GAA Betting: Cork Tipped To Land National Hurling League Title

The Division 1A Hurling League final will see the two most consistent teams of 2025 face off in an intriguing battle, and betting sites have odds on who will win the decider.

Guaranteed a place in the Division 1A final after claiming four wins from their opening five games of the season, Tipperary faced 2024 winners Clare at Semple Stadium in Thurles last Saturday. 

Their opponents were already resigned to relegation from the top flight, and despite Mark Rodgers and Tony Kelly picking off some nice scores over the course of the contest, a nine-point haul from Jason Forde helped Tipp claim a 0-22 to 1-18 victory.

It was also known that Wexford would join Clare in Division 1B for 2026, and Saturday evening saw the Slaneysiders face a Limerick team who were neither in contention for a league final place nor relegation. 

It was difficult to know how much you could read into the game, but Kevin Foley's tally of 1-2 ensured Wexford's morale-boosting 1-19 to 1-12 triumph.

Cork And Tipp Will Meet In The Final

Undoubtedly, last Saturday's most intriguing game on paper was the clash between Cork and Galway at Pairc Ui Chaoimh. 

This was a de facto league semi-final, with the winner of the game assured a spot in the Division 1A showpiece alongside Tipperary.

It was pretty even during the early stages of the action, but after Brian Hayes and Darragh Fitzgibbon rattled the opposition net, Cork found themselves in the driving seat.

National Hurling League Final Odds

Cathal Mannion did his best to lead a potential Galway revival, only for their opponents to add further three-pointers through Tim O’Mahony and Patrick Horgan – propelling them to a 4-22 to 0-22 success.

Although the game had a winner-takes-all element, Cork were comprehensive victors in the end. There were some speed bumps along the way, but both themselves and Tipperary have been the best sides in this year’s Division 1A.

While their ambitions for 2025 extend beyond the NHL, both sides will have an opportunity to end a barren spell when they meet in a league final on April 6.

Winners Will Bridge Considerable Gap

You have to go back to 1998 for the last time Cork won a top-tier hurling league title. Current manager Pat Ryan was playing then, and he scored a brace of points when the Rebels beat provincial rivals Waterford 27 years ago.

There isn’t as long a gap between their last league success, but Tipperary’s most recent NHL triumph was in 2008, at the expense of Galway. 

Even though both counties have claimed three All-Ireland senior hurling championship titles apiece since their last league successes, there is still something for either of them to gain from victory in the upcoming final.

It is two decades since Cork last won a national title – namely, the All-Ireland SHC final of 2005. 

It might be only six years since Tipperary got their hands on the Liam MacCarthy Cup, but following a difficult period of form in recent times, Liam Cahill’s charges will be looking for a confidence boost ahead of a crucial Munster senior hurling championship.

Cahill guided Waterford to a league title in 2022 and may believe that his current squad can replicate this feat.

They are 3/1 with betting apps to get the better of their Munster rivals in the final.

Cork Favourites For Hurling League Glory

Once Limerick were officially out of the running for a league title – thanks to a defeat to Kilkenny in a rearranged fixture last Saturday week – Cork were installed as the new favourites with GAA betting sites for the NHL. 

Considering how ruthless they were in overcoming the challenge of Galway, it comes as little surprise that they remain the frontrunners for a league title at the beginning of next month.

At the time of writing, BoyleSports are offering odds of 2/7 on Cork claiming the 15th NHL crown of their long and varied history in the sport.

Last weekend’s game against Galway was notable for ace attacker Patrick Horgan, who became the National Hurling League’s all-time top scorer. 

An All-Ireland senior title continues to elude the Glen Rovers star, but he will have another shot at a piece of national silverware on Sunday week.

Tipperary Underdogs Despite Earlier Win Over Rivals

Tipperary will be a tough nut to crack, however, and in prodigious youngster Darragh McCarthy, they have the main marksman in this year’s league. 

He amassed 10 points (evenly spread between frees and open play) when his team defeated Cork in round four of the league in Thurles on February 22.

This will leave them with a spring in their step ahead of their latest battle with Cork, but they are the underdogs for a 2025 league title.

BoyleSports are also offering odds of 12/1 on the game ending in a draw. 

When you recall some of the battles these two counties have had over the years, this scenario could play itself out.