BRENDAN DOLAN PROGRESSED through to round three of the World Darts Championship after winning a sudden-death decider against compatriot Mickey Mansell.
The Northern Irish pair – former World Cup team-mates – produced a combined nine 180s as they remained level-pegging heading into the first tie-break of the tournament.
Mansell sent the match to the last-leg shoot-out when he checked out with a sensational 148 finish but Dolan made the darts count in the decider with a double 16 to seal a 3-2 win after nearly an hour and a half on the oche. He will now face 2021 champion Gerwyn Price in the next round at Alexandra Palace.
Jeffrey De Graaf came from a set down to knock Jose de Sousa out with a 3-1 victory.
De Sousa hit the front in the first set but was pegged back by the Dutchman, who held all three of his legs on throw and nicked the third before a 115 average in the fourth and final set put him through to the third round.
Elsewhere, Krzysztof Ratajski eased through with a 3-1 win over Jamie Hughes despite losing the first set, while Boris Krcmar produced a stunning display as he defeated Dirk van Duijvenbode by the same score.
Van Duijvenbode has been suffering from a shoulder injury recently and clinched the first set but he only managed to bag one more leg throughout the rest of the contest as Krcmar bulldozed his way to victory with an average of 96.84.
Willie O’Connor is in action tonight against Chris Dobey.
Gwan Connacht
Was looking forward to good match and hopefully a Connacht win until I saw the ring master himself, Frank Murphy is refereeing.
@Mike Faherty: are you suggesting a guy who played for Munster and Connacht is bias towards Leinster?
@Rudiger McMonihan: more so that he is incompetence defined, and as a unabashedly proud Munster supporter, Connacht losing would leave his Munster team as the only undefeated province and basically assured the trophy. Why can’t we have the referee from Ulster, like Chris Busby, if we can’t have a non IRFU ref?
@Rudiger McMonihan: Not at all, he is just as likely to ruin it for either or both sides, as the guys just loves being the centre of attention. That been said history tells us that Connacht normally come out the wrong side of his questionable decisions.
@Mike Faherty: appalling referee, never knowingly spares use of his whistle. It may just be coincidence but he saves his worst performances for Connacht games, and they are usually on receiving end….
Should be an interesting game, albeit not error free from either side. Neither team put out their first choice 23, but that’s not exactly a bad thing. Sean O Brien and Fitzgerald will relish this chance to play against an international centre and outhalf, while I am excited to see how Frawley plays for Leinster…haven’t seen enough of him, but he has looked quality. Many changes to Leinster’s pack, but can hardly say it looks weak. The Rainbow Cup should be treated as a good runabout for both teams, but it’s hard to feel like it is a serious interpro.
Looking forward to players like Penny, Frawley, Blade, and Daly playing themselves into the Irish squad this summer. Should be a good game.
@David Finn: you forgot Gavin Thournbury he will surley be an international before long
Connacht would be world champions if they only ever played irish teams. If they brought their interprovcial form to the rest of the league they’d be a serious force.
Saying that I can’t see leinster losing tonight.
@Chris Mc: eh… Connacht were second in their conference this season.
@Chris Mc: what are you on about? Connacht lost both games against Munster and their game v Ulster in pro14.
The interest in this game (on the East coast anyway) is ‘underwhelming’ …I suspect Connacht will win.
@Alan ODoherty: You were very quiet last week?