BRENDAN DOLAN continued his love affair with the Citywest Hotel as he sealed success in Players Championship 16 with a 6-2 win over Gary Anderson on Sunday.
The Northern Irish star shot to fame with the partypoker.com World Grand Prix's first double-start nine-darter at the venue three years ago in his run to the final of the tournament, and was a semi-finalist 12 months later.
He has now tasted PDC ProTour victory as he defeated Anderson 6-2 in Sunday's final to seal an impressive fifth ProTour career title - all within the last 12 months - and prepare himself perfectly for another clash against the Scot in the World Grand Prix on Monday evening.
Dolan’s day began with a narrow 6-4 victory over fellow Irishman Keith Rooney before the 41-year-old then saw off Denis Ovens 6-3 and another local boy Connie Finnan 6-2 in the following rounds.
Further 6-2 wins over David Pallett and Kim Huybrechts followed as Dolan set up a semi-final clash with a rejuvenated Joe Cullen, who had defeated Dave Chisnall, Andy Hamilton and Michael van Gerwen en route to his spot in the final four.
Dolan would spoil the party for the youngster, though, as he showed his class to win 6-3 with an 101 average and seal his place in the final against Anderson.
Anderson, who maintained his place at the top of the ProTour Order of Merit with another impressive run, began the day brightly with comfortable 6-3 and 6-2 wins over Andy Parsons and Andy Jenkins in his opening two rounds.
World number 18 Jamie Caven was next on Anderson’s hit-list as he defeated the Derby thrower 6-3 in the last 16 before then seeing off Saturday's Players Championship winner Justin Pipe 6-4 in the quarter-finals.
Another impressive win would follow in the semi-finals as Anderson raced to victory against Stephen Bunting in under 15 minutes, averaging 102 in a 6-2 win.
However, the final would prove to be much less comfortable for Scot as Dolan stormed out of the blocks to take a 2-0 lead with a superb 109 checkout in the second leg.
Anderson was not prepared to lay down though and fought back to take two of the next three legs and leave the game finely poised at 3-2 in Dolan’s favour.
However, just when it seemed as if the momentum of the game appeared to be turning in Anderson’s favour, Dolan turned the screw and reeled off the next three legs to seal the win.
The Northern Irishman took out 64 and 65 in consecutive legs to go 5-2 ahead before enjoying a huge slice of fortune in the final leg.
Left on 170, Anderson hit two treble 20s before seeing his final dart bounce agonisingly out of the bullseye.
Dolan was not in a forgiving mood, and took out 89 in his next visit as he secured another ProTour title and first blood over Anderson ahead of their match-up at the Citywest Hotel 24 hours later.
The partypoker.com World Grand Prix begins on Monday with the first of seven nights of action at the Citywest Hotel in the Sky Sports-televised tournament. Tickets are still available from the Citywest Hotel by calling 00353 (0)401 0505.
Players Championship 16
Sunday October 5, Citywest Hotel, Dublin
First Round
Gary Anderson BYE
Andy Parsons 6-5 Steve Brown
Ronny Huybrechts 6-4 Brian Woods
Andy Jenkins 6-0 Dimitri van den Bergh
Jamie Caven 6-2 Robert Owen
Paul Amos 6-4 Terry Temple
Terry Jenkins 6-5 Sean Ryan
Aden Kirk 6-2 Glenn Spearing
Ian White 6-2 Gary Stone
Richie Howson 6-3 Colin Lloyd
Darren Webster 6-4 John Part
Benito van de Pas 6-2 Steve Grubb
Justin Pipe 6-5 Ben Ward
Jay Foreman 6-2 Jim Walker
Andrew Gilding 6-5 Mark Walsh
Joe Murnan 6-3 Antonio Alcinas
Peter Wright 6-3 Peter Hudson
Darren Johnson 6-4 Mickey Mansell
Kyle Anderson 6-5 Jelle Klaasen
Chris Aubrey 6-4 Mensur Suljovic
James Wade 6-2 Arron Monk
William O'Connor 6-3 David Ladley
Tony Newell 6-4 Wes Newton
Darron Brown 6-2 Johnny Haines
Michael Smith 6-5 Adam Hunt
Rowby-John Rodriguez 6-4 Joe Lacey
Richie Burnett 6-2 Stuart White
Mark Dudbridge 6-4 Jyhan Artut
Vincent van der Voort 6-3 Bernd Roith
Josh Payne 6-1 Jerry Hendriks
Stephen Bunting 6-3 Michael Barnard
Wayne Jones 6-2 Mark Barilli
Michael van Gerwen BYE
Max Hopp 6-1 Tomas Seyler
Paul Nicholson 6-3 Ian Moss
Ryan de Vreede 6-5 Magnus Caris
Joe Cullen 6-3 Dave Chisnall
James Richardson 6-5 Mark Stephenson
Andy Hamilton 6-1 John Newland
Ross Smith 6-5 Nigel Birch
Mervyn King 6-5 Matt Clark
Marc Dewsbury 6-4 Steve Hine
Mark Webster 6-4 Raymond van Barneveld
Ricky Evans 6-5 Gerwyn Price
Simon Whitlock 6-3 Kurt Parry
Ron Meulenkamp 6-5 Brett Claydon
Kevin Painter 6-4 Ryan Harrington
Steve West 6-2 Andy Pearce
Kim Huybrechts 6-1 Conan Whitehead
Jamie Bain 6-2 John Henderson
Andy Smith 6-2 Pete Dyos
Dennis Smith 6-0 James Hubbard
Matt Padgett 6-4 Adrian Lewis
John Bowles 6-3 Dan Russell
Ronnie Baxter 6-0 Jordan Johnston
Stuart Kellett 6-5 Colin Osborne
Brendan Dolan 6-4 Keith Rooney
Denis Ovens 6-4 Kevin McDine
Connie Finnan 6-3 Jamie Lewis
Nigel Heydon 6-2 Ryan Palmer
Steve Beaton 6-1 Campbell Jackson
David Pallett 6-3 Christian Kist
Dean Winstanley 6-1 Daryl Gurney
Kevin Dowling 6-5 Mick Todd
Second Round
Gary Anderson 6-3 Andy Parsons
Andy Jenkins 6-5 Ronny Huybrechts
Jamie Caven 6-2 Paul Amos
Aden Kirk 6-3 Terry Jenkins
Richie Howson 6-4 Ian White
Benito van de Pas 6-5 Darren Webster
Justin Pipe 6-2 Jay Foreman
Andrew Gilding 6-1 Joe Murnan
Darren Johnson 6-4 Peter Wright
Kyle Anderson 6-3 Chris Aubrey
James Wade 6-4 William O'Connor
Tony Newell 6-1 Darron Brown
Rowby-John Rodriguez 6-4 Michael Smith
Richie Burnett 6-3 Mark Dudbridge
Vincent van der Voort 6-3 Josh Payne
Stephen Bunting 6-5 Wayne Jones
Michael van Gerwen 6-3 Max Hopp
Ryan de Vreede 6-5 Paul Nicholson
Joe Cullen 6-1 James Richardson
Andy Hamilton 6-4 Ross Smith
Marc Dewsbury 6-4 Mervyn King
Mark Webster 6-4 Ricky Evans
Simon Whitlock 6-4 Ron Meulenkamp
Kevin Painter 6-0 Steve West
Kim Huybrechts 6-5 Jamie Bain
Andy Smith 6-3 Dennis Smith
Matt Padgett 6-5 John Bowles
Ronnie Baxter 6-4 Stuart Kellett
Brendan Dolan 6-3 Denis Ovens
Connie Finnan 6-1 Nigel Heydon
David Pallett 6-3 Steve Beaton
Dean Winstanley 6-5 Kevin Dowling
Losers: £250
Third Round
Gary Anderson 6-2 Andy Jenkins
Jamie Caven 6-4 Aden Kirk
Richie Howson v Benito van de Pas
Justin Pipe 6-5 Andrew Gilding
Kyle Anderson 6-5 Darren Johnson
James Wade 6-2 Tony Newell
Richie Burnett 6-3 Rowby-John Rodriguez
Stephen Bunting 6-4 Vincent van der Voort
Michael van Gerwen 6-5 Ryan de Vreede
Joe Cullen 6-2 Andy Hamilton
Mark Webster 6-4 Marc Dewsbury
Simon Whitlock 6-5 Kevin Painter
Kim Huybrechts 6-0 Andy Smith
Matt Padgett 6-5 Ronnie Baxter
Brendan Dolan 6-2 Connie Finnan
David Pallett 6-4 Dean Winstanley
Losers: £500
Last 16
Gary Anderson 6-3 Jamie Caven
Justin Pipe 6-5 Benito van de Pas
Kyle Anderson 6-5 James Wade
Stephen Bunting 6-3 Richie Burnett
Joe Cullen 6-4 Michael van Gerwen
Mark Webster 6-3 Simon Whitlock
Kim Huybrechts 6-0 Matt Padgett
Brendan Dolan 6-2 David Pallett
Losers: £1,000
Quarter-Finals
Gary Anderson 6-4 Justin Pipe
Stephen Bunting 6-1 Kyle Anderson
Joe Cullen 6-2 Mark Webster
Brendan Dolan 6-2 Kim Huybrechts
Losers: £1,500
Semi-Finals
Gary Anderson 6-2 Stephen Bunting
Brendan Dolan 6-3 Joe Cullen
Losers: £2,500
Final
Brendan Dolan 6-2 Gary Anderson
Winner: £10,000
Runner-Up: £5,000