DROGHEDA are a side I've successfully tipped several times on the site this season.
Tonight they're in action in the FAI Cup quarter-finals and while form often goes out of the window they should have too much quality for lower-league Finn Harps.
It's a big day for hosts Harps though as they compete in the last-eight stage for the first time since since 2002-03 when they lost to Cork in a replay.
There is no head-to-head stats to consider either as the teams haven't met for 10 years. So look at current form with Drogheda's domestic 12-match unbeaten run ending last Sunday with a 1-0 defeat late on at joint Premier Division leaders Dundalk.
Harps have lost their last two and three out of their last five and have injury concerns over key men Kevin McHugh and James Doherty.
Drogheda are hot favourites at 4-9 with Titanbet and although Harps will fight ferociously the better quality possessed by the visitors should see them through.
Elsewehere in the FAI Cup Title Dundalk travel to a Shelbourne side who they've beaten four times this season – including two at Tolka Park.
Stephen Kenny's men have won six in a row to join St Pat's at the top of the table but are without skipper Stephen O'Donnell who netted that late winner against Drogheda.
Dundalk are 11-20 to win but without O'Donnell that's too short for me and I'm leaving them off the treble as there are also concerns about their focus being on the league.
Talking of St Pat's they are favourites to beat Shamrock but haven't won the Cup for 52 years. They are 6-5 at home and that looks tempting but again they're juggling glory on two fronts and that can't be ignored.
A better bet could be winger Conan Byrne to score. He has netted all five of St Pat's goals against Rovers this year including four in a league game last month when they won 4-0 after Rovers had been reduced to 10 then nine.
So to Drogheda I'm adding both to score at Hertha Berling v Stuttgart. It's satisfying to see both sides have netted six in a Bundesliga match recently.
Stuttgart did it last time out as they hammered Hoffenheim 6-2 and Hertha achieved the feat a few weeks ago with a 6-1 rout of Eintracht Frankfurt.
Hertha are the favourites to win and are undefeated in 20 home matches. But Stuttgart's new boss Thomas Schneider will be buoyed but winning 6-2 in his first game in charge and he has in his midst a form striker in the shape of Bosnian Vedad Ibisevic who netted a hat-trick against Hoffenheim.
It's difficult to make a case for Stuttgart getting a result but they have netted in their last four so have an attacking threat. They've also conceded at least two in four of their last five matches so that's something Schneider will have to address.
Four of Hertha's last six have seen both score as have the last two meetings in Berlin.
I'm completing the treble with another side I know well but with Galatasaray 2-5 at Titanbet it means it's not a big payer.
However, I'm happy enough with 2-1 and on a Friday I don't have too much time to look at the lower leagues in say Holland, Germany and France as I face my Saturday deadline for the Daily Record column.
Anyone looking for bigger than 2-1 should have a look at some of the well-reasoned tips put up in the comments section.
Galatasaray tackle Antalyaspor at home and really need a win after starting the campaign with a victory and two away draws to already trail leaders Besiktas by five points.
The star-studded outfit are strong at home, winning their last league games while Antalyaspor haven't won in 13 away trips. They have also started poorly, picking up two points and scoring just once through Milan Baros.
Galatasaray will be looking for stars such as Burak Yilmaz, Didier Drogba and Welsey Sneijder to turn up and get this over quickly with a Champions League meeting against Real Madrid to come on Tuesday.
They are unbeaten in six against their opponents who have netted just once in that spell but picked up three draws. Antalyaspor look to have lost a bit of sparkle and with Gala boss Fatih Terim back at the club after starting his short spell in charge of the national with two wins there should be a buzz about Istanbul.
Yilmaz netted in a fine 2-0 win in Romania on Tuesday and has scored twice in three games this season. He can be considered ahead of Drogba for anyone looking at a first scorer.
As for the match I expect Galatasaray to win by at least but for the treble I'll settle for a homes success.
Top Treble
Drogheda (8pm)
Hertha Berlin v Stuttgart both to score (7.30pm)
Galatasaray (6pm)
Pays 2-1 at Titanbet
Resident football tipster at Scotland's most read newspaper, the Daily Record, for over 20 years and proud host of one the best betting communities on the web with daily betting tips.
GambleAware
UTRECHT
UDINESE
ATL MADRID
3.05/1
:D
Above for the weekend my apologies..
Seeing as Winning Insights not around today, here’s a few geegees fancied for today goodluck if you decide to play..
Treble
BREDEN 3.05 S 7/2
Royal Focus 4.40 DR 4/1
Ihtimal 3.15 D 7/4
Super Single
MIST THE BOAT 4.35 B 6/1
Gregge, Winning Insights is on holiday, celebrating that win he finished off with last week. Thanks for the tips.
Hehe niceone buddie, yea and what a win it was too, incredible tipping top drawer stuff and doing not too bad your self :))
Hey Paul do you remember putting up a perm bet in the record many moons ago, t’was involving picking say five games and correct scores (i.e) 0-0,1-0,0-1,1-1,2-1.. can’t remember layout of bet, thanks again G
Gregge,I used to do a perm of the week feature and it was pretty popular. Had some crackers in there but I’ll need to dig them out again. You can pick three scores for three games and do 27 trebles but I don’t remember the five scores one.
Maybe five was infact three, seem to remember winning good few times with perm as suggested, that’d be great cheers ;)
no super single?
14.00 KO AFF WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP
Vitenam Womens vs Malaysia Womens
Its Asia Ranked 6th vs 19th.
Its again gulf in class here and expect goals
Previous H2H 0-11,8-0,0-6 in 2009.
Vietnam last 5 scores in 2013 is 7-0,10-0,6-0,9-1.
Back 2.5FHG & 5.5FTG. I don’t think the markets will be that generous but we’ve to wait If there is no early goal,
Good Luck
do you fancy Rotherham at a decent price tomorrow Paul?? 6/5 at hills and betvictor seems too big, got on 7fold covering 6folds too, 8 bets plus to score 2+. ICT in both bets too so hoping one of these don’t bust both lines
Craig, as you know I backed Rotherham last week and fancy them again tomorrow but they are not among the top tips.
Paul, What do you think of Rangers -2 for tomorrow?
Dave, I’d take Gers -2 or even -3 with their full squad now available. It’s the gist of one of my Daily Record articles tomorrow.
i did a treble…helsinki over 4, flora tallinn over 4 and bayern munchen II over 4… i just lost on bayern munchen II….shame
do you think the match hertha berlin/stuttgart can go over 4??
jeanot, I’m not watching so difficult to comment but it would seem unlikely after one goal in the first hour.
aye seen you tipped them to beat shef utd and thought it was a dodgy one so keeping an eye out for them from now on
Brentford @ 11/10
Wolves @ 9/10
Inverness @ 21/20
All betway odds