Carlow vs Wexford: Prediction & Odds - Leinster Hurling

🏆 Carlow vs Wexford Leinster Hurling Prediction

When Chris Nolan got Kilkenny on the board in the seventh minute of the Cats’ clash with Carlow, it seemed business as usual for the defending Leinster champions. However, ‘The Dolmen County’ became significantly better in possession and more threatening as the game commenced, while they were undoubtedly helped by the dismissal of Killian Doyle for an off-the-ball foul.

Carlow coach Tom Mullally also deserves credit for introducing three selected starters at half-time, namely full forward Conor Kehoe, Paddy Boland and Ciaran Whelan. This kept Carlow fresh and energised as Kilkenny’s reduced numbers wilted, while Marty Cavanagh top-scored with 0-9. He has now contributed 0-30 in just three Leinster appearances, adding to his haul of 4-46 in six National League Division 2A matches.

Of course, Carlow earned promotion to Division 1B having won four of their five National League games. Conversely, Wexford finished fourth in Division 1A and two points behind Kilkenny in second, although they also managed to draw with ‘The Cats’ and won impressively against Waterford at Walsh Park. Left corner forward Seamus Casey also starred by scoring 3-26 and 35 points in five Division 1 appearances at the impressive rate of 7.00 per game.

With two divisions separating these teams in the 2024 National League, there’s no doubt that Wexford boast a superior squad of players and greater pedigree. Carlow may also find it hard to repeat the same levels of intensity and focus that they showcased against Kilkenny, even in front of an expectant home crowd at Dr Cullen Park. So, I’m tipping Wexford to record a crucial provincial win here!

💯 Carlow vs Wexford Leinster Hurling Odds

Despite their early struggles in the Leinster Championship, Carlow have only lost once at home competitively since the beginning of February. Their draw against Kilkenny was also achieved in front of a partisan home crowd, so Wexford will be wary of the threat posed by Dolmen County on their own soil. Wexford also lost on the road at struggling Antrim on matchday two, so navigating the win market may prove trickier than initially meets the eye here. There are plenty of other hurling betting available too, including handicap wagering and picking the eventual winning margin.

Carlow vs Wexford: Match Winner

Despite being competitive at home, Carlow are priced at a distant 7.00 to beat Wexford this weekend. These odds imply just a 14.28% probability of a home win. Conversely, you can back the Yellow Bellies to prevail at around 1.11, suggesting that Wexford have a 90.09% chance of recording their first win on the road in the 2024 Leinster Championship. Although the draw is priced at 15.00 (implying a 6.66% probability of the match ending tied after 90 minutes), it should be noted that Wexford drew three of their five NL matches in Division 1A.

Carlow to Win	7.50	7.00	6.50	7.50	7.00
Wexford to Win	1.10	1.10	1.11	1.10	1.12
Draw	15.00	15.00	17.00	15.00	16.00

✔️ Carlow vs Wexford - Betting Tips

Although Wexford are deserved favourites to defeat Carlow in the win market, their average price of 1.11 is prohibitive and arguably doesn’t reflect the true difference between the two competing teams. So, you may want to create further value by engaging in handicap or winning margin betting, while combination wagers could also unlock significantly enhanced odds. Regardless, here are some expert tips to help you make the most of your real money bankroll and any free bets that are available on your account!

• : Tip 1: Back Wexford to Win with a Handicap of -8 Points: These two sides haven’t met in the Leinster provincial championship since 2019, when the Yellow Bellies prevailed by a whopping 15 points at Wexford Park. Since then, Carlow have largely plied their trade in the 2019 Joe McDonagh Cup, before earning promotion back to the Leinster Championship last year. Remember, Wexford also play at a much higher level in the National League and impressively defeated Galway on matchday three, so get on the away side to win with a modest handicap of -8 points at the enhanced price of 1.91 with BoyleSports.
• Tip 2: Back Wexford to Win by Between 7 and 9 Points: If you want to create further value when backing Wexford to defeat Carlow this weekend, you could also engage in winning margin betting. Obviously, this market requires you to be a little more precise, but Carlow’s two Leinster defeats in 2024 have been by a combined margin of 16 points (at a rate of eight points per game). Wexford also prevailed by this margin against Galway last time out, so get on them to beat Carlow by between seven and nine points at a price of 5.00 with 888 Sports.
• Tip 3: Back Wexford in the Half and Full-Time Market: Although Carlow led by four points at half-time against Dublin on matchday two, they’ve trailed after 35 minutes in their other two Leinster contests so far. Conversely, Wexford were quick out of the blocks against Galway on May 4th, while they even led Antrim by three points at half-time in their recent defeat at Corrigan Park. So, consider backing Wexford to lead both at half and full-time against Carlow at a price of 1.18 with BoyleSports.

⚾ Carlow Update

Carlow’s stunning draw against Kilkenny snapped a four-match losing streak, with this sequence including defeats in their opening two Leinster Championship games and a 13-point reversal against Laois in the National League Division 2A final. Tom Mullally’s men also lost at Kildare in the final round of regular Division 2A fixtures on March 16th. In all competitions, Carlow haven’t won since a 3-20 to 2-18 victory over Down at Dr Cullen Park on March 10th, so they may be a little shorn of confidence when they welcome Wexford. The forward pairing of Conor Kehoe and Marty Cavanagh will prove central to Carlow’s chances of success, with the former having already scored two goals in the Leinster campaign so far.

Conor Kehoe, Paddy Boland and Ciaran Whelan are all in contention to start against Wexford, despite the impact that these players had from the bench in the historic draw with Kilkenny. However, manager Tom Mullally may choose to keep at least one of his stars in reserve, especially as he looks to maintain a viable attacking threat for the entire 70 minutes.

⚾ Wexford Update

Wexford have only won one of their previous four competitive matches, with their victory over Galway following a disappointing defeat at Antrim and a topsy-turvy draw against Dublin in the Leinster Championship. They were also defeated 1-15 to 3-21 by Cork at Wexford Park in the final round of National League fixtures on March 16th, capping a frustrating campaign that saw them draw three of their five matches and win only once. Seamus Casey’s three goal, 35-point haul ultimately helped Wexford to secure fourth in Allianz Division 1A, but it’s centre forward Lee Chin who has led the way in the Leinster Championship with a total haul of 3-34 (43 points) in just three matches so far.

Chin has certainly recovered well from the hamstring injury he incurred in the National League clash with Clare on February 25th, and will be keen to add to his impressive points haul this weekend. Both Liam Ryan (calf injury) and Dee O'Keeffe (back) are also expected to be available for selection against Carlow, although Oisin Foley remains a long-term absentee with a groin complaint.

👕Carlow vs Wexford- Potential Lineups

✒️ Lewis Humphries – Expert Tipster

Lewis Humphries is an experienced football and GAA writer and tipster from the UK. He writes regularly about the Champions League, Premier League, Serie A and the GAA provincial championships, regularly delivering expert match predictions and betting insights. He also successfully predicted the winner of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, while accurately forecasting the outcome of several group stage and knockout games.