fonaCAB Central Darts League

"McCusker & Irwin make it back to back Andy Kearney Pairs wins"

The Suffolk Road venue was the place to be last Wednesday night with the much sought after Andy Kearney Cup up for grabs. There were top pairings everywhere with each board getting a sprinkling of the fantastic talent the Central Darts League has to offer.

Last 32: Board 1

The first game of the evening brought together one of the “Dark Horses” pairings of Hibs’s 58 Martin & Damien Corbett against outsiders D/C’s Davy Smith & Caolan Kearney. The two Hibs men threw steady darts and were victorious by a 2-0 scoreline. The next game on the same board were two previous winners and one of the favourite teams in Connor Hanna and Adam McDade against tough opponents Ben Lagan & Tommy Henry. In one of the games the Hibs pairing won in 25 darts with Adam hitting a 180 for good measure before sealing it on another 2-0 scoreline. The third game on board 1 brought together two pairs from the same club with Aaron & Eamon McGovern against Gary Healy & Daniel Haywood. No quarter was given and Aaron and Eamon took the first game only for Gary and Daniel to level but the McGovern family eventually prevailed and took the last leg to get through to the last 16. The last match of the round of 32 on board 1 was between Mark Lynch & Tucker Clarke against Matt Boyle & Stevie Lecky. The two Hibs 58 guys played well and took this one 2-0 with a very good 23 darter in the second leg for good measure.

Last 32: Board 2

The first match on board 2 was the game between the very experienced duo of Joe Doone & Ricky Saddler against the father & son pairing of Sean Patterson Snr & Jnr. Both games went right to the wire but it was the Patterson’s who hit the winning doubles to put them through to the last 16 contenders left on a 2-0 result. Another Father & son pairing of Tom & Tucker Kearney were up next against a strong pairing of Mickey McCartan & Gerard McGuinness. This match produced cracking tension and scoring with young Tucker taking out a 90 fin in the first leg. Mick & Gerard struck back to take the game to a decider by taking the second leg but finishing was there Achilles then as the Kearney’s punished missed darts by winning the third to progress. This board was turning out to be the one to be on if you were partnering your dad as the third match in a row featured Henry McTasney Snr & Jnr against Brendan McStravick & Ciaran Lynch only this time the family didn’t progress and it was Brendan & Ciaran who went through on a 2-0 score. The last match on Board 2 featured Rab Lyttle & Tony Kelly against another team to watch out for in John Doyle & Hugh McShane. The Clonard men took the first leg with scores of 100, 100, 100, 95, 93 & 74. Back came Star’s men in the second to take it with scores of 137, 100, 85, 85, 81. The third game was another cracker with Rab & Tony hitting scores of 120, 100, 100, 85 but Big Hugh & John just about won it with their scores of 140, 100, 85, 85, 81 to move on to the next round.

Last 32: Board 3

The first game of the night on this board brought together another outside bet for the trophy in Dan Delaney & Pearse Maguire who were drawn against two compatriots in Anto Smyth & Dan Sloan. The fancied duo showed just why they had that tag with a very good 2-0 victory with scores of 171, 140, 60, 60, 60 in the first leg and 133, 123, 95, 85, 60, 60 in the second to give their opponent not a sniff. Game 2 gave us a match between David Armstrong & Rhys Haywood and John McCann & Richard Mervyn. The Clonard boys took the first with the Ardoyne men levelling it taking the second but the experience of the falls road pairing just got them over the line 2-1. There was a very young pairing on the evening of Adam Lynch and Anto Officer who were second favourites in a two horse race (according to most pundits) but against Collie McPeake & John McLaughlin they showed anything is possible in darts and beat them 2-0. The last game on board 3 in the last 32 was between Ian Haywood & Martin Maloney and Dan Cahoon & Olcan Kearney. The Cassie’s men took the first leg with scores of 140, 10, 60, 60, 60. Stars pairing replied with 100, 100, 100, 100 in the second to take it to a decider but they couldn’t find the winning scores in the third and the Casement team went through.

Last 32: Board 4

The first match on board 4 was the game between the reigning champions Martin Irwin & Davy McCusker and Peter McAlorum & Fra Glennon. Davy & Martin won this one easily 2-0 one of the legs was in 21 darts but unfortunately nothing was put down so it’s a shame because to do a 21 darter they must have hit some scores. The same thing happened in the second game as Kevin O’Neill & Paul Goodman beat Jap McKinley and Jimmy Lavery 2-0 but nothing written down to breakdown how either team played. In the third game on this board two multiple Individual winners and also pairs winners partnered each other in Paul Condon & Gerry McCormick against Junior McManus and Paul Doonan. The experience of the Casement duo showed big time and they won 2-0 with scores of 140, 100, 100, 96, 60, 60 in the first leg and other scores of 139, 100, 100, 60, 60 in the second. The last game of this stage was between John Dillon & Hugh Grieves from Ardoyne against the really fancied pairing of Con Kielty & Billy McDade from the Strand. It was obviously a tight game as it finished 2-1 to the St. Mats pair but again no scores or details were noted down.

Last 16: Board 1

The first match on this board was between two players in Kevin O’Neill & Paul Goodman who have been playing great all year against father & son Sean Patterson Snr and Jnr. The game finished 2-0 (28 & 32) to the Swilly players who hit unbelievable scores of 134, 100, 100, 99, 85, 81 to our scores of 100, 85, 85, 78, 60, 60, 60 in the first game with myself also getting a dig at 74 and missing tops. In the second leg they again peppered the trebles with scores of 125, 125, 121, 99, 60 against 125, 100, 95, 90, 85 from us and when they missed a few digs at doubles Sean Jnr needed tops to level it and hit double 1 then split double 19 and the chance was gone. The second game on this board was between Dan Delaney & Pearse Maguire and Billy McDade & Con Kielty. This was the second cracker in a row. Dan/Pearse & Con/Billy all played fantastic with the Clonard Hibs teammates just about getting the win. They hit cracking scores in the first leg of 137, 127, 97, 83, 81 60 to their St. Mat’s opponents scores of 122, 100, 85, 85, 60, 60, 60 finishing on 4 which indicates a tight one and in the second leg they continued the barrage against the trebles with scores of 140, 121,99, 82, 82, 79, 60, 60 compared to their Strand opponents 129, 100, 83, 60, 60, 60.

Last 16: Board 2

The first match on board 2 brought together Hibs 58’s Martin & Damien Corbett against Davy McCusker & Martin Irwin. The sheet had it down as 2-0 to the Short Strand team in 31 & 38 darts but nothing else was recorded which is a shame as even a bad game between these pairing would have been an exciting encounter to report on. The next last 16 game was between team mates Brendan McStravick & Ciaran Lynch and Tom and Tucker Kearney. Again the scoresheet only told the ending and result but not the nerves and drama and unfortunately the Kearney’s were beaten 2-1 by their colleagues Brendan & Ciaran.

Last 16: Board 3

This board could have produced the nights pairs winners from any of the pairings they were that good. First Match up was Hibs 58 pair of Mark Lynch & Tucker Clarke against former winners Connor Hanna & Adam McDade. Mark & Tucker took the game 2-0 (30 & 38) with scores of 125, 100, 81, 81, 81, 60 in the first to Clonard’s scores of 140, 100, 96, 60 and the Hibs 58’s scores of 99, 77, 60, 60, 60 in the second to Adam & Connors 140, 95, 85, 78 won them the match. Up next were Paul Condon & Gerry McCormick against John Doyle & Hugh McShane. Three excellent games ensued. Doyler and Hugh won the first with scores of 140, 85, 85, 85, 81 in 35 darts with Big Paul & Gerry hitting cracking scores of their own of 140, 100, 95, 80, 60. Back came the Casement duo to win the second with scores of 100, 95, 93, 85, 82, 66 in 32 darts with the Clonard team also hitting scores of 140, 100, 85, 83. The third leg was nip and tuck but the Clonard teams scores of 100, 100, 100, 81 just about got them the win over Casements 100, 95, 82, 60

Last 16: Board 4

On this board the Cassie’s pairing of Cahoon & Kearney were drawn against Star Celtic’s McGovern Clan of Aaron & Eamon. It was a very tight affair but the Andytown duo just about deserved it with a 2-0 win with scores over the two legs of 100, 95, 85, 85, 82 to their Ardoyne opponents scores of 96, 92, 85, 85, 60. The second game again fell victim to the no scores or info bug but we do know that Adam Lynch & Anto Officer again produced a shock result 2-1 to get through to the last 8 which is an amazing achievement for these two young novice players.

First Quarter Final: Board 1

This Quarter would have been one to grace any pairs competition with both teams throwing excellent darts previously all evening. Swilly’s Kevin O’Neill and Paul Goodman vs Davy McCusker & Martin Irwin. What I can see from the matchcards was a close 2-1 win for the St Mathews team with Davy/Martin doing an excellent 125 fin in one of the legs in 30 darts and winning the other in 29 darts whilst the Suffolk pairing won their leg in 38 darts.

Second Quarter Final: Board 2

In the second Q/F game the draw paired Brendan McStravick & Ciaran Lynch against John Doyle & Hugh McShane. The more experienced duo from the Clonard team who top the league won this one 2-0 and eased their way into the semi-finals.

Third Quarter Final: Board 3

The third Q/F brought together two pairings from the one club but from two very different teams. Dan Delaney & Pearse Maguire were drawn against club rivals Mark Lynch & Tucker Clarke. Again I don’t have much to go on except that the Clonard boys won 2-0 and that Dan hit a 180 in one of the legs and a 120 checkout to put them through.

Fourth Quarter Final: Board 4

The last Q/F was between Dan Cahoon & Olcan Kearney and Adam Lynch & Anto Officer who had done unbelievably well to reach this stage. Unfortunately they came up against two players who gave nothing away and the Cassie’s team progressed through to the semi’s on a 2-0 score with a 104 finish in one leg.

First Semi-Final: Board 3

The all important draw brought out two potentially cracking games the first of which was between two pairs of teammates in Dan Delaney & Pearse Maguire vs John Doyle & Hugh McShane. This game went to the very last leg and Pearse Maguire hit a 180 in it but that’s all that was written down so unfortunately can’t report anything else but a 3-2 win for them. Unlucky for John & Hugh who played great on both nights.

Second Semi Final: Board 4

In the next game Davy McCusker & Martin Irwin were drew against Dan Cahoon & Olcan Kearney. It was explosive from the very start. In leg one Davy hit 2 X 180’s alongside Martin’s 140 to take it in a fantastic 23 darter. In leg two they again pummelled the trebles with scores of 140, 125, 100, 96, 81 taking it in another cracking 25 darter with the Cassie’s boys at least putting up more of a fight with scores of 129, 100, 100 in this one. That fight seemed to be building some steam as Dan & Olcan won the third leg with scores of 100, 100, 100, 85, 85 but the St. Mathews pair snuffed out any chance of a comeback with another maul of the treble 20’s in leg 4 with scores of 180 (Davy again) 140, 100, 87, 81 to put themselves into the final. Commiserations to Dan & Olcan who played great especially tonight until they ran into the Davy steam train.

Final Andy Kearney Pairs competition

After two weeks of fantastic darts it all came down to this final match between the defending pairs winners Davy & Martin and their challengers in Dan & Pearse. Dan & Pearse started off very well and upset the applecart winning the first leg in 33 with scores of 100, 99, 95, 78, 78, 66, 60. Davy & Martin got themselves level with a 35 darter in the next and scores of 140, 95, 93, 85, 85, 60, 60. This seemed to galvanise them as they just got better in the next hitting scores of 134, 125, 125, 100 to put themselves 2-1 in front even though Dan & Pearse weren’t giving up and themselves hit scores of 134, 100, 95, 85, 75, 72 in that game. In leg 4 the St. Mats pairing did a 28 darter hitting brilliant scores of 140, 123, 100, 85, 81 to their opponents, who were battling bravely, scores of 100, 100, 96, 95, 81, 78, 66 to leave it at 3-1. Dan & Pearse’s backs were against the wall with no more room for mistakes. They tried as hard as they could hitting scores of 133, 100, 85, 85, 60, 57 but it was of no avail as the heavy hitters from St. Mathews just kept pegging away and their scores of 140, 100, 99, 81, 81, 60, 60, 60 was just too much and too good on the evening and they took the 5th leg in 32 darts for a 4-1 victory and matching their success of last year. Congratulations to the winners Davy & Martin, commiserations to Dan & Pearse and thanks to all involved in the running of this fantastic tournament.....Next up back to league matches...Good luck to all involved...SP.