing and football. He has more than a decade of experience across many publications, bringing a wealth of knowledge and betting nous to his craft. You'll find his content featured on many websites, including The Telegraph and Planet Sport. When he isn't at this desk or the racecourse, he loves to unwind on the golf course – though sometimes that can be more stressful than working!