Derry v Monaghan Predictions, Betting Tips & Odds (2026)
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| Timetable | 2nd May, 17:00 GMT |
| Prediction | Derry To Win! |
| Odds | |
| Bookmaker | Lunubet Sports |
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The Athletic Grounds in Armagh will host the first of this year’s Ulster Senior Football Championship semi-finals when Derry take on Monaghan on Saturday, May 2nd, at 17:00 GMT. Noel Mooney will be the man in the middle for this one, with the match being streamed live on GAA+.
Derry got the better of Antrim to reach the last 4, while Monaghan got their first competitive win of 2026 when they beat Cavan in their quarter-final.
In this preview to the semi-final, we will give you the latest Derry v Monaghan betting odds as well as our very own Derry v Monaghan prediction. We will also provide some Derry v Monaghan betting tips, so read on as we look forward to this year’s Ulster semi-final between Derry and Monaghan.
🏆 Derry vs Monaghan
Derry should prove too strong for Monaghan in their Ulster SFC semi-final on May 2nd. Derry looked mightily impressive at times against Antrim, and they really seem to have turned a corner under Ciaran Meenagh this season after a turbulent couple of years. That is why our Derry v Monaghan prediction is for a Derry win.
Derry narrowly missed out on promotion to Division 1 of the league and put up an impressive 2-23 against Antrim in their quarter-final. They possess forwards of the calibre of Lachlan Murray, Paul Cassidy and Shane McGuigan, while Brendan Rogers and Conor Glass are still key men for the Oak Leaf County too.
Monaghan also put up a notable 0-27 points in their quarter-final win over Cavan, earning Gabriel Bannigan’s side their first win of 2026. That should give them confidence heading into this one, but we still can’t see them stopping Derry from clinching another Ulster final berth.
It should be competitive and hard-fought, as most Ulster matches are, but Derry should be able to come through and meet either Armagh or Down in the decider.
OUR PREDICTION: 🏆 DERRY TO WIN 🏆
💯 Derry vs Monaghan Betting Odds
Derry are clear favourites when it comes to the latest Derry v Monaghan odds for their Ulster SFC semi-final on May 2nd. Monaghan did well to get the win against Cavan but are still underdogs for this clash with Derry in Armagh.
Below you will find the latest odds with a selection of the best online bookmakers around.
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✔️ Derry vs Monaghan Betting Tips
At this stage of our preview, we will share some Derry v Monaghan betting tips. These tips might prove useful for those with any free bets to use on the game or those that just fancy having a flutter on this Ulster SFC semi-final.
Before having a bet on the match, however, why not check out our sportsbook reviews page? Here, you can find out lots more about any of the betting sites listed.
- Tip 1: Derry to win: The Derry team were on a downward spiral over the last couple of years but look to have found their groove once again this year under Ciarán Meenagh. They had some good wins in the league and then beat Antrim by 13 points in their Ulster opener. They last won the Ulster title back in 2023 as part of a two-in-a-row for the county and will be eyeing up the chance to reach an Ulster final on May 17th.
To back Derry, you can currently get a price of 1.45 with BoyleSports.
- Tip 2: Lachlan Murray to score a goal anytime:
Lachlan Murray has found the back of the net already in this championship, hitting a goal against Antrim. Murray, along with Paul Cassidy, appears to be Derry's best chance at scoring goals this season, so if they are going to score goals against Monaghan, keep an eye out for either of those players.
To back Murray, you can currently get a price of 3.10 with Festivalplay on him scoring a goal for Derry.
- Tip 3: Derry HT/FT We fully expect Derry to clinch their place in the 2026 Ulster final by beating Monaghan in this semi-final. Meenagh's team have looked sharp at times so far this year, with their hammering of Cork and the professional manner in which they dispatched of Antrim particularly catching the eye. Monaghan did well to stop their losing rot against Cavan, but Derry should be too strong from start to finish in this one.
With that in mind, why not take a look at the Derry HT/FT market? You can currently get a price of 1.83 with BoyleSports for Derry to be leading at half-time and winning at full time.
📈 Derry Updates Form
Derry narrowly missed out on promotion to Division 1 of the league this year, finishing on 10 points. They then took on Antrim in their Ulster SFC curtain-raiser, winning in the end 2-23 – 1-13. They had 10 different scorers against Antrim, with Shane McGuigan, Paul Cassidy and Lachlan Murray leading the way.
⚽ Monaghan Updates Form
Monaghan were relegated from Division 1 of the 2026 National League without winning a match. They then took on Cavan in their Ulster quarter-final, where they won their first competitive match of the year to book their place in this Ulster semi-final against Derry. Dessie Ward, Rory Beggan, Stephen Mooney and Ulster Championship debutants Cameron Dowd and Darragh McElearney all had big impacts against Cavan while Conor McCarthy made an appearance off the bench.
👕 Derry vs Monaghan Predicted Lineups
To give you an idea of how the two teams may line up for their Ulster semi-final below we have listed the starting teams put out by both sides in their quarter-final wins.
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✒️ Derry vs Monaghan - H2H Stats
Derry and Monaghan have won 25 Ulster SFC titles between them, with Derry’s last win coming in 2023 and Monaghan’s back in 2015.
Over the last 10 years, the two teams have met sporadically, with Derry leading the Derry v Monaghan H2H stats, 2-0, over that time. There was also a draw between the sides in 2023.
Below you can see a summary of their last 3 championship meetings.
🎯 Updates from GAA Twitter (X)
With the matches coming thick and fast throughout the Championship season this year, the best way to keep up-to-date with everything that’s going on in the world of GAA is to follow their social media pages.
You can do so by clicking the link below.
Liam Lacey
Liam is a sportswriter from County Laois in Ireland who specializes in delivering content on GAA and Football matters (though he does see himself as somewhat of a tennis aficionado also!). Liam has written about All Ireland Gaelic Football and Hurling Championships, Premier League, Champions League and International Football offering expert opinion and match previews and predictions. Occasionally even getting some right!