The Darts Shop

Self Styled Prince of Dartness Ted “The Count” Hankey gave “Wolfie” Martin Adams the silver bullet in a tense 6-4 battle.

Hankey played his best match of the week, with a huge 14 180s and equalled the tournament’s top checkout of 161 – ironically hit by Adams at the beginning of the semi final showdown.

Both players notched 31 plus dart averages and there were 12 and 13 dart checkouts plus 200 plus scores of a ton and over.

The opening sets went with the throwing advantage, Hankey swooping to take the third against the throw 3-1, despite a maximum from Wolfie.

Twice The Count led in the fourth but battling Adams levelled and then took the crucial fifth leg.

It was Hankey who seized the initiative to open up a 3-2 interval lead, charging back from losing the opening leg to take the set 3-1 on double seven after missing double 14.

Despite two maximums from The Count, Wolfie leapt in to take the sixth set with a 180 and double 12 with his second throw. Hankey blazed into the seventh set, equalling the tournament’s highest checkout set by Adams in the second leg of the game – 161 – against the throwing advantage.

Adams returned the compliment in the next leg and then held his throw, Hankey levelling and then firing in a superb pressure 116 checkout finished on double tops against the set advantage for a slender 4-3 match lead.

Hankey opened up a 2-0 lead in the next but had an agonising three scrape the wire of the double 18 for a shock two-set lead. Throwing first in the fourth leg, Adams who had started missing doubles, recovered from a missed double 16 to hit double eight but then missed double tops for a set-winning 76 checkout, Hankey edged 5-3 in front after hitting double two.

The opening legs of the third went with the throw, Adams missing double 10 for a blockbusting 140 finish, Hankey then hitting two treble 16s and hitting the wrong side of wire for double tops. Adams grabbed the leg on double five to defend his throw and then took the next against the throw to reduce the match lead to 5-4.

Throwing first in the next Hankey started hammering nails in Wolfie’s coffin as he moved ominously 2-1 ahead after hitting double tops.

He powered in a 180 – his 14th of the match and 27th of the week – to leave himself 81, hitting treble 19, double 12 when he returned to the oche to swoop into his third final in 10 years, after Adams had left himself 24.

Victorious Hankey was delighted with his performance: “That’s the best I have played all week, I can’t believe I have reached the final.

“Martin was awesome, he kept hitting 140s and 180s. I missed a few doubles but I did not want the it to go to 5-5.

“I’m looking forward to the final but have never beaten Tony O’ Shea on stage in the 20 years I have been playing him. Even in last month’s World Masters I lost to him in the last 16.

“Tony has had good form for six months but I know it is down to me to put the work in and decide how I am going to play him.

“I am really proud to be in the final of the world championship here at Lakeside,” declared Hankey.

Defeated semi finalist Adams was philosophical about his defeat: “It’s the way it goes – that’s darts!”

O’Shea wins “battle of Cheshire” to march into his first final

Ninth seed Tony O’Shea won the battle of Cheshire, toppling his childhood friend and county team mate Darryl Fitton 6-4 to reach his first world final.

It was an absorbing 99-minute clash which proved “one step beyond” for Madness fan Daryl Fitton, the fifth seed.

The clash of the two Stockport sharpshooters had attracted huge interest with Hollyoaks actor Will Mellor from Stockport joining the capacity crowd to cheer on the Cheshire darts aces.

Tony O’Shea stole the march in the opening set, leading 2-0 after taking the opening leg against the throw but then Silverback missed double 16 and double eight to take the lead, Fitton striking double tops.

O’Shea defended his throw in the next for a 3-1 success, finished on double 16.

Fitton opened up with back-to-back 180s in the next and then took the next against the throw, hitting his fifth 180 to finishing the set on 66 for a 15-dart leg.

O’Shea edged 2-0 ahead in the fourth but then missed double tops for the set, recovering to take the deciding fifth leg on double 16.

Forty seven-year-old grandfather O’Shea took the crucial third leg in the fifth set against the throw with a 80 checkout finished on double 10 and then held on to take the match on double 16 – the first break of the match for an interval 3-2 lead.

Despite Fitton, 46, taking the opening leg of the sixth against the throw, Silverback won three straight legs to open up a 4-2 match lead, pressing home the advantage in the next 3-0 - against the throw - to move closer to a dream final place.

But determined Darryl took the next 3-1 – despite a brace of 180s from O’Shea - to narrow the match lead.

The opening four legs were shared in the ninth set, Fitton squeezing home his favourite double tops to further narrow O’Shea’s lead.

Fitton then missed three doubles for the 10th set after opening up a 2-1 lead, his opponent striking double eight with his first strike. Fitton hit his second maximum of the set but it proved one step beyond as Fitton wired three match-saving doubles, his Cheshire team mate firing out 76 on a bull finish.

Both players were in tears after the game and emotionally hugged each other.

O’Shea said: “It was a terrific match for both of us. There have been so many good players from Cheshire – particularly Stockport – but this is the first time that anyone has reached the final.

“Darryl was absolutely awesome and I am absolutely gutted for him,” said O’Shea.

Fitton added: “The crowd was fantastic and Tony’s bull was right in the middle.”

It's more like a Hammer Horror film than a darts championship as Dracula faces the Wolfman (Wolfie) in the semi-finals of the Lakeside World Darts Championships.

Ted 'The Count' Hankey took out John Walton 5-1 in an amazing display of top-claibre darts to move into the last four.

Hankey, 40, from Telford, finished with a superb 138 checkout as he bid goodnight to 'John Boy' Walton. He said: "I wanted so much to get through the semi final, it means there is no pressure I am back next year. If I had lost it would have destroyed me big time. I have never lost in a semi final here and am not bothered who I play next," .

And Martin 'Wolfie' Adams joined him in the semis by beating Gary Robson 5-4. Wolfie will have to step his game up if he is to avoid being bitten by the count!

Although Adams raced into a 3-0 lead Robson hit back to make it 3-1 before the interval and then won the next two sets as well.

Both players were nervous in the closing stages and missed numerous doubles before Adams hit a double five to seal victory.

LONDONDERRY darts player Daryl Gurney crashed out of the BDO World Championship with his pride intact.

The 22-year-old, who has won rave reviews from pundits in the sport, lost out to former World Champion, Martin Adams at Frimley Green on Wednesday night.

Having lost the first two sets, Gurney fought back valiantly to level at 2-2, before Adams' experience shone through.

The Englishman progressed to the quarter-finals with a 4-2 victory.

Making his first appearance on the big stage, the Ulsterman upset the odds by defeating number 14 seed Garry Thompson in the first round.

 

If Wolfie can see off fellow Englishman Robson, he will face either John Walton or Ted Hankey in the semi-final, with the final taking place on Sunday.

 

ROSS Montgomery is hoping he can boss his second round match with Ted Hankey tonight (Wednesday) as he eyes a place in the quarter-finals of the World Darts Championship.

The Greenhills player was in good form in Monday’s first round match as he claimed a 3-1 victory over Welshman Martin Phillips to set up a meeting with the former world champion.

And The Boss is expecting a tough match when he squares up to the Englishman on the oche.

Things are only going to get tougher for Ross, though, as if he overcomes the challenge of Hankey he will face another former champion in the form of either John Walton or the defending champion Mark Webster.

And after that it would likely be a semi-final encounter with Martin Adams – who helped stop Ross from quitting the game a few years ago.

Yorkshireman John Boy Walton, 47, opened the millennium in stunning fashion by claiming the Winmau World Masters in 2000 and then followed this up to become the 2001 BDO world champion.

Those successes meant that Walton was only fourth player in history to win the World Masters and the world championship in the same season, joining the likes of Eric Bristow, Richie Burnett and Bob Anderson.

He has enjoyed only moderate success since his 2001 world championship victory and Walton hasn't won any of the major open events since his successful year in 2001 when he took the British Open, British Classic, Belgium Open, Scottish Open and Portland Open. However, Walton made history at the 2007 Winmau World Masters in Bridlington by hitting a televised nine dart finish.

It was the first time a player had hit a nine-darter in the 34-year history of the event and was the first on BBC television since Paul Lim's historic world championship feat in 1990.

He is currently ranked 19 in the BDO world list and 22nd with the World Darts Federation (WDF)

Walton was the first player to have won either version of the world professional darts championship wearing spectacles.

Martin Adams became the second in 2007 and Mark Webster became the third last year

Trina Gulliver's attempt to regain her Lakeside Women's World Championship title has got off to a successful start.

The number one seed beat Lisa Ashton 2-0 in the quarter-finals at Frimley Green on Saturday to set up a semi-final with Karin Krappen this Saturday (January 10). The Dutch number four seed beat Scot Anne Kirk 3-1.

Francis Hoenelaar plays fellow Dutchwoman Rilana Erades in the other last-four game. The final is on Sunday.

Gulliver's unbroken reign at the top ended a year ago when she was beaten 2-0 in the final by Anastasia Dobromyslova.

The Southam star, gunning for her eighth straight title, had never been beaten on the Lakeside stage.

But Dobromyslova, 23, produced 94 and 90 checkouts, a maximum, 165 and six 140s en route to her first world crown.

She is not defending her title, having accepted an invitation to play in the rival PDC world championships.

The Russian, now based in the UK, lost 5-3 to Remco van Eijden in the preliminary round at Alexandra Palace.

MARKET Deeping's Martin Adams survived a massive first round scare to continue his World Championship charge on Monday night.

'Wolfie' was taken to the wire by Lakeside debutant Dave Chisnall before triumphing 3-2 after a nail-biting tiebreak.

Missed doubles proved costly for the England captain as he continuously allowed qualifier Chisnall back into the contest.

Adams, the 2007 champion, bounced back after losing the opening leg to win the first set 3-1 after hitting double 16 on each occasion with his first dart.

Both players missed vital doubles in the second set which Chisnall eventually took on a deciding fifth leg with his sixth dart for a double.

Adams made the most of his throwing advantage to take the third set by whitewashing Chisnall who replied in kind in the next set to level the contest again.

Further missed doubles continued to hamper Adams in the fifth and final set as the match headed for a tiebreak.

Adams defended his throw to move 3-2 in front in the set only to see Chisnall level.

The St Helens man then missed an agonising five darts to steal the lead before Adams hit double tops with his third attempt to edge 4-3 ahead.

Adams again missed countless double before clinching victory on double 12 to earn a clash with Daryl Gurney in the second round.

MARTIN Adams has high hopes of capturing the Lakeside World Championship for a second time next week.

The 52 year-old – known around the world as 'Wolfie' – already holds the big Winmau World Masters crown after ending a near 20-year wait to win that tournament last month.

And now he is desperate to reclaim the World Championship title he won in 2007 and gallantly defended before a semi-final elimination at the hands of eventual champion Mark Webster last year.

Number 3 seed Adams, who starts with a first round match against Dave Chisnall on Monday night, said: "Having been without the trophy for a year, I want it back badly.

"It is the greatest title of all in the game and holding it is a huge honour. Hopefully I can do that again and it would be wonderful to have both the World Championship and the World Masters in my possession side by side.

"Ideally I would love to do the hat-trick and get the World Cup singles this year as well, but I am only concentrating on part two at the moment.

"Winning the World Masters was a great preparation for this championship and practice has been going well.

"I had a stomach complaint for a few days over Christmas which meant I couldn't have too much turkey and kept me off the board for three or four days, but I have been throwing again since.

"I am going into the tournament with a pretty good feeling and I am delighted with how the draw has worked out."

 

A meeting with the winner of the Garry Thompson/Daryl Gurney clash lies ahead for Adams in the second round. Both those players are also making their first appearances in the event.

A repeat of his semi-final showdown with Webster last year is also on the cards should both successfully negotiate the early rounds.

Adams is joint 5-1 second favourite with Webster behind 5-2 shot Gary Anderson who heads the market. The Scotsman is regarded as the top talent in the BDO sphere but has fallen at the first hurdle at the Lakeside in the past two years and is facing another tough opener against Norweigan thrower Robert Wagner.