GAA All-Ireland Hurling Final Preview with Outright Winners Prediction

Hurling remains one of Ireland’s best loved sports, with the 135th edition of the All-Ireland Senior Championship which starts on the 11th of June. Of course, the Provincial Championships are already approaching their conclusion, with the fifth and final round of Munster and Leinster fixtures scheduled ahead of their respective finals on June 4th and 5th.

In the guide below, we’ll take a closer look at the 2022 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, while outlining the county that we think will ultimately prevail!

🔥 The Bookmakers’ Favourites

That’s right, we’re backing defending champions and 10-time winners Limerick to prevail again in 2022. Overall, the bookies seem to agree, but where can you go to get the best price and value for money?

1️⃣ BoyleSports

We’ll start with BoyleSports, which is Ireland’s best-known sportsbook and one that’s renowned for offering competitive odds. To this end, you can back Limerick to win at a price of 1.5 (1/2) here, which means that a €10 stake will deliver a total return of €15 (including your stake) if you’re successful.

The only bad news is that you won’t be able to use this bet as a qualifying wager for BoyleSports €20 free bet welcome offer, as this has a minimum odds requirement of 2.0.

2️⃣ Ladbrokes

Ladbrokes are offering the same live price of 1.50 to win the 2022 All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, with the same €10 delivering an identical return.

As for the welcome offer here, you can qualify for four free €5 wagers when you place a qualifying bet with odds of 1.50 or above. This means that you can back Limerick as a way of unlocking four additional sports betting wagers.

3️⃣ William Hill

Unsurprisingly, William Hill have followed their peers by making Limerick available at 1.53 to win the 2022 title.

If you open up a new William Hill account to make this bet, you can qualify for two free €15 wagers. These are credited immediately after the settlement of your first bet, while there are no minimum odds in play here.

4️⃣ Betway

The iconic Betway brand has bucked the common trend here, by pricing Limerick at 1.53 (8/15) to win their 11th All Ireland crown in 2022. Currently, Betway is also pledging to match the value of new players’ first deposit and qualifying bets up to €30. The good news is that you can wager on Limerick to unlock the bonus bets, as the minimum odds are as low as 1.2.

5️⃣ Unibet

Like most of their competitors, Unibet are also offering odds of 1.50 that Limerick will win this years’ All Ireland Hurling crown.

Unibet are running a unique welcome offer, which will reward new players with up to €40 cash back in the form of a free bet when their first sports wager comes up short. So, why not back Limerick to win in 2022 and potentially add a hefty free bet to your balance?

6️⃣ BetVictor

Unsurprisingly, BetVictor have also priced Limerick at 1.50 to win the All Ireland title (they’re currently top of the Munster Championship table and have already confirmed their place in the final).

BetVictor’s welcome bonus comprises a 100% matched free bet up to the value of €100. While you can’t back Limerick to win as part of a qualifying bet (the minimum odds requirement is 2.0), you can deploy the free wager to back ‘the Buttermilks’ at your desired stake.

7️⃣ 888Sport

888Sport complete a clean sweep in terms of the published odds, offering a price of 1.50 and a potential return of €15 on a €10 stake in relation to a Limerick win.

You’ll have to opt-in to the brand’s welcome offer (with a promo code of ‘TOP100’) and complete an initial deposit of at least €10, before wagering twice at cumulative odds of 1.50. This will earn you a free bet up to the value of €30, which you can subsequently place on Limerick to win.

💯 A Look at the 2022 All Ireland Championship Odds

Not only are Limerick the short-price favourites to win the 2022 All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, but they’re also perceived to be well ahead of their nearest rivals.

To provide further context, take a look at the broader odds table below. This shows that second favourites Kilkenny are priced as long as 7.50 to win, while even 30-time winners Cork represent an outside wager at 10.00.

Team
Limerick	1.50	1.50	N/A	1.53	1.50	1.53
Kilkenny	7.00	7.00	N/A	7.50	7.00	7.50
Clare	6.50	7.00	N/A	6.50	6.50	7.50
Cork	10.00	10.00	N/A	9.00	10.00	9.00
Galway	13.00	13.00	N/A	17.00	17.00	15.00
Wexford	34.00	31.00	N/A	34.00	34.00	34.00

🔍 An Introduction to the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

The All Ireland Senior Hurling Championships were first contested in 1887, following the establishment of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) three years’ previously in 1884.

Interestingly, Limerick are only the fourth best side historically, with Kilkenny, Cork and Tipperary having won a staggering 94 of the 134 titles contested to date.

Despite their lack of historic performance and the fact that they only won seven titles prior to 2017, they’ve emerged as the dominant force ever since. In fact, they’ve lifted a further three titles since 2018, winning three of the last four editions and cementing their greatness with an incredible demolition of Cork in the 2021 final. Make no mistake; they blew Cork away with an awesome first half attacking display, posting 3-18 before going on to win with 16 points to spare.

So, while Limerick may have struggled in the Allianz National League this year and lost three of their five Division One Group A matches, they always appear to save their very best form for the All-Ireland Senior Championships and are clearly the side to beat in 2022.

📈 Limerick’s Form and the Upcoming Fixture

Limerick are currently top of the 2022 Munster Provincial table; two points clear of second placed Claire and five ahead of Cork (who retain a game in hand). They managed to preserve their lead thanks to a stunning injury time strike by Diarmaid Byrnes in the clash with Clare last week. This secured a 1-21 to 0-24 draw at Cusack Park, while confirming only the second even championship tie between the two counties (and first since 1970). This means that both sides have now confirmed their place in the Munster final at the Semple Stadium on June 5th, with Clare remaining a significant obstacle to Limerick’s defence of the 2021 title.

⭐Fixtures and Results

Here’s a look at Limerick’s results to date:

🟠 Munster Championships

Munster Round 1

Munster Round 2

Munster Round 3

Munster Round 4

Munster Round 5

*Due to five teams taking part, each team played in four rounds only.

Munster Final

After their win in the Munster Provincial final, Limerick progress to the All-Ireland semi-finals. They are now just one match away from the showpiece 2022 final at Dublin’s iconic Croke Park on July 17th.

This is another reason why the Buttermilks are so fancied to reclaim the All Ireland title this season, as they’ve done much of their hard work during their Munster Provincial campaign. They’re also known to lift their game for the big occasions at Croke Park, creating a formidable proposition for the rest to contend with.

🟢 All-Ireland Championships

All-Ireland Preliminary Quarter-Finals

All-Ireland Quarter-Finals

All-Ireland Semi-Finals

All-Ireland Final

🏁 A Look Back at the 2021 Championships

Last years’ All Ireland Senior Hurling Championships saw the Munster Provincial competition assume a straight knockout format due to the coronavirus pandemic, with Limerick beating Cork (2-22 to 1-17) and Tipperary (2-29 and 3-21) to reach the All Ireland semi-finals.

From here, their performances reached an entirely new level, with a game Waterford side beaten mercilessly into submission in the semis on August 7th. Inspired by the 2020 Hurler of the Year Gearóid Hegarty, Limerick thrashed ‘The Diese’ by 1-25 to 0-17 at Croke Park, before thumping Cork by an even greater scoreline in the August 22nd final at the same venue.

Hegarty, Aaron Gillane and Cian Lynch were also in inspired form in the final, with the latter mesmerising the Cork defence throughout. The latter even ended 2021 by being crowned as GAA Hurler of the Year, which was a fitting celebration of his talents and performances.

🔥 Limerick’s Key Players

Of course, Lynch is one of several impressive cogs in the Limerick machine, with 10 Buttermilks’ players making Jamesie O'Connor’s ‘All-Star Team of the Year’ in 2021.

Below, we’ve identified three of the team’s best performers ahead of this years’ edition of the All Ireland tournament.

✔️ Sean Finn

While Limerick’s side is renowned for its attacking excellence, this is only possible thanks to a solid defensive bedrock. At the heart of this is the versatile defender and full back Sean Finn, who operated across the backline through 2021 and remains one of the most reliable and consistent performers in the sport. He’s also comfortable on the ball and never outdone in one-on-one scenarios, making him the defensive heartbeat of an outstanding side.

✔️ Diarmaid Byrnes

Byrnes’ stunning late free-kick against Clare highlighted the half-backs’ superb dead-ball and free-kick ability, but he’s also more than capable of scoring from open play. This contributes to an excellent all-round game, making Byrnes central to Limerick’s attacking and defensive output. He also boasts tremendous consistency and stamina, while his ability to raise his game in Championship matches ensures that he’s one of the first names on the team sheet.

✔️ Aaron Gillane

While forward Aaron Gillane has a quite night in the All Ireland Championship opener, his form quickly gathered momentum as the tournament progressed. The epitome of a big-game player, he even plundered one goal and 32 points in total during Limerick’s disappointing National League performance. Ultimately, Gillane brings tempo, swagger and huge technical ability to Limerick’s attacking play, playing a central role in last years’ semi-final and final wins.

🔮 Our GAA All Ireland Senior Hurling Championships Prediction

Backing Limerick at 1.50 won’t deliver huge returns, with the Buttermilks heavy favourties to win their 11th All Ireland Hurling title and fourth in five years. However, it’s hard to see any other side wrestling the crown from their grasp, with their immense and dominant performances through 2021 indicative of a truly great side that’s at the peak of its powers and able to raise its game on the biggest of occasions. Of course, some will point to the side’s disappointing National League form and last-gasp draw with Clare as evidence of frailty, and no team should be considered unbeatable. However, Limerick have a habit of building momentum and form during their Munster Provincial Championship, before moving through the gears and reaching their optimal level once the All Ireland tournament commences. Remember, they’ve already qualified for the Munster final without playing anywhere near their best, guaranteeing themselves a place in the All Ireland quarter finals at least in the process.

Limerick’s head coach Paul Kinnerk also brings experience and knowhow, having masterminded the Buttermilks’ recent success following his arrival in 2017. Make no mistake; Kinnerk has proved highly effective at harnessing the individual talents at his disposal, creating a balanced and hard-working side that defends and attacks as a fluid unit.

So, Limerick remain our overwhelming favourites to win the 135th All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, with Ireland’s leading sportsbooks largely in agreement with us!