Ballymena United vs Carrick Rangers Predictions, Betting Tips and Match Previews

Ballymena United reached the Northern Ireland League Cup Final for the first time in their history back in 2014/15, but a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Cliftonville halted them from lifting the trophy. That was Cliftonville’s third consecutive League Cup win, and they went on to win last season’s trophy as well.

The defeated finalists managed to get a measure of revenge back in January as they knocked Cliftonville out of the Irish FA Cup on penalties, but it was Glenavon who knocked them out of the League Cup as they looked for a fifth consecutive title.

Glenavon were then shockingly knocked out by Carrick Rangers, who are having a pretty torrid time in every competition but this one. They sit 11th in the Northern Irish Premiership, with just 17 points from their 29 games and they were battered 5-1 by Coleraine to send them out of the Irish FA Cup at the first time of asking.

Ballymena United, on the other hand, are having another decent campaign. They have almost three times as many points as their opponents in the league and sit in 5th position, and they remain in contention for the Irish FA Cup as well.

They have won three of their last five games and are facing a Carrick Rangers side who have lost five of their last six, conceding 13 goals in the process. Their opponents have netted ten goals in their last five matches as well, so the Carrick Rangers’ defence could be in for a tough evening on Saturday.

The underdogs have had a fairly easy run at this final as well, with the best team they have faced being 6th placed Glenavon in the semi finals. Ballymena United, on the other hand, have faced two of the top four in the Northern Irish Premiership, beating Coleraine 3-0 after extra time and hammering 2nd placed Linfield 4-1 at home.

Ballymena United have won all of their League Cup games this season by at least a two goal margin, and with them being such big favourites for this clash, I expect a comfortable margin of victory for them. Odds of 2.000 for a Ballymena United -1.0 Asian Handicap Win look good value for money, and I’m going for a 3-1 correct score predictions at 11/1 as well.