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World Championship Beckons for Irish Hopefuls
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Pictured at the
draw for the Irish Matchplay Championship
were Michael O'Sullivan,
Kay
O'Carroll, Joe Coyne and John Delaney,
Ardmanning House
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161 players have entered the inaugural Irish Matchplay Darts Championship
which takes place at Hotel Kilkenny on Sunday, August 31st.
In
addition to a prize fund in excess of € 7,000 the big prize at stake for
these Irish hopefuls is a place in the Ladbrokes.com World Championship at
Alexandra Palace in London next December.
All
players must check-in at the venue between 10.30 and 11.30am and first
matches will be called at 12 noon.
Please note that a STRICT DRESS CODE will apply to all
players on the day.
The
draw for the Irish Matchplay was made on Sunday last at Ardmanning House in
Cork and resulted as follows:-
Board (1)
1st. Rnd.
(A) Michael Doggett v Thomas Maguire
(B) Shane O'Connor v Gerald Murphy
(C) Pat Darby v Billy Matthews
2nd. Rnd.
Ian Dobson v Adrian Doherty
Noel Philbin v James Hoban
Aidan Saunders v (A)
(B) v (C)
Board (2)
1st. Rnd.
(A) Ben Corcoran v Kevin Hanly
(B) Daniel McGrath v Nicky O'Connor
2nd. Rnd.
Robert Mooney v Noel Redmond
Mark Cullen v Alan Reilly
Denis McCarthy v Eugene McArdle Jr
(A) v (B)
Board (3)
1st. Rnd.
(A) Darren O'Shea v Paddy Nugent
(B) William O'Toole v Charlie Delaney
2nd. Rnd.
Jamie Kelliher v Danny Ward
Robert Menton v Terry Meehan
Jamie Shearer v Damian O'Hea
(A) v (B)
Board (4)
1st. Rnd.
(A) John Elder v Laurence Collins
(B) Maurice Lynch v Jack McKenna
2nd. Rnd.
Brendan Barry v John Herlihy
Ray Walsh v Shane Nolan
John Burke v Dave Stack
(A) v (B)
Board (5)
1st. Rnd.
(A) Kieran Nash v Kay O'Carroll
(B) Simon Wykes v Mick Barry
2nd. Rnd.
Patrick Keane v John Ward
Mick Meaney Sr v Darren Ruddy
John Troy v Daniel O'Halloran
(A) v (B)
Board (6)
1st. Rnd.
(A) David Concannon v P.J.Moylan
(B) Ricky Dunlop v Brian Cathcart
2nd. Rnd.
Conor Turner v Anto McCracken
John Hoban v James O'Connor
Liam Bolger v Brian Murphy
(A) v (B)
Board (7)
1st. Rnd.
(A) Martin Murphy v Martin Coleman
(B) David Bradley v P.J.Kelly
2nd. Rnd.
Aodhagan O'Neill v Dave Bos
Keith Geraghty v Stiofan O'Dalaigh
Jody O'Carroll v Peter Waters
(A) v (B)
Board (8)
1st. Rnd.
(A) Colin O'Sullivan v Jim McKevitt
(B) John Hannon v Joe Collins
2nd. Rnd.
John Edwards v William O'Carroll
Darren Behan v James Brogan
Brian Doheny v Ken McDonnell
(A) v (B)
Board (9)
1st. Rnd.
(A) Joe O'Brien v Mick Dwyer
(B) Benny Grace v Gary Coyne
2nd. Rnd.
Anthony Cox v Dominic Fenlon
Paddy Reilly v Warren Behan
Ali Powell v Mark Finneran
(A) v (B)
Board (10)
1st. Rnd.
(A) Jason Ryan v Dave Murphy
(B) Sean Lynch v Johnny Donovan
2nd. Rnd.
Patrick Clince v Anthony Murphy
David Coyne v Owen Dempsey
Brian Cullen v Gary Concannon
(A) v (B)
Board (11)
1st. Rnd.
(A) Paul Casey v Pakie O'Donovan
(B) Alan O'Reilly v Stephen Ganley
2nd. Rnd.
Joe Murphy v Raymie Williamson
Eoin Doyle v Simon Healy
Michael Mansell v Joey Ronan
(A) v (B)
Board (12)
1st. Rnd.
(A) Mark Hackett v Tommy Elmes
(B) Thomas Ryan v Ronnie Delaney
2nd. Rnd.
Rodney Kane v Tony Jeynes
Garrett Gray v Duane Durkan
Fred McSweeney v David Kirkland
(A) v (B)
Board (13)
1st. Rnd.
(A) Noel McMahon v Liam O'Shea
(B) Andy Price v Sean Marshall
2nd. Rnd.
Christopher O'Connor v Paul King
Michael Cummins v Thomas C. Murphy
Jason Cullen v Paul Irving
(A) v (B)
Board (14)
1st. Rnd.
(A) Eugene McArdle Sr v Jimmy Morrissey
(B) Rory Sheerin v Mattie Murtagh
2nd. Rnd.
Cahal Murphy v Mick Meaney Jr
Darren O'Hea v Robert Kelly
Robert Lucas v Paul Darcy
(A) v (B)
Board (15)
1st. Rnd.
(A) Shane O'Hara v Tommy O'Reilly
(B) Matthew Maguire v Harry Strahan
2nd. Rnd.
Mervyn Robinson v Robbie Moore
Alan Koyce v Michael McSweeney
Peter Stafford v John McKenna
(A) v (B)
Board (16)
1st. Rnd.
(A) William O'Connor v Jim McMorrow
(B) Thomas Concannon v Radoslaw Szaganski
2nd. Rnd.
Jimmy Murphy v Chris Connery
Padraig Hester v Ollie Thompson
William Fouhy v Andrew Dempsey
(A) v (B)
Irish Teams Contest Europe Cup
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Daryl Gurney, 2008 Bruce Betting Ireland
Players' Champion, who will be in action
with Northern Ireland in the Europe Cup
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Northern Ireland and the Republic of
Ireland are sending Men's and Ladies' teams to Denmark this week to compete
in the Europe Cup competition. Twenty three countries will
be competing in the event which commences on Thursday, August 28th., in
Copenhagen. The Irish teams are as follows:
Northern Ireland:
Men: Daryl Gurney, Michael
Blair, Davy Glenn and Gary Elliott
Ladies: Denise Cassidy and
Grace Craine
Republic of Ireland:
Men: Connie Finnan, Eddie
Cull, Steve McDonnell and Martin McCloskey.
Ladies: Nicola O'Donovan and
Angela Deward.
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Eamonn Byrne
(Director Bruce Betting),
Dary Gurney (2008 Champion)
and Emma
Lavelle (Marketing Manager
Bruce Betting).
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Daryl Gurney from County Antrim won the 2008
Bruce Betting Ireland Darts Players'
Championship on Sunday last, August 10th.,
when he defeated Dublin's Garrett Gray 6-3
in the final at the Springhill Court Hotel
in Kilkenny.
After seven rounds of competition played at
different venues around the country the Top
32 players on the Ireland Rankings List
stepped up to the oche last weekend hoping
to become the third winner of this
prestigious event.
The players were divided into eight groups
which were played off on a round robin basis
and the top two from each group went forward
to the knock-out stage of the competition.
At this stage two of the tournament
favourites, Shane O'Connor (Kildare) and
Connie Finnan (Limerick), made early exits
as did last year's champion, Paul Irving
from Kildare.
The line-up for the quarter-finals consisted
of four players each from Northern Ireland
and the Republic and on the form displayed
throughout the afternoon any of the last
eight players could have lifted the title.
In the first match on stage Daryl Gurney
defeated Jason Cullen 5-2 followed by Denis
McCarthy (Kilkenny) having a 5-3 victory
over Roy Bailie (Down).
Garrett Gray was much too strong for Michael
Blair (Down) with a 5-1 win in the 3rd.
match while the North's fourth contender,
Brian Cathcart, was taken all the way by
Sean Marshall (Kerry) before winning 5-4.
In the semi-finals Gurney defeated McCarthy
6-2 and Gray had a similar victory over
Cathcart before the Antrim player went on to
take the title and first prize of € 2,000
with a 6-3 win over Garrett Gray.
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Paul Hinks, Sharon
O'Brien (Ladies'
Champion), Emma Lavelle
(Bruce Betting), Denise
Cassidy (Runner-up),
Eamonn Byrne (Bruce
Betting) and Joe Coyne.
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The finals of the Ladies' and Youths'
Championships were also played on the same
day and in the Ladies' event Sharon O'Brien
from Kildare came out on top with a
convincing 4-2 victory over Northern
Ireland's No. 1 player, Denise Cassidy
(Fermanagh).
The beaten semi-finalists were Joan Flynn
(Kilkenny) and Maeve O'Connor (Carlow).
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Paul Hinks, Mark
Finneran (Youths'
Runner-up), Eamonn
Byrne (Bruce
Betting), David
Concannon (Youths'
Champion), Emma
Lavelle (Bruce
Betting) and Joe
Coyne.
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There was an all-Roscommon
finale to the Youths' Championship with
David Concannon defeating his team-mate Mark
Finneran 3-1 in the final.
Finneran had defeated last year's winner,
Paddy Meaney, 3-2 in the semi-finals while
Concannon had a 3-0 victory over Jason
Hahessy (Tipperary).
Thomas Concannon kept the Roscommon flag
flying with a 3-0 victory over Martin Doheny
(Kilkenny) in the final of the Youths'
Plate. Kian Barker (Dublin) and Paul Donovan
(Cork) lost in the semi-finals.
The stage finals were televised on the day
and recorded highlights will be shown on TG4
Television in the coming weeks.
The first showings will be on Saturday,
September 6th. and 13th., at 11.30am and
will be repeated on the following
Wednesdays.
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Mike Naulty
Wins in Donegal
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John McGinley (Sponsor), Mike Naulty
and James Byrne (Organiser |
Mike Naulty won the 2008 Bridge Bar
Summer Cup up in Donegal when he defeated
Dermot McGuire on a 7-5 scoreline in
the final on Friday night, August 1st.
Qualifying rounds were organised over
the past two months and the eight qualifiers
put on a great show at the final
session in the Bridge Bar.
In the semi-finals Naulty defeated
Declan Cunningham 6-3 while McGuire defeated
John McGinley by 6 legs to 4.
Full results on
www.donegaldarts.com
THE title
sponsor for the 2008 World Grand Prix has been changed to Sky Poker.
The Sky Poker World Grand Prix will be held at Dublin's Citywest
Hotel from October 6-12, with a new record prize fund of £250,000 as
James Wade defends his title.
Known as the Sky Bet World Grand Prix since 2004, the tournament's
sponsorship will now be named under another brand in the Sky Betting
and Gaming family, Sky Poker.
"Sky Poker is simply the best Poker offering available anywhere in
the market," said David McIntosh, Head of Brand Marketing for Sky
Betting and Gaming.
"It uniquely brings together Interactive TV and internet players
both fighting out to be the best, all within a live television
production.
"The Sky Poker sponsorship of the World Grand Prix darts will
hopefully take the present success of Sky Poker to even greater
heights and at the same time introduce viewers to another of Sky
Betting and Gaming's major brands."
The Sky Betting and Gaming family also includes Sky Vegas and Sky
Bingo alongside the Sky Bet and Sky Poker brands.
Paddy Meaney
Wins in Kilkenny
 After picking up one bronze and two
silver medals at the Europe Youth Cup in Wales
last week Paddy Meaney continued his
amazing good run of form at the Park Inn in
Kilkenny on Friday night, August 1st.,
when he defeated Benny Grace 6-3 in the final
of the Premier Singles League 2.
The Top 8 players on the Rankings List
after four rounds were competing on the night
and Meaney was quickly into his stride
with a 4-0 win over Joey Ronan in the quarter-
finals followed by a 5-3 victory over
Mick 'Flash' Dwyer in the semis.
Grace had wins over David Bradley (4-0) and Rory Sheerin (5-2) en
route to the final
but he found young Meaney to be more
than a handful in the decider.
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August - A Big Month for Irish Darts
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Joan Flynn - Ranked No.1 on the Ladies' Rankings |
There will
be two major darts events in Ireland during the month of August
starting with the Grand Finals of the 2008 Bruce Betting Ireland
Players' Championships on August 10th., followed three weeks later by the
inaugural Irish Matchplay Championship on August 31st.
The
Springhill Court Hotel in Kilkenny is the venue for the third
successive year for the Players' Championships and with the standard
of play improving every year these finals promise some top-class
action.
The Top 32 players on the Men's Rankings
List will be competing in the Main Event with a first prize of €
2,000 on offer for winner and they will also have an opportunity of
winning a Peugeot Car if they hit a 9-dart check-out in the stage
finals.
Eight ladies will be competing for a
prize fund of € 1,000 while there will also be eight players
competing in both the Youths' Championship and Youths' Plate.
August 31st.
is the date for the Irish Matchplay Championship and this new
event is open to all Irish residents (male or female) over
sixteen years of age.
The winner of this Championship will be invited to compete in
the Ladbrokes.com World Championships which commence on December
19th. at the Alexandra Palace in London.
The Top 32
players on the Ireland Players' Rankings List have been invited
to compete in the Championship and all other intending
participants are reminded that the closing date for entries is
Wednesday, August 13th.
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Dolan Wins
McEvoy Memorial (Photo - Brendan Dolan)
Brendan Dolan - pictured right - won the annual Rory McEvoy
Memorial Singles with an 8-4 victory over Mick McGowan in the final
at the National Forresters Club in Tullamore.
In
the semi-finals Dolan defeated Shane O'Connor 7-4 while McGowan had
a 7-1 victory over last year's winner Aodhagan O'Neill.
98
of the top players competed in the event and the winner received
€1,200 for his day's work.
Republic Finish Third in Europe Youth
Cup
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Paul
Christopher Flynn, sponsor, presenting
team shirts to Tom Keogh, Team Manager
Republic of Ireland, and players, David
Coyne and Paddy Meaney
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Overall, it was a great
tournament for the Irish lads with Meaney picking up two
Silver Medals, Coyne with one Silver Medal and all four
members winning Bronze Medals for finishing in third
place.
Northern Ireland also
competed in the event and while they made a good start
with two early wins in the Team Event they faded badly
in the Pairs and Singles and finished well down the
field.
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