KINGS OF LEINSTER
Wicklow Youths team claim title as Seniors come close
at the Parkview Hotel
THE cream of Leinster’s darting crop descended on the Parkview Hotel in Newtown last weekend for the annual Leinster Darts Championship.
The weekend kicked off Saturday morning with the youths tournament. Nine teams entered and at the end of a grueling competition it was the Wicklow boys who were the pride of the county after a semi-final victory over Kilkenny and a fantastic victory over a hugely talented Dublin team in a riveting final.
Manager Kyle Ryan marshalled his troops superbly and with talent like Evan Byrne and Sean Cummins the future definitely looks bright.
Saturday night saw 66 quality players enter the Wicklow open singles. By the time the semi-finals rolled around the last four was a who’s who of Leinster and Irish darts. Mick Meaney and Bodien Fogarty of Wexford, Killian Heffernan, world youth runner up from Meath, and Wicklow’s own David Peacocke. Meaney accounted for Fogarty by 5-3 in a high scoring shootout.
Peacocke showed tremendous determination and skill to beat Heffernan 5-4. With the young Meath man waiting on double 16, Peacocke took out a beautiful 122 with a bullseye finish to advance to the final.
The final was another titanic tussle with Meeney twice taking two-leg leads in the best of 11 final. However, Peacocke showed his tenacity to take it to a deciding game. After 12 darts both players were on finishes with Peacocke going first from 98. He was most unfortunate to see his last dart at double 12 land the wrong side of the wire. Meeney made no mistake on tops to take the honours after a 13-dart leg.
On to Sunday, and the main event, a day of sporting drama. In the ladies event reigning All-Ireland champions Wexford showed their class in defeating a brave Dublin side in the final. These Wexford girls are a joy to behold and hold a dominance over their competitors that is only matched by the all-conquering Dublin football team.
In the men’s competition 15 teams entered, Wicklow ‘B’ bowed out without throwing anything like their capabilities and there was bitter disappointment in such a talented group.
The ‘A’ side seemed to be going the same way with a less than comfortable 7-6 victory over a poor Dublin B side before been crushed 9-3 by Dublin ‘A’. However, they snuck into the quarter final where they would face 2017 All-Ireland champions Offaly.
Manager Mick Lott and captain Martin O’Connor rallied the troops and they rose to the occasion magnificently in the best of 13-match contest.
Glenn Fitzpatrick set the tone before Logger Byrne, TJ Carter, Trevor Doyle and Jason Giffney scorched Wicklow into a 5-1 lead. Offaly rallied and closed the gap however James O’Toole steadied the ship with a class 12-dart leg to close out his match.
Pat ‘Bomber’ Murphy took out double 20 to clinch the game and a famous Wicklow victory.
With Kilkenny defeating Carlow, they were waiting in the semi-finals. Unlike the previous round Wicklow had to come from behind and show resilience this time.
They trailed 3-0 and 4-1 in the early stages with Carter getting Wicklow on the board. Trevor Doyle with a continuous attack on the treble 20 closed the gap further before the crucial turning point.
In a deciding leg and his opponent on double 18, Jason Giffney showed nerves of steel and finished 100 with a 20, double 20, double 20 finish.
The whole tide of the contest seemed to change. O’Toole, Connor and Bomber again all won to nudge the Garden County into the lead.
In came Peter White and he marched to the oche and a dominant display sent Wicklow to the Leinster final.
Waiting in the final was All-Ireland champions Meath who overcame an early 4-0 deficit of their own against Dublin to advance 7-6.
After the first four games things were all square with Fitzpatrick and Logger getting the Wicklow points. Doyle and Peacocke nudged Wicklow ahead. All the games were tight with Giffney, Carter, O’Connor and O’Toole’s games going to the wire.
After 10 games the scores were tied five each before Bomber stood up again and nodded Wicklow ahead once more. Meath responded to send the final to a sudden death match.
In for Wicklow was John Murray and for Meath was wily veteran Eugene McArdle. In a game where both players had chances it was the Meath man’s greater experience who got the Royals over the line.
A tremendous effort from all involved and a credit to the Wicklow committee that an event of this magnitude was held on our doorstep.
With the All-Ireland only a month away Wicklow have so much to be confident about and have shown they can compete with the best that’s out there.
Manager Mick Lott, reflecting on a tremendous weekend, said the following: ‘The Wicklow boys after a slow start showed they can compete with the best a bit more experience against teams like Meath will get us over the line.
‘Seeing the youth team winning too shows that we do have the talent and over the next few years as they come through, we will go from strength to strength. Hosting this event was a massive honour to us and the people who helped make this possible deserve immense credit.
‘I want to thank the Parkview Hotel, a magnificent venue for such a tournament and hearing the compliments from the various county managers on how good a weekend it was is a massive compliment to me and the committee behind me whose efforts have made this possible.
‘The sponsors have been magnificent to us all year. Healy Supplies, Avondale Antiques, Robbie Smith carpentry, Keith O’Brien plumbing, Breen carpet cleaning, Leinster Blinds and Interiors, Jason Walsh brickwork, John Linnane Motors, Colin Byrne Construction, St Kevin’s Kitchen Glendalough, Autocare, Jones Bathroom Solutions, Shay Doyle’s Rathnew, O’Neill Roofing, Pat Toolan bookmakers, Trevor Doyle, The Harbour Bar Arklow, The Woodpecker Bar Ashford, Clyde’s Carwash Rathdrum, Mark Kenny bricklayer, Ernie’s Bar Wicklow and Michael Meaney Concrete who sponsored all our boards and trophies over the weekend.
Mick Lott, Shane Byrne, David Peacocke, Karl Kelly, Neville Doyle, John White, Peter White, TJ Carter, Glenn Fitzpatrick, Eamon Franey, Trevor Doyle, Martin O’Connor, Robbie Hammond, Pat Murphy, Martin Fortune, Jason Giffney, Mick Cummins, John Murray, James O’Toole.
Wicklow ‘A’:
Kyle Ryan, Evan Byrne, Sean Cummins, Jamie Cummins, Ben Fitzpatrick, Max Kearney.
Wicklow Youths: