The annual Tom Kirby Memorial Irish Matchplay Championship was held at the Green Isle Hotel, Dublin, on Sunday, August 28th, with 138 players battling for a place in the Ladbrokes.com World Championship in December.
Players affiliated to the I.N.D.O., N.I.D.O. and the PDPA played side by side in this prestigious event which is organised in memory of the great Irish player Tom Kirby and they treated the large attendance to a feast of great darts.
Photo
Ann Kirby, Tom’s widow, with Shane O’Connor and Connie Finnan.
After a superb afternoon’s entertainment the field was whittled down to the semi-final placings which included two players, Connie Finnan and Martin Heneghan, who will be representing the Republic of Ireland in the WDF World Cup at the end of September, and two PDPA members, William O’Connor and Shane O’Connor, who are regulars on the PDC Tour.
In the first semi-final Connie Finnan defeated William O’Connor by six legs to four in an all-Limerick battle while in the next semi Shane O’Connor had a similar victory over Martin Heneghan.
Connie and Shane will now contest the final of the Tom Kirby Memorial on stage at the City West Hotel in Dublin prior to the final of the World Grand Prix on Sunday, October 9th.
Results:
Last 16:
Daniel Dunn 1 – 5 William O’Connor
Kieran Kehoe 1 – 5 Darren Clifford
Connie Finnan 5 – 4 Justin McGuiggan
Ali Powell 3 – 5 Daryl Gurney
Martin Heneghan 5 – 4 Stephen Byrne
Seamus Sammon 5 – 3 Martin Carvill
Noel Gates 3 – 5 Shane O’Connor
Kevin McDonnell 2 – 5 Benny Grace
Quarter-finals:
William O’Connor 5 – 2 Darren Clifford
Connie Finnan 5 – 1 Daryl Gurney
Martin Heneghan 5 – 3 Seamus Sammon
Shane O’Connor 5 – 4 Benny Grace
Semi-finals:
William O’Connor 4 – 6 Connie Finnan
Martin Heneghan 4 – 6 Shane O’Connor
Ryan Maher Qualifies for World Youth Championship
Photo – Ryan Maher and Martin Heneghan
The Irish Under-21 Matchplay Championship was also held at the Green Isle Hotel, Dublin, over the weekend with victory going to Ryan Maher from Dublin who defeated Martin Heneghan {Mayo} 4 – 1 in the final.
In the semi-finals Ryan defeated Paddy Meaney 4 – 2 and Martin had a 4 – 1 victory over Stephen Lennon.
Ryan Maher will now represent Ireland in the last 64 of the World Youth Championship in November.
Results:
Quarter-finals:
Dylan Rutledge 2 – 4 Stephen Lennon
Martin Heneghan 4 – 1 David Coyne
Sean McArdle 3 – 4 Ryan Maher
Paddy Meaney 4 – 2 John Seagrave
Semi-finals:
Stephen Lennon 1 – 4 Martin Heneghan
Ryan Maher 4 – 2 Paddy Meaney
Final:
Martin Heneghan 1 – 4 Ryan Maher