MARK WALSH defeated Vincent van der Voort 6-5 in the final of Saturday's non-ranked Gleneagle Irish Masters at the INEC in Killarney.
Walsh picked up his first tournament victory since September 2005 with a superb comeback against the Dutchman, after finding himself 5-3 down in the final.
Van der Voort included finishes of 161 and 118 in pulling two legs clear, only to pay for two missed darts for the win in the ninth leg, as Walsh stepped in to land double eight and remain in the game.
He then took out 116 with van der Voort sat on 40 to send the game into a decider, and returned to the oche after his opponent missed double 13 for a 106 finish to land double ten and take the 5,000 euro first prize.
The tournament saw over 300 players competing as the Killarney Darts Festival continued, with Joe Byrne the best-performing Irish player as he reached the last 16.
Adrian Gray's love affair with Ireland continued as he reached the quarter-finals, a month after his run to the last eight at the SkyBet World Grand Prix.
Denis Ovens, Andy Hamilton and Tony Eccles also made the quarters, while Ray Farrell represented Northern Ireland in the last 16.
Kevin Painter followed up his run to the semi-finals of last weekend's PartyPoker.net German Darts Trophy by reaching the last four in this event, only to be defeated 5-1 by an on-song van der Voort, with the Dutchman hitting three 180s and taking four straight legs to win their clash.
His compatriot Jelle Klaasen went down 5-4 to Walsh in the other encounter, with the Englishman coming from 3-2 down to take the decider with a superb 12-darter.
The players will return on Sunday to compete in the John McEvoy Gold Dart Classic, a Players Championship tournament offering a £20,000 prize fund - as well as a Harley Davidson Motorbike for a nine-darter in the quarter-finals onwards.
Mark Walsh is pictured being presented with the Gleneagle Irish Masters trophy by Bryan Coleman of Ladbrokes
Gleneagle Irish Masters
Last 32
Tony Eccles 4-1 Liam Miley
Wayne Jones 4-0 Damien O'Driscoll
Gary Welding 4-2 Ronnie Baxter
Kevin Painter 4-3 Steve Maish
Roland Scholten 4-3 Steve Smith
Vincent van der Voort 4-2 Ricky Williams
Andy Hamilton 4-0 Peter Quinn
Steve Beaton 4-2 Colin Osborne
Jelle Klaasen 4-3 Peter Manley
Ray Farrell 4-3 Andrew Coulter
Sean Palfrey 4-3 Robbie Parker
Adrian Gray 4-2 Andy Jenkins
Colin Lloyd 4-0 John MaGowan
Mark Walsh 4-3 Alan Tabern
Joe Byrne 4-3 Peter Waters
Denis Ovens 4-2 Connie Finnan
150 euro
Last 16
Tony Eccles 4-0 Wayne Jones
Kevin Painter 4-3 Gary Welding
Vincent van der Voort 4-2 Roland Scholten
Andy Hamilton 4-1 Steve Beaton
Jelle Klaasen 4-0 Ray Farrell
Adrian Gray 4-2 Sean Palfrey
Mark Walsh 4-0 Colin Lloyd
Denis Ovens 4-0 Joe Byrne
300 euro
Quarter-Finals
Kevin Painter 5-3 Tony Eccles
Vincent van der Voort 5-1 Andy Hamilton
Jelle Klaasen 5-2 Adrian Gray
Mark Walsh 5-4 Denis Ovens
600 euro
Semi-Finals
Vincent van der Voort 5-1 Kevin Painter
Mark Walsh 5-4 Jelle Klaasen
1,250 euro
Final
Mark Walsh 6-5 Vincent van der Voort
Winner 5,000 euro
Runner-Up 2,500 euro
Walsh picked up his first tournament victory since September 2005 with a superb comeback against the Dutchman, after finding himself 5-3 down in the final.
Van der Voort included finishes of 161 and 118 in pulling two legs clear, only to pay for two missed darts for the win in the ninth leg, as Walsh stepped in to land double eight and remain in the game.
He then took out 116 with van der Voort sat on 40 to send the game into a decider, and returned to the oche after his opponent missed double 13 for a 106 finish to land double ten and take the 5,000 euro first prize.
The tournament saw over 300 players competing as the Killarney Darts Festival continued, with Joe Byrne the best-performing Irish player as he reached the last 16.
Adrian Gray's love affair with Ireland continued as he reached the quarter-finals, a month after his run to the last eight at the SkyBet World Grand Prix.
Denis Ovens, Andy Hamilton and Tony Eccles also made the quarters, while Ray Farrell represented Northern Ireland in the last 16.
Kevin Painter followed up his run to the semi-finals of last weekend's PartyPoker.net German Darts Trophy by reaching the last four in this event, only to be defeated 5-1 by an on-song van der Voort, with the Dutchman hitting three 180s and taking four straight legs to win their clash.
His compatriot Jelle Klaasen went down 5-4 to Walsh in the other encounter, with the Englishman coming from 3-2 down to take the decider with a superb 12-darter.
The players will return on Sunday to compete in the John McEvoy Gold Dart Classic, a Players Championship tournament offering a £20,000 prize fund - as well as a Harley Davidson Motorbike for a nine-darter in the quarter-finals onwards.
Mark Walsh is pictured being presented with the Gleneagle Irish Masters trophy by Bryan Coleman of Ladbrokes
Gleneagle Irish Masters
Last 32
Tony Eccles 4-1 Liam Miley
Wayne Jones 4-0 Damien O'Driscoll
Gary Welding 4-2 Ronnie Baxter
Kevin Painter 4-3 Steve Maish
Roland Scholten 4-3 Steve Smith
Vincent van der Voort 4-2 Ricky Williams
Andy Hamilton 4-0 Peter Quinn
Steve Beaton 4-2 Colin Osborne
Jelle Klaasen 4-3 Peter Manley
Ray Farrell 4-3 Andrew Coulter
Sean Palfrey 4-3 Robbie Parker
Adrian Gray 4-2 Andy Jenkins
Colin Lloyd 4-0 John MaGowan
Mark Walsh 4-3 Alan Tabern
Joe Byrne 4-3 Peter Waters
Denis Ovens 4-2 Connie Finnan
150 euro
Last 16
Tony Eccles 4-0 Wayne Jones
Kevin Painter 4-3 Gary Welding
Vincent van der Voort 4-2 Roland Scholten
Andy Hamilton 4-1 Steve Beaton
Jelle Klaasen 4-0 Ray Farrell
Adrian Gray 4-2 Sean Palfrey
Mark Walsh 4-0 Colin Lloyd
Denis Ovens 4-0 Joe Byrne
300 euro
Quarter-Finals
Kevin Painter 5-3 Tony Eccles
Vincent van der Voort 5-1 Andy Hamilton
Jelle Klaasen 5-2 Adrian Gray
Mark Walsh 5-4 Denis Ovens
600 euro
Semi-Finals
Vincent van der Voort 5-1 Kevin Painter
Mark Walsh 5-4 Jelle Klaasen
1,250 euro
Final
Mark Walsh 6-5 Vincent van der Voort
Winner 5,000 euro
Runner-Up 2,500 euro