Ovens Wins Ireland Open Classic

DENIS OVENS won the Ireland Open Classic Players Championship at Castlebar with a 3-0 victory in the final against Colin Osborne.

Ovens recorded his first tournament victory since March 2005 with the triumph, also erasing the memory of his loss to Phil Taylor in the Ireland Open Classic final of two years ago.

Having also qualified for the Bullit World Darts Trophy last weekend, Ovens continued his run of form with wins over Harry Anderson and Wes Newton without dropping a set before defeating Dave Ladley in the last 16.

Ovens then came from 2-0 down to defeat Kevin Painter 3-2 in the quarter-finals, before dropping just one leg against Adrian Lewis in the semis.

The final saw all three sets go to a deciding third leg, but Ovens was the strongest in each to take a 3-0 win and the £5,000 winners cheque.

Osborne's run saw him reach a first final of the year, after three previous semi-final defeats in events, while Michael van Gerwen's last eight finish will see him take a further step towards winning one of the four qualifying places in the SkyBet World Grand Prix.

They will be awarded to the top four players outside of the world's top 24 in the Players Championship Order of Merit following the Players Championship in Newport on 22 September.

Northern Ireland's Brendan Dolan overcame Ricky Williams and former World Champion on his way to the last 32, where he lost over five sets to van Gerwen.

Yorkshireman Darren Johnson had 3-2 wins over Gary Welding and Geoff Wylie before losing out to Mark Walsh in the last 16.

Ireland Open Classic Players Championship
Round One

Dave Ladley 3-0 Chris Sargeant
Harry Anderson Bye (Richie Burnett)
Mervin Robinson 3-1 Don Healy
Wayne Atwood 3-2 Steve Brown
Andrew Coulter 3-0 Colin Strong
Lee White 3-0 Ray Farrell
Michael Nyland 3-1 Patrick Nyland
Alan Caves 3-1 John Quantock
Justin McGuigan 3-1 Sean Gallagher
Shane O'Connor 3-0 James Broderick
Tony Eccles 3-0 John Morgan
Ricky Dunlop 3-1 Robert Fletcher
Michael O'Sullivan 3-2 Brian Cathcart
Robert Watson-Lang 3-1 Jon Archer
Kirk Shepherd 3-0 Kevin Hill
Darren Johnson Bye (Owen Caffrey)
Kevin Reade 3-1 Jack Nyland
Felix McBrearty 3-1 Mark Jodrill
Ian Branks 3-1 Ben Burton
Michael van Gerwen 3-0 Colin Monk
Brendan Dolan 3-2 Ricky Williams
Adrian Gray 3-0 Barry Campbell
John Ferrell 3-0 Michael Clampett
Martin Carvill 3-1 Tom Cleary

Round Two
James Wade 3-0 Freddie Harper
Dave Ladley 3-1 Steve Hine
Denis Ovens 3-0 Harry Anderson
Wes Newton 3-0 Mervin Robinson
Wayne Mardle 3-0 Dave Honey
Steve Maish 3-2 Wayne Atwood
Kevin Painter 3-1 Andrew Coulter
Dennis Smith 3-0 Lee White
Adrian Lewis 3-1 Raymie Williams
Lionel Sams 3-0 Michael Nyland
Mark Dudbridge 3-1 Alan Caves
Steve Beaton 3-0 Justin McGuigan
Colin Lloyd 3-0 Andrew Dwyer
Darren Webster 3-2 Shane O'Connor
Alan Tabern 3-0 Tony Eccles
Mick McGowan 3-1 Ricky Dunlop
Shane Lennon Bye (Terry Jenkins)
John MaGowan 3-0 Michael O'Sullivan
Wayne Jones 3-2 Robert Watson-Lang
Andy Smith 3-2 Kirk Shepherd
Geoff Wylie Bye (Roland Scholten)
Darren Johnson 3-2 Gary Welding
Ronnie Baxter 3-0 Kevin Reade
Mark Walsh 3-0 Felix McBrearty
Dennis Priestley Bye (Steve Smith)
Vincent van der Voort 3-0 Ian Branks
Michael van Gerwen 3-1 Andy Jenkins
Brendan Dolan 3-1 Bob Anderson
Peter Manley 3-2 Roy Baillie
Adrian Gray 3-1 Matt Clark
Colin Osborne 3-2 John Ferrell
Alan Warriner-Little 3-0 Martin Carvill
Losers £75

Round Three
Dave Ladley 3-2 James Wade
Denis Ovens 3-0 Wes Newton
Wayne Mardle 3-2 Steve Maish
Kevin Painter 3-1 Dennis Smith
Adrian Lewis 3-0 Lionel Sams
Mark Dudbridge 3-1 Steve Beaton
Colin Lloyd 3-0 Darren Webster
Alan Tabern 3-0 Mick McGowan
John MaGowan 3-0 Shane Lennon
Wayne Jones 3-0 Andy Smith
Darren Johnson 3-2 Geoff Wylie
Mark Walsh 3-1 Ronnie Baxter
Dennis Priestley 3-2 Vincent van der Voort
Michael van Gerwen 3-2 Brendan Dolan
Adrian Gray 3-0 Peter Manley
Colin Osborne 3-0 Alan Warriner-Little
Losers £150

Last 16
Denis Ovens 3-1 Dave Ladley
Kevin Painter 3-2 Wayne Mardle
Adrian Lewis 3-0 Mark Dudbridge
Alan Tabern 3-1 Colin Lloyd
Wayne Jones 3-0 John MaGowan
Mark Walsh 3-1 Darren Johnson
Michael van Gerwen 3-1 Dennis Priestley
Colin Osborne 3-2 Adrian Gray
Losers £300

Quarter-Finals
Denis Ovens 3-2 Kevin Painter
Adrian Lewis 3-1 Alan Tabern
Wayne Jones 1-3 Mark Walsh
Michael van Gerwen 2-3 Colin Osborne
Losers £600

Semi-Finals
Denis Ovens 3-0 Adrian Lewis (2-1, 2-0, 2-0)
Mark Walsh 0-3 Colin Osborne (1-2, 1-2, 0-2)
Losers £1,250

Final
Denis Ovens 3-0 Colin Osborne (2-1, 2-1, 2-1)
Winner £5,000
Runner-Up £2,500