World Grand Prix Qualifiers

Carrickman

The Irish qualifying competition for the 2006 Sky Bet World Grand Prix will be staged on Sunday, September 17th., at the Fairways Hotel in Dundalk.

Players from all parts of the country will be competing on that day for four places in the Grand Prix which will be televised live on Sky Sports TV at the City West Hotel in Dublin at the end of October.

Each of the four qualifiers will receive a minimum of € 2,500 when they compete in the televised event.

The entry fee is € 10.00 and the closing date for receipt of entries is Sunday, August 27th.

Entry forms and fees must be sent to Michael O’Sullivan, 29 Mervue Crescent, Ballyvolane, Co. Cork. Telephone entries will not be accepted.

Download entry form here

Carrickman

Any of ye for this?

The Rooster

..ah now I know why Kingp35 was so anxious to have his new Unicorn Eclipse Pro !!!

MBC

I wouldn't be no where near the standard, but i'm going to practice hard next year and give it a go............

On average how many hours a night would lads be practising before they go into to a tournament like this???

Carrickman

I will trying to get at least an hour a night in, also the Irish Open Classic is in Castlebar on the weekend before and a tournment like that is good practice as there is a few diffrent competions to enter.

2006 Irish Open Classic

Carrickman

348 players from all corners of the country will be heading to the Fairways Hotel in Dundalk on Sunday next, September 17th., for the Irish Play-offs for the Sky Bet World Grand Prix Championship which will be held in the City West Hotel at the end of October.

Four places in the televised event will be on offer on the day and each of these qualifiers will be guaranteed at least € 2,500 when they compete at the Dublin venue.

Last year’s four qualifiers, John Magowan, Tom Kirby, Keith Rooney and Joe Collins, will be hoping for repeat performances but they will have strong opposition from a host of top internationals from the North and the Republic.

Seven of the eight Irish players who will be in action in the forthcoming Men’s Europe Cup will be in the line-up on Sunday as will the recently-crowned Ireland Players’ Champion Mick McGowan.

All entrants are reminded that check-in time at the venue is between 11.00am and 11.30am and that the competition will commence at 12 noon.

Kingp35

Damn it!! I moved into my own apartment from home about a month ago and only got internet in tonight so I didnt know when the qualifiers were on. In all honesty I wouldnt be anywhere near good enough to qualify yet but I would have entered so I could have gained the experience.

Ah well there is always next year. Are any of you lot playing in the qualifiers?

Carrickman

Playing myself plus 15 other lads from our local league in Donegal are getting bus down Sunday they are leaving at 7.15am:eek: PDC are very strict if you are not there to register on time you are out!!

MBC

Best of luck Carrickman, let's know how ya get on.

Carrickman

Lost in the first round to NI International hate to get a player like that stright away, hopfuly this will be in Citywest again next year as very poor venue 3 rooms were used for the games and bar very understaffed.

Report by Michael O'Sullivan:
At the Fairways Hotel in Dundalk three players who will be representing their respective countries in the Europe Cup later this week qualified to compete in the Grand Finals of the Sky Bet World Grand Prix Championships at the end of October.

Republic of Ireland’s Gareth Gray and Anto McCracken and Northern Ireland’s Paul Watton made it a week to remember and they will be joined by Geoff Matthews from Antrim after all four players came through a gruelling session at the County Louth venue to gain their places in the televised event at the City West Hotel in Dublin from October 23rd. to 29th.

More than three hundred of the top players from around the country competed on the day and the large attendance were treated to some top-class matches before the field was reduced to eight. Gareth Gray defeated former qualifier Martin Murphy 6 - 2 while Anto McCracken had a 6 - 3 victory over Colin Ritchie. Paul Watton had a 6-4 ‘cliff-hanger’ with Jason Barry while Geoff Matthews defeated another Northern player Raymie Williamson on a similar scoreline.

The Rooster

The finals were as follows:

Gareth Gray (Dublin) 6-2 Martin Murphy
Anto McCracken (Dublin) 6-3 Colin Ritchie
Paul Watton (Ballymena) 6-4 Jason Barry
Geoff Matthews (Coleraine) 6-4 Raymie Williamson

I have no other results, but as can be seen none of the bigger names such as Mick McGowan, John Magowan, Tom Kirby made it, nor Keith Rooney or Joe Collins or Owen Caffrey.

Gray and McCracken will be playing for Rep Ireland in the BDO's Europe Cup next week, while Watton will be playing for the North.

Kingp35

Whats the standard like Carrickman? DO you get anybody playing that isnt that great but go for the experience of playing in a tournament?

NeoRox

Kingp35 wrote:

Whats the standard like Carrickman? DO you get anybody playing that isnt that great but go for the experience of playing in a tournament?

Not Carrickman, but I can answer your question(s). The standard of these tournaments is normally very high. Most of the good county players that travel around the country to all the various tournaments will go to these events, but to answer your question, yes you will find people who go to these tournaments just for the experience of playing, and why not, you're never going to get better if you dont play against quality opposition.

You will also also get people who are solid pub team players or excellent players who dont go to county events or tournaments.

Just a tip for you Kingp35, I know you are only playing a year or more so now that its coming up to Christmas you should go to every pub tournament that you can for turkeys, hams etc. It will probably be doubles but it will improve your game.

Hope that helps.

Carrickman

Good reply to the question keep going to any competition you can as the experience is a great help.

Kingp35

Thanks for the replies. I do plan on entering as many tournaments as I can because your only gonna improve if you play matches.

Thanks lads ill keep an eye out for any tournaments that are going to be on.