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Martin Cotter claimed his third darts individual title when at Sheehan’s Local on Friday night he took the Murphy’s Stout Premier Player’s individual league championship.
Many times down through the seasons Cotter has more often then not being the bridesmaid on such occasions, but he put all those times behind him on Friday night last as he played very strongly throughout the entire competition to deservedly claim the title.
John “Dinny Bobs” McCarthy claimed the highest finish on the night with a 158 check-out. He also scored a staggering, six 180’s overall.
However it was doubles that let him down against Jason Galway in the final leg of the Semi-Final where he had 3 darts at double 20 to take out the game but an “on form” Galway checked out 116 to claim his spot in the final.
Peter Quinn went out to Martin Cotter in the other Semi-Final.
Quinn had throws of 140, 100, and 125 in the first leg but failed to hit his doubles to finish. Cotter showed his cool and took out the first leg with 81 check-out.
Cotter went on to win the second leg, checking out 60 however, a 15 Darts leg from Quinn in the third brought it to 2-1 and it was looking like a comeback from the mighty Quinn.
But it wasn’t to be for Quinn as Cotter brought his heavy scoring darts into the fourth leg and his clinical finishing on hitting D20 on his first attempt to win his place in the Final.
It was a Tower Bar v Brannigans final, to round off the night, and it was Jason Galway of Brannigans who had the throw in the final after winning the Bull. He opened up with scores of 140, 100 and 106 and was very unlucky not to win the first leg by narrowly missing the bull to take out 90, but it was Cotter showing his cool again with late scores of 100, 140 and a 70 check-out to go one up.
Cotter opened the second leg with hands of 100, 60,140 and 130 with Galway replying with hands of 66, 95 140 and 95 to leave 95 remaining but he never got a chance at it, as Cotter stepped up and took out 71 in a 15 dart leg to go 2 up.
Galway took the third leg to bring him back into the contest, with scores of 60, 140 and 90 helping him to take out 40, despite Cotter hitting hands of 100, 94 and 92 to leave himself with 32, but Galway took out double 20 with his first dart to bring the score to 2-1.
Cotter had the throw in the fourth leg and with excellent hands of 100, 125, 100, and 80, leaving 96 remaining he could almost touch the trophy.
But Galway was not giving up easily as he posted late scores of 100 and 95 and left himself sitting on 122 and a slim chance.
Cotter then went in scoring 64 of the 96 he required to leave himself on 32 thus giving Galway a shot at 122 and for the second time in the match he missed a bull finish to claim the leg, scoring single 18, treble18 and narrowly missing the bull to bring it to a deciding leg.
Cotter then stepped up and hit double16 with his first dart to claim the match and the title.
In the presidents cup quarter-finals first legs there were wins for Tower Bar over the Island Tavern by 6-1, Shamrock routed the Gerald Griffin 2 by 7-0, Gerald Griffin 1 won 6-1 at home to Ma Dullea’s and Brannigans won 6-1 away to the Gallows 1.
Return legs will be played on Monday next April 4 with the semi-finals and final at the Joshua Tree on Monday April 18.
Frank Goulding.
