With the local darts scene quite at this time of the year until it gets underway once again at St, Vincent’s on new years day with the playing of the men’s Beamish doubles championship, a little reflection on how the season has gone so far would not go amiss.
Apart from Phill Taylor going out of the PDC World championships to Dave Chisnall by 4-1 on Tuesday night the biggest news here on Leeside was in the recognition by Guinness World records back in July of the eight man team from the CDO who set a new world record at St, Vincent’s GAA club on Saturday March 21 of last year between 5 and 6 o’clock in the afternoon.
The fact that the attempt at the record by members of the CDO was made in March 2010 and only ratified over one year later by Guinness world records does not take away from the effort the players and organiser Michelle O’Toole of MOT promotions put into the day itself.
They now are the holders of a world record for one hour of non stop points scoring for an eight man team.
The previous record of 21,944 was held by a team from England and this record was surpassed at St, Vincent’s on Saturday March 21 by the CDO team who set a new score of 35,087 which bettered the old one by 13,143.
Back to the bread and butter of the CDO leagues, and the season opened with the playing of the Sean Street memorial B and C grade singles championship at St, Vincent’s GAA club back in September with the honours going to Blaine Meighan of the Island Tavern who was a 3-2 winner over Pat Lawlor of Hennessy’s in what was a marvelous final and a great start to the darting season.
Doubles specialists Martin Cotter and John O’Shea failed to make the money in the October doubles championships held at St, Vincent’s over the October holiday weekend as the title went to the very deserving pairing of John Paul Dowdall and Damian O’Driscoll of Brannigans.
Another very deserving winner of a singles title was Brian Kiely of the Muskerry Arms team who captured the Pat Corcoran memorial singles championship back in November while in ladies darts a very first singles title went to the Reed Cove Inn’s Marie O’Sulivan who captured the very popular ladies 301 double-off singles championship played at Sheehan’s Local back in October when she defeated Ma Dullea’s Rita Hannigan in a very competitive final by 3-2.
Team darts once again saw the Shamrock to the fore as they retained the CDO Presidents A division league title which was played at the Hollyhill Inn.
Shamrock Bar defeated old rivals the Tower Bar in a repeat of last years final by the same 4-2 scoreline with the man of the match award going to Shamrock player Peter Quinn.
Gerald Griffin defied all the negativity after they were relegated to the B division at the start of this season, and despite having lost a number of players because of that, they bounced back immediately as they won the Gallows sponsored B division league by defeating the Capwell 4-2 in the final and so regained their place in the top division once more.
Hollyhill Inn continued their progression through the divisions as they added the Murphy Stout C division league to their trophy shelf by virtue of their very impressive 4-0 win over the wolfe Tone in the final played at Sheehan’s Local with Declan Gostl being their star player on the night as he received the man of the match award for his very impressive performance in his game.
Once again the ever popular junior league proved to be a winner as it brought together O’Sullivan’s and Aunties in the final played at the High House.
O’Sullivan’s ran into a 3-0 lead but were reeled back to 3-2 by Aunties before clinching the title in the sixth game for a 4-2 win, however some consolation for Aunties was in the man of the match award went to Aunties Brendan McSweeney.
That junior league final wrapped up the first third of the season, and action will resume at St, Vincent’s on new years day with the playing of the men’s Beamish doubles championships for players of the A grade and a separate event for players of the B, C and junior grades.
Entries will be accepted for the B, C and junior competition from 2pm with first games to begin at 3pm while entries for the A grade event will be accepted from 4pm with first games to commence at 5pm.
Youths will also be catered for with entries taken from 4pm and games to begin at 5pm.
Frank Goulding