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 Tuesday
December 21
PRESTON RIDD 4-0 MICHAEL MANSELL
PRESTON RIDD set up a first round clash against Vincent van der Voort
after a whitewash victory over Michael Mansell in the preliminary round
of the 2011 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship.
Ridd, the 57-year-old from Christchurch, won the first leg against the
darts with a successful attempt at double top at the first time of
asking, making Mansell pay for two missed opportunities at double four.
The New Zealander hit a 180 at the start of the second leg and won it
with a 74 finish to double his advantage.
Mansell, who reached the semi-finals of a Players Championship in
October before winning the Tom Kirby Memorial Irish Matchplay, missed
chances to win the third leg allowing Ridd to establish a 3-0 lead by
hitting tops.
That put Ridd one leg away from a victory which was secured in the
fourth leg with a 104 checkout to end an impressive performance.
Irish Players in World Championship
BRENDAN DOLAN 3-0
KEVIN PAINTER
(3-0, 3-1, 3-1)
 BRENDAN
DOLAN produced his best televised display to record a straight sets
victory over Kevin Painter in the first round of the 2011 Ladbrokes.com
World Darts Championship.
The 37-year-old, making his
second appearance at Alexandra Palace will now take Wes Newton for a
place in the third round after seeing off the 2004 runner-up
comfortably.
Dolan started the match superbly,
hitting a maximum in the first leg before landing double eight for an
early break of throw.
The Northern Irishman hit another
180 in the process of winning the second leg before sealing the set by
hitting double top in the next after Painter had missed two chances at
doubles.
Dolan fired in his third maximum
of the game at the start of the second set before hitting double 16 to
win his fourth leg in a row.
Painter managed to get on the
board in the second leg with a fantastic 156 checkout, but Dolan took
out 108 to win the third leg and regain the lead.
Dolan then won the fourth with a
64 finish, hitting double four with his last dart to win the set and
leave Painter with a mountain to climb.
Painter hit a finish of 64 to
gain just his second leg of the match at the start of the third set
before Dolan won the next on double 18.
Dolan recorded an 80 checkout to
move one leg away from victory and smoothly crossed the finishing line
by hitting double top at the first attempt to seal a comfortable
victory.
"That's the biggest win of my
career and certainly my best televised performance," said Dolan.
"The 180 in the first leg really
settled me and then I followed it with another soon after. It gave me
confidence and I felt really good from then on.
Painter admitted: "It's hugely
disappointing and a big shock to me. I've prepared well and practised
hard for the past fortnight but maybe I've burned myself out.
"I never got going at all and it
was a shocking display, but Brendan played really well and deserved to
win."
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Mike
Naulty (Big Francies) became the ninth different player to win the cup
now in its 16th year defeating five times winner John
McGinley (Roartys) 6-3. This was John’s first defeat in the
final of this tournament.
