The Darts Shop

Ted Hankey was crowned Lakeside World Darts Champion after winning a thrilling 133-minute final against Stockport’s Tony O’Shea.

Both players were left exhausted after the match went to the full 13 sets but it was 40-year-old Hankey who collected his second world title, overcoming a stage jinx against the 47-year-old grandad.

The Count had previously lost all stage matches – apart from one – against the Cheshire sharpshooter over the past two decades but on this occasion he let his walk-on music “Be On Your Way” deliver the message to Silverback.

It was an absorbing final, which threatened to fizzle out after Hankey appeared to grasp it by the neck and move ominously into a 3-1 lead but then re-ignited as determined O’Shea continually defied the odds to keep battling back.

Hankey recorded 15 180s in the match – taking his tournament tally to 42 – just a handful short of his record set in 2000, while O’Shea notched 30 during the week and nine in the final.

Despite missing for a 116 checkout finished on double 20, Hankey held his composure to take the first leg of the match against the throw on double five but failed to stamp his authority as O’Shea levelled. The next two went with the throw, O’Shea firing home on double 16 after Hankey was disturbed by a shout from the crowd.

Hankey then missed three doubles, the Cheshire player annexing the opening set of the second set against the throw as he attempted to impose his authority on the game but he missed double 16, as The Count took double two. He fired in double 10 and then clinched the set 3-1 to level the match on double 12 after O’Shea missed double 16 for a 64 finish.

The Count fired in his first 180 of the match as he opened up a 2-0 third set lead but he didn’t look happy, sweating profusely and constantly talking to himself and grimacing, as O’Shea pulled back a leg, the Telford player missing double tops and then hitting double 10 for a 2-1 match lead.

Hankey then complained to referee Barry Gilbey about stage-side photographers. Earlier he had complained about fans shouting out when he was throwing for doubles.

The Count annexed the opening leg of the fourth set, and then after Silverback drove home a maximum but missed doubles Hankey swooped for a superb 111 finish completed witdouble tops, scooping the set unchallenged.

In a complete transformation with a couple of sets lead The Count’s style appeared silky smooth as he buried two 180s to take a 2-1 lead but missed a crucial four doubles with his throw for the set, O’Shea holding his throw in the fifth leg on double 20 to pull the match back to 3-2.

Hankey - the seventh seed - exited on 98 to take a 2-1 lead in the sixth and hit a 70 checkout completed on double 20 with his second dart for a 4-2 interval lead following an hour’s play.

Refreshed from the break, O’Shea hit his seventh 180 to edge 2-1 ahead, Hankey missing bull for a 164 set-equalling checkout and then punished for two further missed doubles as Silverback hit double 16 to again reduce Hankey’s match lead to a solitary set.

The Stockport steamroller rumbled on O’Shea hitting his fourth successive double 16 to take the opening leg of the next set against the throw, the seventh seed immediately levelling, taking the third with the throw and clinching the set on double nine after O’Shea missed a set saving double tops.

Twice Hankey trailed in the ninth set, levelling only to see battling O’Shea crash home a 14-darter finished on 54 to once again reduce The Count’s match lead to one set but a 3-0 success in the next restored Hankey’s two set leading margin.

The opening legs of the 11th were shared, Hankey clinching the third leg against the throw but then missing an opportunity to clinch the title on 62, as O’Shea after missing double tops, swept in double 10 to keep his title hopes alive, hitting double eight to take the match to 6-5 as chants of “Tony, Tony, Tony” echoed around the packed arena.

Both players smashed home 180s in the first leg of the next, O’Shea missing five crucial doubles to let in Hankey with a 76 checkout, finished on double 20 to move into a 2-0 set lead. Hankey then missed double tops for a match-winning 120 flourish, double 13 proving lucky as he exited on 81 to keep his interest alive. He added the fourth leg to take the set to 2-2.

Hankey blazed in a brace of 180s but missed double 20s and then a further three doubles for the title as cool O’Shea defied the pressure to hammer home double six to level the match.

The opening two legs went against the throw, Hankey blasting in his 15th 180 and then holding his nerve to clinch the title and £95,000 crown with double 10.

The jubilant champ confessed: “ When we got to 6-6 I thought I ain’t ever going to win it.

“Tony played so well, constantly putting pressure on me. I would hit a 180 to leave a shot and he would follow up hitting a maximum and come right behind me.

“When I won my first title it was great because I always want to win the Embassy world championship but this win is special. To win this second title means more to me for personal reasons. My home life is now more settled and everyone was here to see me win.

But I really thought I had blown my chance tonight,” admitted the new double champ.

Runner up Tony O’Shea added: “I was always there to nick doubles he missed. I would take a big breath and become a big bag of nerves! I enjoyed the game but I was a little tired towards the end…”

IT was back down to earth today for Pride of Stockport Tony O’Shea after his nail-biting World Darts Championship final.
  
The self-confessed "big northern softie" lost a dramatic and thrilling final at The Lakeside Club in Surrey to favourite Ted Hankey.
  
But O'Shea, 47, from Romiley will not have to wait long before his next darts appointment.
  
Having collected a runner-up cheque for £30,000, he'll be supporting the pub team he plays for in the local league at The Pineapple Inn in Marple tonight.
  
Minutes after stepping off the world stage, O'Shea told the MEN that he was looking forward to returning home.
  
"I actually haven't played for about seven weeks. We've got that many players, I'm not good enough on a Monday night," he joked. "I could do with a night off darts, to be honest."
  
In one of the greatest finals of all time, O'Shea staged a brilliant comeback to take the final to the wire in a deciding set.
  
Telford-based Hankey, 40, had several chances to win the title but was stunned by the Stockport fightback before he finally triumphed 7-6.
  
"I thought it was over probably seven or eight times – it was unbelievable," added O'Shea. "When I came out after the break I thought, 'I've nothing to lose.' But I was a bit tired near the end. I think I'm carrying one or two pounds too much.
  
"But he deserved his victory – he played really well. I just hope everyone enjoyed it – there's aways next year.
  
"If somebody would have said to me two weeks ago that I'd lose in the final of The Lakeside, I'd have probably said, 'Wow.'"
  
He was cheered on by wife Gill, who described him as her world champion: "The best man on the planet."
  
In a cauldron of heat and noise, ninth seed O'Shea battled for the world crown, watched by a sell-out 1,400 crowd at fever pitch and millions on TV.
  
The atmosphere in the auditorium was just as red hot, with the country club transformed into a gladitorial arena under the television lights.
  
But it was Hankey who kept his cool. Nicknamed "The Count" due to his resemblance to Dracula, he went into the tournament with a new health regime, cutting down his pre-match drinking from ten pints to three.
  
Chocaholic O'Shea, who likes to do the ironing at home, did his best to produce a sweet and smooth performance in a night of pure theatre.
  
Hankey responded with top class flowing darts to resist O'Shea's late onslaught and take both the trophy and the winner's cheque of £95,000.
  
Grandad Tony, the third oldest man in the field, was competing in his first British Darts Organisation World Final in front of an audience he described as "phenomenal".
  
The former greenkeeper and football fan wears a shirt in the blue and white colours of Stockport County, with Gill sporting blue streaks in her hair.
  
He beat close friend Darryl Fitton in the semi final, the pair doing their “Strictly Stockport” dance when stepping on stage, bouncing their beer bellies together. Darryl is also due at the pub this evening.
  
Gill explained her husband's sweet side: “People think most of the belly is through the beer. But it’s not. It’s being a chocaholic as well.”
  
A darts player herself, she confessed to being “a nervous wreck” watching him step up to the oche for the final.
  
O'Shea's brother and sister Mick, 45, and Gill, 43, were also there supporting him. "It's such an emotional experience to see him in the world final," said Mick. "It's just been amazing."
  
Nicknamed "Silverback" – a reference to his figure – O'Shea was given a deafening reception as he walked on stage to Hey Baby by DJ Otzi.
  
Many fans – mostly all clutching pints – wore fancy dress and queued for hours outside before the doors opened for the big match.
  
Among others cheering O'Shea on this week was Stockport-born actor Will Mellor, star of the appropriately named comedy Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps.

If you fancy a set of Ted Hankey darts why not check them out on:

Ted Hankey Darts On ebay

 

 

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.”