Derry vs Armagh Prediction: Preview, Odds - All Ireland SFC Round 2

🏆 Derry vs Armagh All Ireland Group 1 Round 2 Championship Prediction

Derry need to produce a performance on Sunday against Armagh in Celtic Park. They currently sit on 0 points in this group but defeat would not see them out of the championship. There is a very good chance Galway will beat Westmeath on Sunday which would leave Westmeath also on 0 points. If this transpires Derry could meet Westmeath in the final group game with both sides on 0 points, with the winner emerging with 3rd place in the group and a place in the preliminary Quarter Final and Derry would be strong favourites. Therefore, it is not the end of the world if Derry are defeated versus Armagh on Sunday but it would mean three championship defeats in a row.

The defeat to Galway meant Derry had lost back-to-back games in any competition for the first time in 6 years, an incredible record but one that is now over. Derry need this victory not for the points but for the morale boost it will give them for the rest of this year's championship. If they can beat an Ulster rival and All Ireland contender in Armagh that could be the lift they need to ignite their championship and start their push for Sam Maguire that was expected of them at the start of the year. I believe Derry will win this Sunday because this match is much more important for them than it is for Armagh and their performance should mimic this.

💯 Derry vs Armagh All Ireland Group 1 Round 2 Championship Odds

Derry are slightly favoured in the odds but even the bookmakers are looking at this one as a tough one to call with not much separating the odds for either team. It is expected to be a tight, tense game, something we have come to expect over the years when two Ulster teams go head to head, especially in a match as crucial as this for both sides. A win for Armagh will put them on 4 points in this group and will see their qualification out of the group and put them in a great chance of getting 1st place avoiding the preliminary quarter-final as a result going straight into the All-Ireland Championship Quarter-Final.

This game is probably more important for Derry who need to win to keep their chances of not only getting out of the group alive and into the preliminary Quarter Finals. Derry went into this year's championship as one of the favourites to win the Sam Maguire with many tipping Mickey Harte’s side to go all the way at the beginning of the year, myself included. This has not materialised with mistakes costing them against Donegal and Galway. The mistakes in the Donegal game were seen with the keeper being caught out numerous times up the pitch resulting in Donegal goals, costing Derry as a result. The mistake in the Galway game came in a moment of madness as Gareth McKinless received his marching orders after a shocking stamp on DamienCOmer leaving Derry with it all to do in the remaining 50-plus minutes. The sides were level before this red card so the result could have been different for Derry on the day.

🏅Derry vs Armagh: Match Winner

Result
Derry to Win	1.55	1.67	1.55	1.73	1.69
Armagh to Win	2.80	2.63	2.90	2.63	2.66
Draw	6.75	7.50	8.00	7.00	8.00

✔️ Derry vs Armagh - Betting Tips

If you have some free bets to use, take a look at my expert tips for some inspiration:

• Tip 1: Derry to Win: Derry are slight favourites heading into this game on Sunday, despite Armagh being in better form. Armagh have won 3 of their last 4 games with the defeat coming on penalties to Donegal. It is who Armagh have beaten in those games that raises slight question marks about their form. They were on the so-called easier side of the draw in the Ulster Championship with a comfortable win over Fermanagh, and a narrow 1-point victory over Down seeing them into the Ulster Final. They then beat Westmeath last time out by 5 points, a side reeling after a shock Leinster Championship exit at the hands of Wicklow.
  
  On the other hand, Derry probably had the hardest Ulster Championship draw that they could have had, where they met eventual winners Donegal at the Quarter Final stages with goalkeeping mistakes resulting in them being defeated on that day.
  
  Round 1 of Group 1 saw Derry come up against newly crowned Connacht champions Galway, and a Gareth McKinless red card early on left Derry with an uphill battle. At the time of that red card, Derry were level with Galway at 0-4 to 0-4 after 21 minutes and had yet to go behind in the game leading on three occasions, with one of those occasions being by 2 points. Derry had started the game well but the McKinless red card halted their momentum. If Derry can limit their mistakes and keep their discipline I see them getting the victory here, with BoyleSports currently offering a price of 1.73 for this outcome.

• Tip 2: Derry to score first, win the first half, and win the game: This is an interesting tip that comes courtesy of LeoVegas Sports who are offering odds of 3.70 for Derry to score the first score of the match, win the first half, and eventually win the game. This is an interesting one because as mentioned I expect Derry to put in a good performance on Sunday and start fast as they look to get a morale-boosting victory, as well as a victory that gets points on the scoreboard in group 1.
  
  It is hard to predict who is going to score first in a match as there are many factors at play such as who wins the throw-up, what the wind direction is, and maybe the referee giving a free, but if we look at Derry and Armagh’s last few games a pattern begins to appear. In their last two games against Galway and Donegal, Derry have started the game in the exact same manner where they start quickly and come out of the blocks.
  
  In both games, Derry scored the first two points of the game to lead both games 0-2 to 0-0 after just a couple of minutes. Armagh on the other hand have been mixed with how they start the game. In two of their last three games, Armagh have conceded the first point of the game. They conceded the first point of the game last time out versus Westmeath and also conceded the first point of the game in their Ulster semi-final clash with Down. Derry need a strong performance Sunday and getting the first score of the game could be the boost they need to kick on, lead at half time, and eventually win the game.

• Tip 3: Derry margin of victory - 1 to 3 points: The match between Derry and Armagh this Sunday is an intriguing prospect. It is a tough one to call with the bookmakers slightly favouring Derry but I do not think that anybody would be surprised if Armagh left Celtic Park on Sunday with the victory. The two teams are very evenly matched both having strong league campaigns with Derry finishing top of Division 1 and beating Dublin in the Division 1 final on penalties, and Aragh finishing second in Division 2 gaining promotion to Division 1 for next year.
  
  I expect Derry to edge this one because of the game's importance to them. They need a victory to ignite a spark in their season, whereas Armagh can still qualify for the next phase of the All-Ireland even in defeat, if Galway beat Westmeath which is a high possibility.
  
  I expect it to be a tight and probably low-scoring game as these two Ulster rivals will hate to lose to one another. Their last championship meeting in last year's Ulster Final was so tight they eventually could not be separated after 70 minutes or after 20 minutes of Extra Time with Derry eventually prevailing via penalty shootout, 3-1.
  
  If Derry are to win on Sunday expect it to be tight, so I think a margin of 1 to 3 points is a good bet at 3.40 with BoyleSports, and I would be shocked if they won by more.

1️⃣ Derry Update

Derry have the following injury concerns:

2️⃣ Armagh Update

Armagh have the following injury concerns:

👕 Derry vs Armagh - Potential Lineups

✒️ Jack Guing – Expert Tipster

I am Jack Guing, a 23-year-old hailing from County Offaly in Ireland. I hold a bachelor’s degree in English and History from Maynooth University and a master’s degree in Sports Performance from the University of Limerick. I am a keen sports fan with an avid interest in GAA, soccer, and golf. My passion for performance analysis in sport offers a data-driven style to deliver informative predictions.