Van Gerwen Continues Superb Form

MICHAEL VAN GERWEN continued his fabulous year by claiming the £6,000 winners prize by beating Nick Fullwell 6-3 in the final of the John McEvoy Gold Dart Classic Players Championship.

Van Gerwen, who was crowned the PartyPoker.net World Grand Prix champion in Dublin a week ago, dropped just two legs in his first three wins against Bernd Roith, Mick Todd and fellow countryman, Roland Scholten.

The Dutch star, who has moved up to number eight in the PDC Order of Merit, thendisposed of Colin Lloyd by a 6-3 margin in the last 16 before romping past Kevin McDine to reach the semi-finals.

Van Gerwen overcame the challenge of Jamie Caven by a 6-3 margin in the last four with an incredible 113.09 average, which included two 12-dart finishes and an 11-darter.

The World Grand Prix champion stamped his marked on the final by taking the first three legs of the contest. Fullwell won the fourth only for van Gerwen to take the next in 12 darts.

The next two legs were shared before Fullwell stole the eighth leg after Dutchman missed three darts to win the match.

However, in the next leg van Gerwen made no mistake as he won it with a 15-dart finish to claim his fifth Pro Tour title of 2012.

Fullwell's best ever performance in a PDC Pro Tour event began with impressive deciding-leg victories against Speedy Hire UK Open champion Robert Thornton, and former PDC Unicorn World Youth champion Arron Monk.

The man from Stourbridge then put out Mick Egan and Brian Woods to reach the last eight, where he defeated Scotland's John Henderson 6-2 to reach the semi-finals for the first time in his career.

Fullwell then ended Peter Wright's hopes of back-to-back titles, as he hit a two 180s and a 153 finish in a 6-4 victory, before falling at the final hurdle to Dutch ace van Gerwen.

Jamie Caven produced his best performance on the PDC circuit since his run to the last eight at the Speedy Hire UK Open back in June as he reached the last four.

The Derby based thrower, who showed signs of a return to form in Group Six of the Championship League Darts on Thursday, dropped just two legs in his wins over Michael Mansell, Sam Hill and Stuart Kellett.

Caven overcame the Belgian star Kim Huybrechts with a deciding-leg victory and then beat Nigel Heydon with his third 6-0 win of the day to reach the last four, before going down to van Gerwen

Peter Wright continued his excellent form of Saturday, which saw him claim his maiden ranking title, as he reached the last four, which included wins over Steve Beaton, Scott Rand and Ian White

In the semi-final, the Scotsman missed double 18 for a nine-darter and was denied a place in the final by an inspired Fullwell, as he was edged out by a 6-4 margin.

Despite the defeat Wright was able to take away a total of £8,000 in prize money for his efforts across the weekend - cementing his place in the top 32 of the PDC Order of Merit.

The John McEvoy Gold Dart Players Championship concluded the Killarney Darts Festival, held at the INEC over the weekend.

Alongside Wright's win in the Gleneagle Hotel Players Championship, Gary Anderson won the non-ranked Ladbrokes Irish Masters on Friday, Sharon Buckley won Sunday's John McEvoy Silver Dart Ladies' Open and Liam Gallagher was the John McEvoy Bronze Dart Youth's Open champion.


John McEvoy Gold Dart Classic Players Championship
Sunday October 21, INEC Killarney
Preliminary Round

Chris Aubrey 6-3 Benny Grace
Damian O'Driscoll 6-1 Jason McCann
Michael Timlin 6-2 Aidan McCabe
Phil Standing 6-2 Dylan Routledge
Neil O'Donohue 6-1 Alan Errington
Kevin Dowling 6-0 Will Pender
Andy Owens 6-4 Stephen Walsh
David Doyle 6-3 Liam Bolger
Clifford Doyle 6-2 Conor Hughes
Daryl Gurney 6-3 Nick More
Sam Hill 6-2 Gerry O'Hara
John McEvoy 6-0 Jim McKevitt
John Digan 6-4 Dwayne McEvoy
Andy Reilly 6-4 Mark Willis
David O'Donovan 6-4 David French
James O'Connor 6-2 Kevin McCann
Michael Meaney 6-1 Matt Kenneally
Gaz Cousins 6-0 Mark Jones
David Murphy (Wexford) 6-3 Martin Fleming
Glen Fitzpatrick 6-3 John Dunne
Kevin Burness 6-2 John Browne
Jason Kavanagh 6-4 Ali Powell
Darren Johnson 6-1 George McGivern
John-Paul Dowdall 6-1 Denis Corr
Mike O'Sullivan 6-2 Steve Henegham
Joe Byrne 6-4 Jimmy Newport
Mark Lawrence 6-1 Peter Quinn
Ian Dobson 6-0 Eamon Carey
Dave Ladley 6-0 Paul Davison
Mick Egan 6-3 Mick Cummins
Kieran O'Neill 6-3 Adrian Hughes
Laurence Collins 6-2 Gary Bradley
Ross O'Brian 6-4 Daniel Day
Robert Kelly 6-5 Philip Grace
John Herlihy 6-4 Craig Pope
Trevor English 6-3 Billy McAuliffe
Terence Meehan 6-3 Pat Molyneux
Martin Murphy 6-0 Kenneth Kenny
Richie Walsh 6-4 Noel Canning
David Stack 6-1 James Young
Scott Coleman 6-4 Stephen Lennon
Ben Corcoran 6-3 Marty Moreland
Paddy Casey 6-4 Michael J O'Sullivan
Campbell Jackson 6-2 Mick McGowan
Ryan Maher 6-1 Andy Gannon

First Round
Dave Chisnall (1) 6-5 Shaun Griffiths
Nigel Heydon 6-1 Dennis Smith
John Part (32) 6-5 Alex Roy
Chris Aubrey 6-2 Damien O'Driscoll
Mark Webster (16) 6-1 Mark Hylton
Jim Walker 6-4 Michael Timlin
Andy Smith (17) 6-3 Jamie Lewis
Neil O'Donohue 6-0 Phil Standing
Kim Huybrechts (8) 6-0 Stephen Hardy
Steve Maish 6-3 Kevin Dowling
Kevin Painter (25) 6-2 Adam Smith-Neale
David Doyle 6-1 Andy Owens
Stuart Kellett 6-5 Ronnie Baxter (9)
Denis Ovens 6-2 Clifford Doyle
Jamie Caven (24) 6-0 Michael Mansell
Sam Hill 6-3 Daryl Gurney
Michael van Gerwen (5) 6-0 Bernd Roith
Mick Todd 6-0 John McEvoy
Roland Scholten 6-4 Dean Winstanley (28)
Andy Reilly 6-2 John Digan
Colin Lloyd (12) 6-4 Paddy Meaney
Richie Howson 6-0 David O'Donovan
Michael Smith (21) 6-2 Joe Murnan
Michael Meaney 6-2 James O'Connor
Simon Whitlock (4) 6-2 Wayne Jones
Adrian Gray 6-3 Gaz Cousins
James Hubbard (29) 6-3 Steve Grubb
Glen Fitzpatrick 6-4 Martin Murphy
Mareno Michels 6-5 Vincent van der Voort (13)
Kevin McDine 6-0 Kevin Burness
Mark Walsh (20) 6-5 Terry Temple
Darren Johnson 6-5 Jason Kavanagh
Justin Pipe (2) 6-4 William O'Connor
Andrew Gilding 6-4 Matthew Edgar
Steve Hine 6-5 Darren Webster (31)
John-Paul Dowdall 6-2 Mike O'Sullivan
Brendan Dolan (15) 6-2 Ross Smith
John Henderson 6-3 Joe Byrne
Richie Burnett (18) 6-3 Prakash Jiwa
Mark Lawrence 6-2 Ian Dobson
Nick Fullwell 6-5 Robert Thornton (7)
Arron Monk 6-4 Dave Ladley
Steve Brown 6-4 Joe Cullen (26)
Mick Egan 6-5 Kieran O'Neill
Michael Barnard 6-4 Andy Hamilton (10)
Connie Finnan 6-0 Laurence Collins
Brian Woods 6-5 Gary Anderson (23)
Ross O'Brian 6-1 Robert Kelly
Ian White (6) 6-3 Paul Rowley
Andy Jenkins 6-2 John Herlihy
James Richardson (27) 6-2 Keith Stephen
Terence Meehan 6-1 Trevor English
Colin Osborne (11) 6-2 Liam Kelly
Martin Murphy 6-2 Barrie Bates
Paul Nicholson (22) 6-1 John Scott
David Stack 6-1 Richie Walsh
Wes Newton (3) 6-3 Ted Hankey
Michael Rosenauer 6-3 Alan Tabern
Scott Rand (30) 6-1 Paul Barham
Ben Corcoran 6-5 Scott Coleman
Peter Wright (14) 6-0 Tony Littleton
John Bowles 6-0 Paddy Casey
Steve Beaton (19) 6-3 Peter Hudson
Campbell Jackson 6-5 Ryan Maher

Second Round
Nigel Heydon 6-5 Dave Chisnall
John Part 6-4 Chris Aubrey
Mark Webster 6-4 Jim Walker
Andy Smith 6-1 Neil O'Donohue
Kim Huybrechts 6-5 Steve Maish
Kevin Painter 6-3 David Doyle
Stuart Kellett 6-3 Denis Ovens
Jamie Caven 6-2 Sam Hill
Michael van Gerwen 6-1 Mick Todd
Roland Scholten 6-0 Andy Reilly
Colin Lloyd 6-3 Richie Howson
Michael Meaney 6-3 Michael Smith
Simon Whitlock 6-4 Adrian Gray
James Hubbard 6-1 Glen Fittzpatrick
Kevin McDine 6-3 Mareno Michels
Mark Walsh 6-2 Darren Johnson
Andrew Gilding 6-2 Justin Pipe
Steve Hine 6-3 John-Paul Dowdall
John Henderson 6-5 Brendan Dolan
Richie Burnett 6-0 Mark Lawrence
Nick Fullwell 6-5 Arron Monk
Mick Egan 6-4 Steve Brown
Connie Finnan 6-3 Michael Barnard
Brian Woods 6-4 Ross O'Brian 
Ian White 6-5 Andy Jenkins
James Richardson 6-1 Terence Meehan
Martin Murphy 6-3 Colin Osborne
Paul Nicholson 6-3 David Stack
Wes Newton 6-3 Michael Rosenauer
Scott Rand 6-3 Ben Corcaron
Peter Wright 6-1 John Bowles
Steve Beaton 6-3 Campbell Jackson
Losers £200

Third Round
Nigel Heydon 6-3 John Part
Mark Webster 6-2 Andy Smith
Kim Huybrechts 6-3 Kevin Painter
Jamie Caven 6-0 Stuart Kellett
Michael van Gerwen 6-1 Roland Scholten
Colin Lloyd 6-2 Michael Meaney
Simon Whitlock 6-2 James Hubbard
Kevin McDine 6-3 Mark Walsh
Steve Hine 6-3 Andrew Gilding
John Henderson 6-5 Richie Burnett
Nick Fullwell 6-4 Mick Egan
Brian Woods 6-3 Connie Finnan
Ian White 6-4 James Richardson
Paul Nicholson 6-4 Martin Murphy
Scott Rand 6-5 Wes Newton
Peter Wright 6-4 Steve Beaton
Losers £400

Fourth Round
Nigel Heydon 6-4 Mark Webster
Jamie Caven 6-5 Kim Huybrechts
Michael van Gerwen 6-3 Colin Lloyd 
Kevin McDine 6-4 Simon Whitlock
John Henderson 6-5 Steve Hine
Nick Fullwell 6-1 Brian Woods
Ian White 6-2 Paul Nicholson
Peter Wright 6-5 Scott Rand
Losers £600

Quarter-Finals
Jamie Caven 6-0 Nigel Heydon
Michael van Gerwen 6-1 Kevin McDine
Nick Fullwell 6-2 John Henderson
Peter Wright 6-1 Ian White
Losers £1,000

Semi-Finals
Michael van Gerwen 6-3 Jamie Caven
Nick Fullwell 6-4 Peter Wright
Losers £2,000

Final
Michael van Gerwen 6-3 Nick Fullwell
Winner £6,000
Runner-Up £3,000