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NEWS - December 2007

News from Around the Country

 

Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship

Click on the logo for all you need to know about the World Championships - up to date reports including access to all photos

See logo above for all latest news from the Ally Pally


MICK McGOWAN 3-0 JASON BARRY
 (3-1, 3-2, 3-2)

MICK McGOWAN won the all-Ireland battle with Jason Barry to move into the second round of the 2008 Ladbrokes.com PDC World Darts Championship.

McGowan progressed to round two for the second successive year in straight sets, although he was forced to work hard by Barry.

Barry qualified for the World Grand Prix in October and lives just two miles from McGowan, and furthered his growing reputation with a competitive display.

He eventually paid the price for a slow start, with McGowan taking the first set 3-1, thanks in part to finishes of 120 and 103.

Barry led 2-1 in the second before McGowan took out a crucial double top in leg four, with his opponent sat on tops.

Barry was also waiting on a finish in the decider, with a 168 score leaving double four only for McGowan to scramble home double one with his third dart.

A 13-darter put Barry 2-1 up in set three, before missed doubles for the set allowed McGowan to level.

It was a crucial moment, with McGowan landing two 140s in the next leg to edge in front and land double top for victory.

"I'm pleased to get through that," admitted McGowan. "It was tough and we both fed off each other a bit up there.

"Nobody has played their best game yet so far in this event and that goes for me, but I can improve and hopefully will in the next round.

Barry admitted: "I'm delighted to have played on the biggest stage of all. "It was a great experience and hopefully I will be back next year, I'm sure it will help me on the circuit."

Match Stats

Mick McGowan

3-0

Jason Barry

22

100+

13

9

140+

13

2

180

1

28.89

Ave1

29.25

86.66

Average 3

87.75

120,103

High Finish

64


Shane O'Connor Wins in Abbeyleix  
A record number of 201 players entered Round Two of the 2008 Bruce Betting Ireland Players' Championship
which was played on Saturday, December 8th., at the Abbeyleix Manor Hotel.
There was a top-class entry of 154 men from all corners of the country in the men's event and they produced some of the best darts in the Championship to date.
Shane O'Connor (pictured right) captured the first prize of € 1,200 with a 6-2 victory over fellow-Dub Garret Gray in the final.        The beaten semi-finalists were Johnny Donovan (Cork) and Michael Blair (Down).

In the Youths' Championship Paddy Meaney (Kilkenny) (pictured left) overcame Sean McArdle (Dublin) by three legs to one in the final while the beaten semi-finalists here were David Concannon (Roscommon] and Craig Casey (Kildare).

A Ladies' Championship has been added to the programme and this has proved to be a tremendous success with 29 players competing on the day.  Sharon O'Brien (Kildare) (pictured right)  emerged victorious with a 4-1 win against Joan Flynn (Kilkenny) and the beaten semi-finalists were Theresa (Laois) and Maeve O'Connor (Carlow) 
Prize money totalling € 4,320 was paid out on the day.
 
The next round of the Ireland Players' Championships will be held on Saturday, January 12th., at O'Shea's Hotel, Tramore, Co. Waterford, in conjunction with the Tramore Winter Gala.
This promises to be another great weekend of darts with Men's and Ladies' Doubles competitions on the
Friday night at 8.00pm and separate Singles competitions for Men, Ladies and Youths on Sunday.
DOWNLOAD ENTRY FORM HERE.
 

Mick McGowan Wins Laois Open 
   (Photo - Mick McGowan)
Mick McGowan won the Men's Singles competition at the Laois Open on Sunday, December 9th.,with a win against Shane O'Connor in the final. The beaten semi-finalists were Paul Irving and John Burke.
Northern Ireland Open Champion Denise Cassidy defeated local player Nicola Kirwan in the Ladies' final and Paddy Meaney completed a weekend double when he defeated Shane Nolan to take the Youths' title.
 

Barry and McGowan Clash at Ally Pally      
Jason Barry and Mick McGowan have been drawn against each other in the first round of the 2008
Ladbrokes.com World Championship at the Alexandra Palace in London.
The Championship commences on Monday, December 17th., and the two Irish players will be in action at 3.30pm on Wednesday, December 19th.

Jacko Through to World Championship       

Two months to the day after qualifying for the Sky Bet World Grand Prix at the City West Hotel
Jason 'Jacko' Barry from Dublin took another step up the darts ladder when he qualified for the Ladbrokes.com World Championship in Wolverhampton over the weekend.

 

Fifteen Irish players travelled to the qualifiers in the hope of grabbing some of the eight places available in the Grand Finals but only Barry survived and he qualified with a 5-3 win against Jamie Harvey in his last match.

 

It was heartbreak for John Magowan who lost out by the narrowest of margins when he went down 4-5 to Kirk Shepherd in his final match.    Wolverhampton Report here
 
 

 
Bruce Betting and Morrissey Motors to Sponsor Players' Championship
 
Pictured at the Press Reception for the 2008 Ireland Players' Championship were Shane Langton (Morrissey Motors), Joe Coyne (Ireland Players' Championship), Pat Maher (Morrissey Motors) and Emma Lavelle (Bruce Betting).

The Ireland Players' Championship has attracted new sponsors in Bruce Betting for the 2008 event and once again Morrissey Motors from Kilkenny will be providing a magnificent car for the first player to achieve at 9-dart finish at the Grand Finals next August.

 

The Championship has been an outstanding success since it's inauguration two years ago and with 125 players entering Round One of the current competition it is set to break all records over the next six rounds.     More than € 3,000 in prize money was paid out in the first round in Kilkenny with the winner € 1,000.