Irish Matchplay final to be televised

Keane Barry & Liam Gallagher

Saturday's Tom Kirby Memorial Irish Matchplay final is to be televised live on Sky Sports Action.

The annual domestic championship sees players from Ireland and Northern Ireland competing to win a title named in honour of the former PDC professional Tom Kirby, with a place in the William Hill World Darts Championship on offer for the winner.

This year's final, between Irish youngster Keane Barry and Liam Gallagher, will be broadcast live by Sky Sports for the first time from 1915 BST on Saturday.

FANS WITH TICKETS TO THE BOYLESPORTS WORLD GRAND PRIX FINAL WILL BE ABLE TO ENTER THE VENUE FROM 1900 BST AHEAD OF THIS GAME.

The best of 11 leg tie is being held at the Citywest Convention Centre ahead of the BoyleSports World Grand Prix, giving valuable big-stage experience for Barry and Gallagher, who won through September's early rounds in Tramore.

Duleek's Barry, 17, is already set to appear at Alexandra Palace in December after winning through to the final of the JDC's Scott Farms International Junior World Championship.

Both Barry and Galway's Gallagher, 23, have experience on the PDC Unicorn Development Tour, but will be bidding to secure their World Championship debut when they face off on Saturday night.

Former winners of the Tom Kirby Memorial Irish Matchplay include current world number three Daryl Gurney (2012 & 2014), June's World Cup finalist William O'Connor (2017) and Mick McGowan, who was the only back-to-back winner with his 2015 & 2016 successes.

Tom Kirby Memorial Irish Matchplay - Roll of Honour
2008 Shane O'Connor def Garrett Gray 7-3
2009 Aodhagan O'Neill def William O'Connor 7-3
2010 Mickey Mansell def Stephen Byrne 6-4
2011 Connie Finnan def Shan O'Connor 6-4
2012 Daryl Gurney def Campbell Jackson 6-3
2013 Colin McGarry def Connie Finnan 6-4
2014 Daryl Gurney def Radek Szaganski 6-2
2015 Mick McGowan def Tom Biggane 6-5
2016 Mick McGowan def Radek Szaganski 6-5
2017 William O'Connor def Jason Cullen 6-4
2018 Kevin Burness def Mick McGowan 6-3