Cork Darts Organisation Home of Darts in Cork City
The first major individual competition of the new season, the Sean Street memorial B&C individual championship was played at St, Vincen’s on Friday night last and what a resounding success it was, especially for winner Eoin Casey from the Cow bar.
One hundred and fifteen entries took to the oche’s at the Blarney Road venue and the standard of darts scoring by the vast majority of the players who made the night a success was very high.
Last years runner-up Tony O’Neill of St, Vincent’s went through to his board final after wins over Tony Goldsmith, Ger Hennessy and Noel Barry and can consider himself very unlucky to go down to former winner of the competition Padraigh Heffernan of the Gerald Griffin who then went out in the quarter-final to eventual winner Casey.
Another fine young player who has been playing really great darts in recent times, Jamie Kelleher of the Tower Bar defeated William Fouhy of the Muskerry Arms in his board final and went on to get the better of Jerry Coughlan from the Woodview in a nailbitter of a quarter-final.
Surprise of the evening was Ken price representing Mulcahy’s who came through his board following hard fought wins over John Dowdall, Eddie O’Sullivan, Deccie McCarthy and Garry Cotter.
Price then went on to defeat Ian Gray from the Anglers Sports lounge in a marvellous quarter-final that swung one way, then the other before the Mulcahy’s player took it.
Last years defeated semi-finalist Vince Noonan is surely destined never to win this individual championship as he went one step less this time around in going out in the quarter-final to Eddie Hickey from the Telecom club.
The semi-finals then saw Casey defeat Kelleher and Hickey go on to overcome price in two outstanding games of darts which were a credit to all four players involved in same.
The first leg of the on stage final seemed to be going Hickey’s way after top hands of 110 and 140 but, his inability to close out the leg on his double cost him dearly as Casey took full advantage to score a double-ten for the lead.
Hickey gathered himself for the second leg and hands of 77, 100,100 gave him an advantage he never lost as he went out on a double-ten to square the match.
Casey however was not fazed and he was quickley back into his stride as he threw in hands of 70, 85, 92, and a 140 to then take the third leg on a double-six to once more lead.
One leg from defeat was Hickey and he responded in great fashion as he scored with hands of 81, 100, 100 and a 123 to then stick a double-four to send the final to the deciding leg.
This deciding leg was a mirror of the first leg as Hickey failed with nine championship darts to let in Casey who immediatley scored his winning double-twenty with his first attempt at the number for the title.
Fixtures for tonight Thursday. Evening Echo ladies A division shield: Local v Anglers Sports lounge, Southside v Ma Dullea’s 2, Brown Derby v High House, Muskerry Arms v Maple Leaf, Brian Dillon’s v Ma Dullea’s 1, O’Cionnaigh’s v Red Cove Inn. Gallows B division shield: Junction v Joshua Tree, Ma Dullea’s v Glenryan Tavern, Gallows v Strand.
Frank Goulding.
