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DartManiacs Monday League report
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The Maniac travelled to the Igo Inn,Ballybrack,this week,to catch the game between the Igo and Fitzpatricks of Rathnew. These 2 teams traditionally produce a tight match,so I was looking forward to this one.
First up were Paul Weafer for the home team and he was playing former Borough singles champ Martin O Connor of Fitzers. The game was in truth a fairly scrappy affair with both men below their best,however Martin was slightly more consistent with his scoring and he beat Paul to the finish in both legs played,finishing tops and 8s to secure the point.
The match score was soon levelled when young Gavin O Toole beat Dinny Keogh by 2 legs to nil in a rather nervy game. Still a win is a win as they say!.We moved on to the 3rd game with Jamie Buckley hoping to give the Igo the lead,but hard though he tried,it wasn't to be. Martin Fortune finished double 9 to grab the opener before taking out 54 after Jamie had missed double 16 to win the leg.
This back and forth clash followed the same pattern as the previous three games when Terry Greene squared the match by defeating Gaffer Merrigan by 2 legs to nil. Gaffer should have taken the opening leg,but unfortunately missed 3 darts at double 12 to enable Terry to pounce with an 89 kill. This unsettled the Rathnew man and Terry comfortably took the game on double 15.
The 5th game was always going to be crucial and both the Igo's Mick Hennessy and Fitzpatrick's Bomber Murphy knew this. It was a fairly tense affair with both lads having chances in the opening leg,however it was Bomber who snatched it on double 2 after Mick had missed double 16. It looked as though Mick might level it at 1-1 when he had darts at 16s and 8s,but he left them on the wire to allow Bomber in for victory with two 8s.
The 6th game of the evening was probably the best as the Igo's Wayne Colgan and Alan Delaney shared the first 2 legs of a quality affair. The decider was a vital leg,especially for the home team,but Alan was equally determined to win it for Fitzers. Both men were down to a 3 dart finish when Alan missed double 18 for a 156 checkout. Wayne could only leave 65 and Alan hit the red bit with his next dart.
Ray Colley and Ray Healy were next in for their respective teams.The Igo's Ray C won the 1st leg with double 4 before Ray H put Fitzers on the edge of victory with a 55 checkout. The Igo man remained focussed however and calmly finished the top lipstick to take us all the way.
The final game of the night was between the Igo's Martin Dutton and Owen Brennan of Fitzers. It was a decent game,given the circumstances,and Martin certainly gave his all for the Igo's cause,but these Rathnew lads are masters of last game deciders,and Owen always just had the edge on Martin and won 2 tight legs to give Fitzers the victory.
It was an interesting rather than brilliant game,as the Igo fought hard to get something out of the game,but ultimately they came up just shy again. Fitzpatrick's meanwhile will have to up their game,just like the Ardmore,if they want to challenge for the league. At the moment it's all to play for,but as we approach the Christmas break I would have to make the Lough favourites to retain their crown. But hot on their heels are the Ardmore,the Noggin,the Tassie and Fitzpatrick's.
180 men-Not tonight Josephine
Man of the match-Alan Delaney[quality game and so nearly a great finish]
Foodwatch-Ham,cheese,egg and onion[where's the goujons?!!!]:rolleyes:0 -
Can't wait for this weeks post should be interesting especially the food watch!;):D:D0
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This week the Maniac paid a pre Christmas visit to Monkstown to catch the game between Borough League regulars the Farmhouse[A] and the Fisherman's Club from Bray. The first thing I noticed was the amount of young arrowsmiths on both teams. It's always an encouraging sign for the future of darts in the borough.
The first game of the evening saw two very promising players go head to head. Shane Ryan for the Farm and Joe Fagan for the Fisherman's. It turned out to be an excellent match-up,with both guys scoring solidly. Shane took the opener when nailing double 13,before starting the second leg with 3 consecutive tons. Joe fought back with some consistent scores to set himself up for a pop at double 6. However it proved elusive for Joe and Shane pounced with a 4 double top finish. Quality players these two.
Second up were the Farm's Jamie Parry versus Stephen"Elvis" McCormack for the Fishermen. Elvis had the edge in the opener but missed darts at 8s and 4s to allow Jamie to steal it. This seemed to spur Elvis on,and he hit 3 tons at the beginning of the next leg. Jamie,however,was not rattled and he scored heavily also. It came down to those all important doubles and it was Jamie's greater league experience that gave him the edge as he finished double 4 to put the home team 2 up.
The Fiishermen sent in Connor Murphy to try change the flow of the game,while Farm captain Charlo Dunne sought to extend the home team's advantage. Charlo started the game in savage form,taking the first leg with double 4 in 19 darts. The second leg was crucial for the Fishermen,and Connor felt the pressure. He became frustrated at his inability to hit the treble 20 with his usual regularity. Charlo,meanwhile,continued to play solid darts,before eventually taking out double 10 to secure a 3 nil lead for the locals.
Jimmy Joyce finally got a leg on the board for the Fishermen when he finished double 8 to go one up against Paul Kinsella. Despite the good start however,Jimmy's game began to unravel. The normally reliable Bray man missed 2 darts at 16s to win the game which allowed Paul in to finish on tops. The decider was a scrappy affair with both men struggling to get a rhythm going,but Paul eventually found that extra gear to win the game on double 6. Jimmy could only shake his head in disbelief.
The 5th game was the best of the evening,with young Daniel Boyce[Farm] facing the excellent Mark Cranley in a barnstorming game. Dan finished 84 on the bull in the opener as his team mates shouted their approval. Mark had missed 4 darts at a double in that opener,but Dan was about to repay the compliment by missing 2 darts at 16s for the match. Mark stepped in to level with a double 8,double 8[32] finish. The decider saw both men hit the 60 segment with great regularity,before Mark scored 116 to set up double 12. Dan however almost pulled it out of the fire by just missing the bull for a 124 take-out.Mark coolly finished the 12s in 17 darts to register the first point of the night for the visitors.
Robbie"The Power" Taylor for the Farm and Matthew Murphy[Connor's brother] for the Fishermen were next to toe the oche. Matthew took the opener on double 16 to give the away team further hope of a comeback,but Robbie played well to level things in the second and set up a deciding leg. Matthew started brightly in that decider and set up a decent lead as we came to the business end of the leg. However he left 6 darts on the wire of various doubles before watching Robbie take out a brilliant 64 on the bull.The blood drained from Matt's face as he realised it was game set and match to the Farm.
The final 2 games on the night were shared. Firstly Gavin"The Hitman" Healy for the home team demonstrated his potential by defeating John Doonan Jr 2 legs to 1. It was a decent scoring game,but both players struggled with their doubles.
Then in the final game the Fishermen gained a measure of consolation when Paddy[TUUUUUBE'S] Scanlon beat Mick Merrigan by 2 legs to nil. It was a tight game,but Paddy[I'm not writing TUUUUUBE'S out again!]was more accurate with his finishing taking out double 10 and double 1. The Soccer am gang will be proud of him!
This match was played in a great spirit and the Maniac enjoyed it thoroughly. Both teams have some really talented players,but they may just lack the strength in depth of the top 3 or 4 teams in the league.They should never be under estimated however. By anyone.
180 men-None tonight
Man of the match-Mark Cranley[clinical 17 darter in game of the night]
Foodwatch-Ham n cheese/Egg n onion[Ice cold OH MY TEETH!!]0 -
i tell ya fair ****s to you typing all that out bud... i'm sure your hands are sore
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fair play to u maniac, for taking the time to write up reports, your a sound man. sorry about the smell in the bus on the way home cheers [ tuuuubbes ] god i hate that name:D 0
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Fair play for the report Maniac..........excellent reading........hope u enjoyed ur short stay and we welcome you back down sometime soon. Have a good crimbo.0
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great write up as usual mate, just wondering if your going to be doing a write up of the singles and doubles and the the cup matches?0
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Thanks for the comments lads. Will be catching up with you's again soon. Best of luck to all in the singles and doubles,and have a great Christmas.0
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sorry folks,I'm having terrible trouble submitting my report.I'm being told that I'm not logged in even though I have logged in.I'm typing out report and it wont submit to my thread.I'll give it another go tomorrow as tonights report has just disappeared.Waste of an hour:0
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DartManiac wrote: »sorry folks,I'm having terrible trouble submitting my report.I'm being told that I'm not logged in even though I have logged in.I'm typing out report and it wont submit to my thread.I'll give it another go tomorrow as tonights report has just disappeared.Waste of an hour:
Think you might have to get a new password for boards with it being hacked during the week!0 -
Ah,it's great to be back after all that turkey and Christmas pudding. I hope you've all been practicing hard for the resumption of the league. I'd like to begin by offering my congratulations to our singles and doubles champions. P J Bryan is like a fine wine. He gets better every year. While Tony Geraghty proved that there's hope for us all by winning the doubles with John Ross Crangle! Just joking Tony you guys well deserved it.
My first report after the break comes from the Igo,where they played host to current league leaders the Ardmore,who now play out of the Coach Inn,Bray. Confused? Don't worry,so am I!First to the oche we had Jamie Buckley for the Igo and he faced the Ardmore's Robbie Kelly. Both men started slowly and shared the first 2 legs before Robbie eventually found some form to take the decider on double 16.Next up we had young Gavin O Toole[Igo] and he played man of the moment P J Bryan. P J started well and seemed to have the first leg under control until he uncharacteristically began missing doubles. Gavin sensed a chance and pounced on double 16. The Igo man seemed to gain confidence fram that finish,as he put together an impressive sequence of scores in the 2nd leg to leave P J trailing.Maybe it was the thought of beating the Borough champ that caused Gavin to wobble briefly,but he eventually nailed double 2 for a great win. P J was gracious in defeat,acknowledging he was beaten by the better man on the night.
The 3rd game featured two of the best players in the Borough as the Igo's Terry Greene squared off against Dennis FitzPatrick. The scoring was superb from the outset.Terry banged in a max in response to a 140 from Dennis,but it didn't prevent Dennis from nicking the leg on double 5. Terry hit back in the 2nd playing nice darts before nailing the top lipstick to send us to a decider. Most felt it would be a close leg,but Dennis hit the accelerator to win it easily in 19 darts. 2-1 Ardmore.
Next up we had the Igo's Wayne Colgan taking on his good mate Glen FitzPatrick. Wayne played well to take a competitive opener on tops,before Glen levelled on 16s as Wayne waited on the same double. The 3rd leg saw Glen play some great darts and left Wayne trailing as he finuished in 16 darts.With friends like this,who needs enemies!!
The oldest Jedward fan on the planet was up next for the Igo,as Mick Hennessy took on Ian Molloy. Ian was fresh from a good run in the Borough singles,but on this occasion he was slow off the block. Mick was in no mood to wait and easily won the leg. Ian dominated the 2nd leg but his doubles let him down,and Mick punished him by nailing double 10. The Igo were back in it.
Ardmore captain,Anto Lynch saw off a determined effort from Jimmy Noonan by 2 legs to 1 to put the Ardmore one game away from victory.He sent Dave Earls in to get it.The Igo relied on Gavin Merrigan to save it. Dave blitzed the treble 20 in the opening leg before winning it in 19 arrows. The 2nd leg was tighter as Gavin waited on 52 only for Save to mop up a 60 finish to secure the victory for the Bray men.
The final game between Haggle Hennessy[Igo] and big John Doonan was a close affair.Haggle hit a max in the first leg but John nicked it on the double. He won a close 2nd leg also to wrap up a 6-2 overall win.
So an entertaining game which saw the Ardmore extend their unbeaten run,while the Igo came up just short again against a big team.There's plenty to look forward to in the coming weeks. until next time,keep throwing.
180 men-Terry Greene/Haggle Hennessy
Man of the match-Gavin O Toole/Dave Earls[couldn't split them]
Foodwatch-Nice and tasty,but come on,we're not on a diet!0 -
This Mondays game comes from the Coach Inn,Bray,new home to the Ardmore,who played host to the Silver Tassie[A].It was the Ardmore's first game at this venue and a good atmosphere prevailed.
The opening game featured the Ardmore's Dennis FitzPatrick versus Ben Prenter.This was a cracking contest with both men finding their range immediately. Dennis nicked a tight opener on double 10 before Ben responded with a 19 darter to take it to a decider.Ben won the shot to the bull and it was to prove crucial as he always had the edge on Dennis. Mind you he was relieved to see douuble 5 go in as Dennis was lurking on 56.
A good start for the Tassie could have got better when young Gary Gregory raced to double 16 in 13 darts, Gary,however,found that winning double very elusive and missed 5 pops at it. You simply can't pass up chances like this against P J,and Gary was made to pay when P J nailed two 10s. Gary failed to recover from this and P J used all his experience to wrap up the game with a 74 finish. Gary will learn from this though.
The third game was also a very decent game,with both Robbie Kelly[Ardmore] and Will Devlin[Tassie] scoring consistently. Ultimately,however,it was Robbie's prowess on the doubles which saw him victorious. He finished doubles 5 and 3 to win 2 nil.
Next up to the oche we had Vinty O Toole,a semi-finalist in this years singles,taking on the former singles champ Ken Kane from the Tassie. Both men struggled to hit top gear in this contest,but Vinty was the more assured as he took the opener on double 2. Ken levelled matters by hitting double 5,as his team mates urged him on. Ken couldn't keep it going in the decider however,and Vinty took control before finishing 115 in style. The Ardmore were now 3-1 up and in a very strong position.
Ardmore captain,Anto Lynch was next up and he was matched against Bill Bailey,desperately trying to narrow the gap for the Tassie. Anto blitzed the opener in 19 darts as Bill trailed in his wake,but Bill gave the away team some hope by nicking a tense 2nd leg on double 1. The decider was a very important leg for both teams,but it was Anto who held his nerve the better,before nailing double 15 to put the home team 4-1 up.
The Ardmore's Noddy Earls started well in the 6th game,before Stephen Andrews put in a fine burst of scoring with 3 straight tons and a double 10 to take the leg. Stephen continued to hold the edge in the 2nd leg,although Noddy could've nicked it on tops,but it was Stephen who who hit double 4 to make the overall score 4-2.
It was do or die now for the Tassie as they sent in Peter"the Phantom"Rowe to take on Glen FitzPatrick for the Ardmore.This was a cracking encounter and both teams got right behind their man. Glen followed up his 16 darter last week by repeating the feat in the opening leg. It looked all over as Glen left tops after 18 darts in the next leg,but the Phantom showed great heart to finish 72 and take us all the way.The Tassie lads responded with a chorus of "Who are ya?".This didn't bother Glen in the slightest and he simply continued to throw super darts,winning the decider in 19 darts. Peter was disappointed,naturally,but Glen was just unstoppable.
The last game of the night saw Toffo Devlin take on the birthday boy John Kenny[Happy 35th John!].It was a scrappy opener,which John took on double 5. The 2nd leg saw both men produce better darts,and after Toffo had missed 3 darts to level,John coolly finished double 8 to give the scoreline a fairer look.
This was a cracking contest played in a great spirit. The Ardmore got the points,but only just. Nevertheless they remain unbeaten and will continue to be hard to beat. The Tassie meanwhile have a team of experience mixed with fine potential. They are a threat to everyone.
180 men-None tonight.
Man of the match-Glen FitzPatrick[super scoring and great composure]
Foodwatch-Ham and cheese.[ok but at least there was plenty]0 -
I was down in Sallynoggin this week to view the contest between the Noggin Hunters and the Eagles of Weirs in Dun Laoghaire. Both teams were coming off heavy defeats and were anxious to regain the winning thread.
Joe McKeever of the Noggin and Philly Brennan of the Eagles shared the first 2 legs with a brace of double 2 finishes,before Joe secured the opening point for the locals when hitting double 10. Philly had his chance but missed 2 darts at tops.
Then the Noggins Jimmy Byrne put in a very polished display to see off Darren Browne by 2 legs to nil. Jimmy finished double 8 in the opener prior to hitting two ton plusses and a 96 to set up a clinical 18 darter on 8s. The 3rd game of the evening featured two class arrowsmiths in Mark Mulvaney[Noggin] and Bonnie Byrne[Eagles]. The gloves were off from the beginning in this contest as both men blitzed the treble 20 lipstick with great regularity. Bonnie had first pop at a finish,when just missing the bull for a 15 darter. Mark was right on his tail,however,and smoothly took out 54 for a 17 darter. Bonnie edged ahead in the 2nd leg until Mark suddenly produced some magical darts,hitting two 140s followed by a deadly 107 kill. Bonnie was stunned as the locals went wild.
This was probably the best single match I've seen this campaign. Things were looking grim for the Eagles,and they got even worse after the experienced Tom Hennessy gave an assured display to defeat Daniel Greene. Tom finished double 10 in 19 darts in the opener before finishing double 7 in the 2nd leg. Daniel had a brief chance to level but failed to take out 97. 4-0 the Noggin.
When Jack Roche took out double 5 in the opening leg of the 5th game it looked all over,but Mick Connor dug deep for the Eagles and took out 56 to square the game. Jack struggled in the decider,while Mick continued to play solid darts,eventually taking out double 16 to give the Eagles something to cheer about.
John Crangle for the Noggin and Ray Byrne for the Eagles shared the first 2 legs of the 6th game,before engaging in a tense last leg decider. John left himself tops with Ray looking at 113 to save the game,and he almost pulled it off,but left his dart at tops on the wire. John coolly stepped up and nailed the top lipstick to secure a Noggin victory.
Shay Harte gave the scoreline a better look as he finished doubles 18 and 4 to see off a spirited challenge from long serving Noggin man Ger Mahon. Then in the final game of the night the Noggin's Kevin O Connell hit a maximum en route to a 2 nil win over Ger FitzPatrick.
So a solid bounce back win for the Noggin Hunters,who were undoubtedly expecting a closer game,but on the night the Eagles failed to take flight. The groundwork was done by Jimmy Byrne and the superb Mark Mulvaney,with good back up from the rest of the squad. They are definitely top 4 material,and who knows,with a bit of luck they may finish higher. The Eagles can come back from this and should try for a top 6 spot.They can achieve that.
180 men-Kevin O Connell
Man of the match-Mark Mulvaney[Top class]
Foodwatch-Good variety[love that egg and onion].0 -
It was Grand Slam Monday this week,with the top 4 teams playing each other. I decided to head to Rathnew with the Lough team for their clash against FitzPatricks. This had all the ingredients for a classic,and it didn't disappoint.
First up we had Martin O Connor versus Tony Geraghty for the Lough. There wasn't much to choose between both players in this one. Martin had a chance to secure the opening leg but missed dorts at 10s and 5s to allow Tony in to snatch it on double 8. The 2nd leg was also a tight affair,but Tony always had the edge and finished tops in 20 darts to give the Lough a great start.
Dinny Keogh hit back in the next game for the locals when taking a 2-1 win against Lar Bryan. Dinny took the opener in 20 darts before Lar done the same in the 2nd leg. The decider could have gone either way,but as Lar waited eagerly on 48,Dinny brilliantly nailed 82 on tops. It was a vital point for Fitzers morale even at this early stage.
Next up we had Gaffer Merrigan[Fitzers] and Bullet Kellaghan[Lough]. Gaffer had the edge in the 1st leg,hitting his stride quickly before finishing tops in an impressive 18 darts. Bullet,however,is not one to lie down and he duly hit back to take the 2nd leg,also on tops. You could feel the tension in the air during the decider,but Bullet used his experience to take out double 10 and give the Lough the lead once more.
The 4th game was a crackerjack involving Fitzers'Martin Fortune and the Loughs Billy Matthews. Billy won an explosive 1st leg when finishing 101 in 18 darts,as Martin waited on a 2 darter. This brilliant take out didn't seem to bother Martin,and he bounced right back to take the 2nd in 16 darts. The decider was a real nip and tuck affair,with first Martin missing an opportunity to nail tops,and then Billy agonisingly leaving 2 darts on the wire of 16s and 8s. Martin left it late,but eventually hit the winning double 5 with his last dart. It was all level at 2 apiece.
The 5th game of the evening was going to be pivotal and it featured the home teams Bomber Murphy taking on the Loughs Mark Ennis.The first 2 legs were shared as both lads struggled to find their best form. In the decider,however,Bomber managed to find a bit of consistency and finished tops in the nick of time as Mark was lurking on double 10.
Two very good young players,Dara Byrne[Fitzers] and John Ross Crangle[Lough]went in for their respective teams in the 6th game.John Ross looked to have the opening leg in the bag,despite missing double 9,but Daragh pulled a rabbit from the hat by taking out 111 to the delight of the Fitzers squad.John Ross kept his composure to level the game on double 2 to set up another deciding leg. In the decider both players had 180 left on the board when Daragh hit a brilliant 140 to leave tops. John Ross hit 80 and could only watch as Daragh buried the top lipstick.4-2 Fitzers.
The champions had their backs to the wall now,and their captain,Leo Murphy,stepped up to the oche knowing he simply had to win. Owen Brennan was a formidable opponent,but Leo played some very solid darts in the circumstances,to beat Owen 2 nil. He finished doubles 16 and tops in the process..
To describe the last game between Alan Delaney of Fitzers and Luke Wall of the Lough as nervewrecking would be an understatement. If Fitzers won they were right back in the title hunt and if the Lough could grab a draw they would stay on the heels of the leaders,the Ardmore. Both players tried their best to play the board,but inevitably the realisation of the situation had some effect on their scoring. Alan had a dart at the bull in the opener before Luke held his nerve to finish 56. The game appropriately went to a final leg when Alan hit tops. Then in an unbelievably tense decider Alan failed to hit tops,giving Luke the opportunity to finish double 2 as the Lough team celebrated wildly.
In the end I feel that a draw was a fair result. Both captains felt they could have won the game,but there's no doubting who is the happier one.These 2 teams will have plenty to say about where the league title goes this season,and I'm looking forward to the rematch.
180 Men-None tonight.
Man of the match-Luke Wall[Brave performance against a class player]
Foodwatch-Top of the range as usual[Mind you those egg and onion give you terrible gas!]0 -
so it was you who was letting rip on the bus then maniac tut tut :eek:
good write up as usuall mate ...:D0 -
This week I paid a visit to the Silver Tassie in Loughlinstown,to see the League's 5th[Tassie] and 6th[Igo] placed teams do battle.
The home team got off to a flyer when the excellent Ben Prenter proved far too strong for John Grassick. The Igo man struggled to find the big scores and Ben coasted home with a brace of double 10 finishes to seal the opening point.
The 2nd game was a closer affair as both Peter Rowe[Tassie] and Jamie Buckley had darts to take the opening leg,but it was the Phantom Rowe who nailed double 2 to clinch it. Jamie tried to hit back in the next leg,and hit a 140 to put some pressure on,but Peter stayed calm and wrapped the game up on double 12.
The Igo badly needed to get a point on the board,and that wasn't going to come easy,as Gavin O Toole for the Igo faced Ken Kane,a former singles champ. Gavin knew he had to play well,and he simply blitzed the opener in 16 darts. Ken remained cool and levelled things up on double 10,before we embarked on a sensational decider.Gavin hit a 177 and a 121 in consecutive throws,only for Ken to respond with a maximum 180 to leave 85. Gavin needed 120 and so nearly pulled it off,missing double top,as the tension grew. It was Ken's turn now,and after hitting 35 with his first 2 darts,he left his 3rd dart on the wire of the bull. Gavin stepped up and coolly finished 3 double 16 to put the Igo on the scoreboard.Cracking game.
This brilliant game seemed to have an effect on the next 2 players in,Wayne Gallagher[Tassie]and Ray Colley.Both men struggled to find their best form and they shared 2 fairly scrappy legs,before Ray won a nip and tuck decider,which could have gone either way.
The 5th game saw the ever improving Stephen Andrews take on the Igo's Mick Hennessy. Stephen almost let Mick in to steal the opener,but eventually finished double 1 after Mick had missed 10s. He made no mistake in the 2nd leg,however,hitting 3 straight tons and almost taking out a brilliant 144 finish,before hitting Double 12 as Mick trailed in his wake.
Next up we had the Tassie'S Gary gregory taking on Wayne Colgan for the Igo. The first leg was quite a tight affair,which Wayne managed to clinch with a 64 finish as Gary waited on tops.Wayne took charge of the 2nd leg also,before producing a brilliant 93 finish on the bull to send the Igo lads into raptures.
Things were getting very tense as Clive Devlin[Tassie] and Gavin Merrigan[Igo] took to the oche. Clive played solid darts to secure the opening leg on double 10,but it seemed as though Gavin would square things up in the next leg,however he spurned a hatful of chances to allow Clive in to finish double 14.The Tassie had a guaranteed point. Question was,could they grab 2?
The final game of the evening featured Willie Devlin for the Tassie and the Igo captain Martin Dutton.There was plenty of pressure on both men's shoulders,but Martin didn't show it,as he smoothly finished 93 on double 18 as Will waited on 46. This rocked Willie somewhat and Martin controlled the 2nd leg before sealing a precious point for the visitors on double 16.
So a point apiece for both teams in the end,but the Igo will be the happier team no doubt.The Tassie,having led 2 nil,will believe they should have gone on to record a victory,but the Igo players showed tremendous battling qualities to snatch a point.
180 men-Ken Kane 177 men-Gavin O Toole.
Man of the match-Gavin O Toole[Fantastic darts to keep the Igo in the game]
Foodwatch-Nice variety[the ham and turkey was particularly delicious]0 -
This week I went to see the highly anticipated,top of the table clash between the Ardmore and the Lough[A],in the Coach Inn in Little Bray.
There was a cracking atmosphere in the place as the Ardmore's Dennis FitzPatrick and the Lough's Bullet Kellaghan took to the oche. The game turned out to be a fairly tense affair,in which Bullet was well below his best. Dennis played solidly however to take the match comfortably by 2 legs to nil,with finishes of double 16 and double 10.
The 2nd game between P J Bryan and Tony Geraghty for the Lough was a very competitive match-up. Tony played well in the opening leg,and was on a 2 darter,when P J finished in 17 darts,which included a brilliant 180. Tony looked as though he would level the game,but he left several darts tantalisingly on the wire,to allow P J to nick the leg and match on double 4.Those doubles will do your head in!!
Robbie Kelly was next in for the home team,and he faced John Ennis,who was desperately trying to stop the rot for the visitors. Both men began with all guns blazing,hitting the treble 20 lipstick with great frequency,however it was the Lough man who took the leg in a sparkling 16 darts after Robbie had passed up an opportunity on tops and tens. The Ardmore man wasted no time in levelling matters on tops to set up a crucial deciding leg. It seemed as though John would take that decider comfortably,but as the pressure mounted so did the missed doubles. Indeed,Robbie had his chances to nick it,but he too spurned his chances,and eventually John sunk double 1 to the great relief of the Lough team. Good to see John back playing well again.
The 4th game featured 2 top players in the Ardmore's Anto Lynch and the Lough's Lar Bryan. Lar should have taken the opening leg,but missed 3 darts at tops to allow Anto to pinch it on tops,then with Lar poised on 67,Anto coolly finished treble 10 double top to restore the home teams 2 game lead.
That advantage was reduced to just one when the excellent John Ross Crangle produced a smooth display of darts to beat a below par Noddy Earls by 2 legs to nil.He finished tops and 16s as Noddy looked on in admiration.
The excitement was high as Andy O Toole went in for the Ardmore to take on his old rival Mark Ennis.Mark controlled the opener,but almost gave it away when twice busting 16.Andy failed to capitalise,however,and Mark eventually nailed double 2.Andy could have levelled matters,but once again the doubles proved elusive,and Mark pounced to finish double 16.The match was all level at 3 apiece.
The momentum had shifted completely in favour of the Lough as Glen FitzPatrick[Ardmore] and Billy Matthews took centre stage.Billy kept the momentum going the Lough's way when he pinched the opener off Glen on double 5 after Glen had missed 9 pops at a double.Billy could have sealed matters in the next leg,but missed tops to allow Glen in for a super cool 72 finish. The decider was a cracking leg,considering the pressure both players were under,but it was the Ardmore man who took his chance on double 8 in the nick of time,with Billy on 48. Glen showed a lot of character to beat a great player and he should take confidence from this display.
And so we came to the last game of the evening,and it featured Vinty O Toole for the Ardmore and Leo Murphy for the Lough.Leo played some great stuff in the opening leg,but missed numerous darts at doubles,to allow Vinty in to take it on tops. The Lough captain bravely levelled the game by finishing 62 on double 16. The decider was very tense. So tense in fact that the Maniac nearly missed last orders,he was so wrapped up in it. Vinty had the first shot at a double,but missed 18s,allowing Leo in to finish double 8 as the Lough lads cheered him on.A fantastic game to end the night.
Although we're only halfway through the season,it felt as though that final leg was a vital one for the Lough's season. Four points would have been extremely difficult to make up on such a good and consistent team as the Ardmore,but I'm sure they now feel they can defend their crown as league champions. The Ardmore and FitzPatricks,however,will be doing their best to ensure that the title changes hands. Until next week,take care.
180 men-P J Bryan 177 men-Glen FitzPatrick
Man of the match-John Ennis/Glen FitzPatrick[Both superb]
Foodwatch-Sambo's didn't last long,enough said-Massive!0 -
Suggestion for monday..Farm Red Vs Farm Blue the derby:D0
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Double Top wrote: »Suggestion for monday..Farm Red Vs Farm Blue the derby:D
No Tassie A v BHFC sounds better!
:D:D 0 -
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MACK DE KNIFE wrote: »try tuesday noggin inn vs ramblers???;)
maybe next season there will be a dartsmaniac jr for the tuesday league:D0 -
Thanks for the suggestions guys,but getting a lift home is crucial to the Maniac. I hope there will be lots of little Maniacs doing next years games:D!!0
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For my first game in the 2nd half of the season,I went to the Igo in Ballybrack,where the local team played host to the Noggin Hunters. Both teams are in the top 6 and a good match was on the cards.
The Igo's Gavin O Toole and the Noggin's Tom Hennessy got proceedings under way. In front of a packed house,Gavin got the home team off to a flyer,taking out double 16 and double 6 to secure a 2 nil win,and in the process defeated another quality player.Tom wasn't at his best,but Gavin done his job well.
The Igo should have gone 2 up in the next game,but Paul Weafer missed a host of chances to win 2-1,which allowed the grateful Alan Kelly to finish double 18 for victory.Even at this early stage it was a vital leg for the Hunters. The 3rd game saw 2 great players do battle,as Terry Greene[Igo] and Mark Mulvaney took to the oche. Mark has been playing well of late,and he demonstrated his quality here,firstly by taking out double 1,and then by sealing victory on double 8. Terry was on 36 but didn't get a shot at it.
The Noggin made it 3-1 when Jimmy Byrne put in a classy display to defeat Jamie Buckley by 2 legs to nil. Jamie had 2 darts at double 8 in the 2nd leg,but failed to hit the target,and Jimmy snapped up his chance on double 10.
The Hunters were on a roll now,and John Crangle kept up that momentum by seeing off the challenge of Mick Hennessy. John finished tops to take the opener,and when Mick missed double 8,he once again nailed the top lipstick to put the visitors within one game of victory.
Wayne Colgan had no option but to win his game,and when he raced down to double top in 18 darts,he looked good against Tony Brennan.However,like many of his team mates on the night,he caught a dose of doubleitis and Tony stepped in to finish double 10.This gift seemed to lift Tony's game and he threw some solid darts to take the game in 18 darts. And that was that,done and dusted,5-1 to the Noggin.
The last 2 games of the evening were shared,when Haggle"The Daddy"Hennessy beat Joe Kane to give the scoreline a better look,before veteran arrowsmith,Liam Forde,put the icing on the Noggin cake,by defeating a below par Jimmy Noonan.
The Noggin Hunters will be delighted to take 2 points from this fixture,as the Igo were on a good run and really fancied their chances here.The win keeps the Noggin in touch with the top 3,while the Igo remain in 6th spot.Im looking forward to seeing more of them as the season progresses.
180 men-None tonight
Man of the match-Jimmy Byrne[Class act tonight]
Foodwatch-Excellent-Cocktail sausages and chips[gives u the taste for more beer!!]0 -
I went to Sallynoggin this evening to watch the encounter between the League's 4th and 5th placed team's,the Noggin Hunter's and The Silver Tassie[A].
First up we had the Noggin's Joe McKeever,and he was facing Ben Prenter for the Tassie.The first 2 legs were shared before a cracking deciding leg saw Ben set up double 12 only for Joe to coolly take out treble 14 double 16 to give the home team the lead.A good start got even better when Tom Hennessy took out Ken Kane in a classy match-up.Again,the first 2 legs were shared,with Tom hitting double 16 and Ken finishing double 10.Then in a close battle in the decider,it was Tom who kept his cool to finish double 16 as Ken waited on a possible 2 darter.
The 3rd game was a cracker as Mick Cummins took on the Noggin's top man Mark Mulvaney.Mick took the first leg in comfortable fashion on tops,but it seemed as though Mark would level things when he just missed double 16 for a 134 finish.However,when Mark missed 3 more attempts at 16s,Mick sensed an opportunity on 130.And boy did he take it,finishing with a stunning bull finish.Great stuff.
The experienced Jimmy Byrne restored the home team's 2 game advantage by defeating Gary Gregory by 2 legs to nil.Gary had his chances in the opener,but missed several darts,to allow Jimmy in to finish double 7.He wrapped it up in the next leg,hitting double 15 as Gary waited on 52.
The Tassie had high hopes of clawing a point back,when Stephen Andrews went in against John Crangle.John,however,was having none of it,and played some solid darts to win 2 nil.Stephen was left to rue a few missed darts at tops and tens in the 2nd leg,but overall John deserved the victory.
Things were looking bleak for the Tassie,when Clive Devlin took to the oche,trying to stem the tide.However,despite having first pop at a double in both legs,Clive failed to capitalise,allowing Noggin stalwart Tony Brennan in to pinch both legs on double's 16 and 10.The Tassie lads were stunned as the Noggin Hunters celebrated an easier than expected victory.
The final 2 games were shared,as John Cummins beat Willie Devlin 2-1[Willie had a bull finish in 2nd leg],before Wayne Gallagher put a better look on the final score when defeating Kevin O Connell'also by 2 legs to 1.
A good win for the Noggin,keeps them hot on the heels of the top three,while the Tassie lads will no doubt regroup and try to put together a winning run.
180 men-None tonight
Man of the match-Mick Cummins[Fantastic finish]
Foodwatch-I'd say the sambo's would've have been nice,IF THERE WAS ANY!!0 -
good report as usual maniac shame about the grub0
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This week I went to the local derby game between the Igo and the Lough Inn.The Igo have been playing well of late and they figured on giving the champs a run for their money.
The visitors started fast,with ex Igo man,Tony Geraghty,taking the opening leg in 17 darts against a stunned Paul Weafer.Paul tried to hit back,but Tony had just too much firepower for him and nailed double top to secure the opening point.Tony didn't celebrate his win as a mark of respect to his old colleagues.He simply went outside and let out a roar!!
Peter Taite seemed to use Tony's win to motivate himself because he played some excellent darts to see off Igo hotshot Gavin O Toole by 2 legs to nil.Peter won the opening leg on double 7 following a 180 earlier in the leg,and while Gavin played ok in the 2nd leg he was no match for Peter,who finished double 16 in 19 darts.
The Igo needed a point badly,but they were given no respite as Lar Bryan easily dismissed a below par Jamie Buckley by 2 legs to nil.Jamie struggled to find his range and Lar simply had to play within himself to finish doubles 16 and 8.
Two league veterans,Terry Greene and John Ennis,took to the oche for the fourth game of the night. They shared the first 2 legs,with John nicking the opener on tops before Terry hit double 10 to square the game.The decider was all about Terry,and he eventually gave the Igo their first point when nailing double 4.
When Mick Hennessy took out double 4 to take the opening leg of the next game against John Ross Crangle,it looked as though we may have a game on our hands. John Ross,however,was having none of it,and he proceeded to play some beautiful darts to win the next 2 legs,finishing doubles 4 and 2,thus restoring the Loughs commanding 3 game lead.
The Igo now required the remaining 3 games,just to save a point,but sadly for them it wasn't to be.Wayne Colgan tried hard to find the big scores,but he couldn't repell the steady play of Lough stalwart Luke Wall.Luke wrapped up the victory by taking out double 9 and tops.
The Igo saved their best til last,when Haggle Hennessy and Gavin Merrigan beat Tony Taite and Mark Ennis,respectively.It simply gave the scoreline a better look from the Igo's point of view,but there was certainly no doubt who the better team were on the night.
The Lough will be pleased to get this tricky fixture out of the way,and the win keeps them nicely poised in 2nd place.The Igo did not do themselves justice tonight,but as their captain,Martin Dutton,said in his speech,they could still have a say as to where the title goes this year.
180 men-Peter Taite
Man of the match-Tony Geraghty/Peter Taite[Both stepped up to the mark tonight]
Foodwatch-Cocktail saus/chips[Piranha fish would've left more!]0 -
I was in Monkstown tonight,where the Farmhouse[Red] played host to current league leaders,the Ardmore.
Dennis FitzPatrick got the Ardmore off to a good start,when he saw off the challenge of the promising Rob Taylor by 2 legs to nil.Rob pressed Dennis all the way,but it was Dennis who took out his doubles[10s and tops] to take the opening game.
Next up we had the Farm's Shane Ryan taking on P J Bryan of the Ardmore.
PJ as we know is a top player but shane showed absolutely no fear as he blitzed the opening leg in 17 darts.
Then in the 2nd leg Shane hammered the treble 20 as he raced down to tops in 12 darts. PJ was left trailing in his wake, and although Shane missed a few doubles, he deservedly won the game on double 5.
A star of the future this lad.
The Ardmore got their noses in front once again when their captain Anto Lynch played a composed game to beat Jamie Parry by 2 legs to nil.
Jamie had darts to take the opening leg, but missed tops and tens, which allowed Anto in to finish tops.
Anto controlled the 2nd leg before eventually taking the game on double 10.
Another talented young player, Dan Boyce, levelled the match score once again, by defeating the experienced John Doonan by 2 legs to nil.
The first leg was a scrappy affair, which Dan won on double 1, but the Farm man was ruthlessly efficient in the next leg finishing 88 on double 4 to square the match.
The Farmhouse Gary Healy and The Ardmore's Glen Fitzpatrick were next up in a crucial fifth game.
Glen continued his recent fine form by taking the opening leg in 19 darts, but Gary dug deep to take us to a decider with a double top finish.
Then, both men had their shot at victory,but ultimately it was Gary who hit double 10 to give the Farmhouse a 3-2 lead.
The Ardmore needed to win the next game badly, and Andy O Toole was the player the Ardmore put in.
He played Paulie Kinsella for the Farm, in a game which produced 2 tight legs of darts. Andy finished double 10 to take the opening leg after Paulie had missed tops.
Then a maximum 180 from Andy helped set up a double 11 finish after Paulie had missed double 15.
We were level again at 3 a piece.
The seventh game saw Gussy Fleming of the Farm produce a stunning display of darts to easily defat Noddy Earls by 2 legs to nil.
Two legs of 20 and 17 darts were extremely impressive from Gussy. I donk know where this guy has been recently, but he has a lot of ability and is certainly one for the future.
The final game of the night say Charlo Dunne trying to secure the points for the Farm, while Ian Molloy was trying to salvage a point for the Ardmore.
The first 2 legs were shared, which set up a nailbiting decider as both teams cheered on their man.
First Charlo had his chance, then Ian had his.
It was almost unbearable as doubles were missed by milimetres,
but eventually Charlo nailed an unlikely double 7 to send the locals wild.
It was a famous victory for the Farm lads, who fulfilled their undoubted potential on the night.
The Ardmore, will have to lick their wounds and bounce back quickly from this reverse, as they host Fitzpatricks next week in a huge game.
180 Men - Andy O Toole.
Man of the Match - Shane Ryan.
Footwatch - Wedges, sausages and chicken dippers(all good stuff).
Suggestion: Food should not be given out until break between 5th and 6th games.0 -
This week I was originally due to cover the clash between the Ardmore and FitzPatricks. The top of the table has become quite congested,and this game would have been a crucial one for both teams. However,as Im sure most of you are aware by now,the Ardmore have sadly withdrawn from the league. I don't want to go into the rights and wrongs of the issues which caused their withdrawal,but I do think the matter could have been cleared up without the need for such drastic action.
Anyhow ,this week I attended the match between the Igo Inn and Kynes of Dundrum. The boys from Windy Arbour got off to a flier,when young Rick McCudden defeated Jimmy Noonan by 2 legs to 1. Jimmy had looked set for a comfortable win when nailing double 4 to take the opening leg.Rick,however,showed fine battling spirit to fight back and take the remaining two legs on double top and double 7. Jimmy had his winning chances too,but he couldn't hit the lipstick.
Indeed the away team could have extended their advantage when Mick Kearns threw at tops and tens to beat Gavin Merrigan,but alas it wasn't to be. Gavin,aided by a maximum 180,took out double 8 for a 2-1 victory,and thus squared the match at 2 apiece.
Terry Greene gave the home team the lead,when he comfortably saw off the challenge of James Downey by 2 legs to nil,before Haggle Hennessy made it 3-1 with a clinical display against Sean Doonan.
Kynes needed to register a win quickly and Liam Leonard went in to try and get it. He was met with stern resistance however from Igo vice captain Wayne Colgan. The first 2 legs were shared,as both men took out double 10,before the Igo man hit top gear to take the decider on double top,leaving the Igo on the brink of victory.
The home team didn't have to wait too long to secure the points,as their trump card,Gavin O Toole,was in no mood to hang around.Young Ian McKeever tried hard,but Gavin finished a ton in the opener before wrapping up victory on double 16.
The final 2 games were shared,as Noel Keating came from behind to defeat Pat Whelan by 2 legs to 1,before Anto Quinliss gave Kynes a consolation point by defeating Frankie Patterson by 2 legs to nil.
So the Igo maintain their position in the table,now 5th,with the Ardmore's defection,while Kynes continue to struggle with the standard of Monday night darts. They have 2 or 3 players who are very capable,and maybe with the addition of one or two good players,they can make an impact next season.
180 Men-Gavin Merrigan
Man of the match- Gavin Merrigan[180 plus dbl 8 was a turning point]
Foodwatch-Tasty sausage and chips[mmm very nice!!]0 -
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This week I paid a visit to the Lough Inn to watch the vital clash between the Lough[A] and the Noggin Hunters. With the Ardmore out of the equation,this game would be hugely influential in deciding the outcome of the league.
First up we had the Lough's Bullet Kellaghan and the Noggin's Jimmy Byrne. The atmosphere was fairly tense and the game seemed to echo that as both men struggled to find their best form. It was Jimmy who managed to settle quicker,finishing double 4 to take the opening leg.Then in the second leg,after Bullet had narrowly missed tops for a 142 out shot,Jimmy nailed double 16 to give the Hunters the first point of the evening.
The second game ,between the Lough's Lar Bryan and Tom Hennessy for the Noggin,turned out to be a real tight affair. After both men had taken a leg apiece,they embarked on a nip and tuck decider.Tom got first pop at a double,but missed double 16,giving Lar a shot at double 8. Incredibly,Lar left darts on the wire ot 8s and 4s before Tom stepped in to secure the game on double 8.
Joe McKeever kept the ball rolling for the Hunters,when he took the notable scalp of young John Ross Crangle in another nailbiter.Joe had gone one nil up before John Ross hit back hard to level things,firing a maximum 180 and a 121 in the process. The decider could have gone either way,but once again it was the Noggin player who took his chance,with Joe finishing 10s after JR had missed the same double.
The Lough lads were visibly stunned at how things were going,and when Tony Brennan hit double 16 to take a one nil lead against Lough top man,Billy Matthews,it was getting critical. Billy,however,started to show his class in the following 2 legs,hitting a maximum and several punishing scores to firstly level things,prior to finishing the match with a sweet 88 finish.
The 5th game featured 2 very solid operators in the Lough's Mark Ennis and the Noggin's Mark Mulvaney. Mark M started magnificently,blitzing the opener in 17 darts,before young Ennis hit back to take the 2nd leg on double 8.The decider was a real squeaky bummer,with Mark E narrowly failing to hit tops allowing Mark M in to finish double 18 to give the Noggin a 4-1 advantage.
Lough captain,Leo Murphy,as he so often does in times of crisis,stepped up to the oche to try and save the game. Alan Kelly,for the Hunters,put up stubborn resistance,indeed he was very unfortunate not to take the 2nd leg,when bouncing out of tops,but Leo remained calm and finished double 1 to make it 4-2.
There was no margin for error as Tony Geraghty came to the line for the Lough,while Jack Roche was hoping to wrap things up in the penultimate game. Jack was left to rue missed chances in the opener,allowing Tony to take it on double 2,and he could only watch while on double 9, as Tony put it to bed with two 16s.
The last game of the night was fought out between 2 griselled veterans of Borough league darts,Luke Wall for the Lough and John Cummins for the Hunters. It was John who took the opener with a smooth 117 finish on tops to put the away team on the edge of victory.Luke,however,showed great tenacity to level things on double 10.The decider saw both men give everything for their teams,but Johns power scoring was to prove decisive. Indeed he almost brought the house down with a 170 out shot,but his effort at the bull landed in a 25.Luke was well back when John hit double 11 to give the Hunters a famous victory.
It was a great battle between two top teams,played in a very good spirit. The Hunters took their chances when they had to,while the Lough simply gave themselves too much to do against an excellent side. The league has now developed into a tremendous 3-way battle,and I can't wait to see which way it goes.
180 men-John Ross Crangle,Billy Matthews.
Man of the match-John Cummins-Top performance under pressure.
Foodwatch-If you like loads of stuffing,yippee.I went to the chipper!!0
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