Aiming for the final
Big turnout as battle starts for Gibby Bentley Singles Trophy
Players from throughout the divisions met up in competition this week as Paisley & District Darts League aces played for the coveted Gibby Bentley Singles Trophy.
There were 132 players taking part at 16 different venues throughout the area all seeking a place in finals night in Hagg Bar on July 2.
The first venue to provide a qualifier was the front board in Hagg Bar where A team player Andy Boulton swept the opposition aside without dropping a leg.
In the final, Boulton defeated Pickwicks player Fraser Dempsey 4-0.
In the eight legs he won on his way to the finals, Boulton finished seven of them in 18 darts or less. On finals night, Boulton will play Robert MacPhee of St. Peters after he navigated his way through the qualifier at Arthurlie Inns where he beat Hagg Bar A’s Yogi Stevenson 4-0 in the final of the board.
MacPhee also had some quick games as well as bagging the highest finish of the night with a 150 checkout.
Railway Inn supplied the next player through as St. Peters’ Davy Hendry beat local favourite James Hayes 4-1 in their final. Hendry will now take on Hagg Bar A player Richie Baillie after he qualified through from Keystone without losing a leg.
Baillie beat Keystone A player Andy Goodwin to qualify by a score of 4-0 to maintain a clean sheet record on the night.
The next round was played in Tartan Rose and it was Flying Horse A man John Peacock who came through the competition to claim a spot on finals night, but only after a nailbiting 4-3 victory against Gleniffer Hotel’s Rab McTavish.
Peacock will face Hagg Bar A player Dougie Low after he too had a successful night at Burgh Bar as he recorded whitewash victories from the start, finishing with a 4-0 win over Pockets Red player John Garrity.
Flying Horse was the next venue to supply a finalist and it was St Peters’ Andy Callary who got past his opponents, but only after beating former champion John Williamson of Burgh bar 4-3 in a very close encounter.
Callary will go on to face his team-mate Joe Shirley after he successfully negotiated his way through from Court Bar where he beat Hazel Arms’ John Malone in the last leg of their seven game encounter.
Into the bottom half of the draw on finals night and defending champion Paul Hanvidge came through the pack at Kelburne Cricket Club to set up the defence of his title with Joe Mitchell of Court Bar B being the final hurdle Hanvidge had to get past. Hanvidge will face Hagg Bar A player Mick Malone in the last 16 after his triumphant night at The Kelburn finishing off with a 4-2 win over Railway Inn’s Henry Kerr.
Railway Inn supplied the next player to go through as Craig Moore took on players at Inkerman Bowling Club with the final hurdle coming from Hagg Bar C player Josie Stevenson who Moore beat 4-1.
He goes on now to play Court Bar’s Stevie Bogle who qualified from St Peters where his final opponent, Tam Norton of Keystone A was beaten by four games to one.
There were two qualifying boards being used in Cafuffals, and on the first of these it was Flying Horse A’s Martin Brophy sweeping the opposition aside as he came through 4-1 in the board final against Court Bar’s John Barclay Snr.
Brophy will play Jason Brown who will be flying the flag for Kelburne Cricket Club after beating Court Bar B captain Ricky McKinnon 4-2 in their final also played at Cafuffals.
At Pockets three time champion Drew Callary navigated his way through some tricky ties before going through 4-0 against David McConnell of Hagg Bar C in a match where both players scored a 180 and Callary finished with legs of 15 and 17 darts.
His opponent for a place in the quarter-finals will be his former doubles partner George Dempsey as he came through a tough field in Hagg Bar’s back room with his final game being a 4-0 win over Pickwick’s Dean Fitch
As there were so many games played this week it was inevitable that there would be a lot of high scores and there was a total of 26 maximums recorded. Six players even managed to hit two maximums including George Dempsey backing up his handful from last week.
There was a fantastic total of 53 games finished in 18 darts or less this week with the best of these being brilliant 13-dart legs from Hagg Bar A players Richie Baillie, George Dempsey and Andy Boulton as well as Gary Sturrock of The Kelburn
There were seven high finishes this week with Robert MacPhee of St Peters providing the best with a 150 checkout.
There was also a catch-up game played in Division 2 where Hazel Pirates took the points after a 5-4 home victory over neighbours Keystone B. The win now gives the Pirates team a two-point cushion and could secure them seventh place in the table.
Next week the teams play the penultimate league games of the season, with the action being concentrated on relegation and promotion battles.