Tom Keogh,

Castlebanney,

Mullinavat,

Co. Kilkenny.

Tel.  056-7768043.

Results of Open Singles Played at Shirley’s Bar, Kills, on Sunday, February 20^th. 2005.

Winner - Aodhgan O’Neill (Cavan) Runner-up - Benny Grace (Kilkenny); S/finalists - Sean Marshall (Limerick) and Mark Robinson (England); Q/finalists - Jack McKenna (Kildare), Paul Irving (Kildare), Colin Osbourne (England] and Jason Cullen (Wexford).

Kilkenny´s Louise Kenny won her first major darts title when she defeated the Republic of Ireland´s number one, Maureen Kelly (Carlow) in the final of the Ladies´ Singles at the Waterford Open in O´Shea´s Hotel, Tramore, on Saturday, December 6th., 2003.

 

Phil Keogh was beaten in the quarter-finals of the same event while her daughter, Gemma, was knocked out at the same stage of the youths´ competition.

Luke Nolan was the only one of the ´Cats´ to make any show in the Men´s Singles where he reached the last sixteen.

 

 

Results of Open Singles Tournament played at Shirley´s Bar, Kells, on Sunday, October 19th., 2003.

 

Winner - Denis McCarthy (Kilkenny)    Runner-up - Anto McCracken (Louth)   S/finalists - Mick McGowan (Louth) and Jack McKenna (Kildare) Q/finalists - John Burke (Louth); Tom Kirby (Kildare); Benny Grace (Kilkenny) and Eugene McArdle (Dublin).

 

Mick McGowan recorded a 9-dart finish in the quarter-finals against John Burke with scores of 177, 180 and 144 (60, 60 and 24).

 

Kilkenny Players on form in Tramore

Denis McCarthy won the Men´s Open Singles Championship at the Tramore Spring Festival on April 6th., 2003, when he defeated his Kilkenny team-mate, Luke Nolan, in the final.

Most of the top-ranked players in the country were in town for the annual tournament and from the outset it was clear that it would not be an easy competition to win.

 

There were no easy boards and with so many internationals from north and south in attendance the big names were falling like skittles.    McCarthy was in unbeatable form as he captured the title with a 4-0 win over Nolan in the final.

 

Kilkenny ladies also had a great tournament by reaching the final of the Inter-Counties Challenge where they lost out to the more experienced Cork girls who are the reigning Irish Champions.

 

The men´s team were beaten in the semi-finals of their event by the eventual winners, Louth.

 

photo - Denis McCarthy and Luke Nolan

All involved in Kilkenny Darts wish to take this opportunity to congratulate one of our own, Benny Grace from Windgap Co. Kilkenny, on his excellent achievement of reaching The Irish Masters Final.     Unfortunately he met an in-form Ronnie Baxter. However on his way he overcame the challenges of England stars Alex Roy (4-1), Terry Jenkins (4-2) and Wayne (Hawaii 501) Mardle 5-2 in the semi-final.    Lets hope his performance can get him a ‘wild card’ into The Big Tournaments In England.     Well done to Louise Kenny on reaching the semi final of the Rosslare Ladies Open. Unfortunately she went down 3-0 to last years winner Breda Doyle (Wexford). Other ladies who performed well were Phil Keogh (1/4 finals) and Gemma and Shelly Keogh who entered for the open for the first time.   Tournaments In Kilkenny. Congratulations to Westmeath on winning the Leinster Inter County Championships in Jan 2003 held In Springhill Court Hotel, and Wexford who won both the Ladies and Youths titles.   Well done also to The Kilkenny County men and ladies teams who performed admirably in The All Ireland Inter Counties in Feb 2003. The men lost to Limerick for the second year running. This time in the Quarter-final. The ladies in their first year ever playing at inter county level lost a play off to reach the Q-final narrowly Losing 4-3 to Mayo. Better luck to all next year.   Kilkenny will enter two Mens teams and one Ladies team in the upcoming inter county challenges in O´Shea’s Hotel Tramore on the 5th of April. The Mens teams have been sponsored for the tournament by John Guiry Painter and Decorator Lintown Hall, Kilkenny.     Tom Keogh (secretary K.D.A)