BRENDAN DOLAN created history with a nine-dart finish as he won through to the PartyPoker.com World Grand Prix final on Saturday night, knocking out reigning champion James Wade to set up a decider against Phil Taylor at the New Citywest Convention Centre.
The 38-year-old from Northern Ireland produced the performance of his life in a 5-2 defeat of world number three Wade, which was crowned when he hit a perfect leg in taking the game's second set.
Dolan opened the leg with a 160 score before adding a 180 and a 161 finish for the first-ever nine-darter in the double-start tournament - earning him a £5,000 bonus.
He is also now guaranteed a minimum pay-day of £40,000 for reaching the final and could take home the winner's cheque if he can overcome nine-time champion Phil Taylor on Sunday night.
"It's absolutely brilliant," said Dolan. "I've only done three or four normal nine-darters in practice, so to do one on TV with a double-start is amazing.
"After I hit the and 160 and 180, I was concentrating so hard on getting the seventh dart in the treble 20. When I hit the treble 17 I just knew the bullseye was going to go in, I felt that comfortable up there.
"It's the greatest moment of my career - to hit a nine-darter and get to the final of a major tournament is brilliant and the only thing that can out-rank it is to win the final now."
Taylor, meanwhile, continued his progression in the event by defeating resurgent Welshman Burnett 5-2, hitting four ton-plus finishes and a 103 average - his highest in the double-start event since the tournament began in 1998.
Burnett, who had knocked out Gary Anderson, Denis Ovens and Mark Hylton to reach his first major semi-final for a decade, shared the opening two sets but was overpowered by Taylor, who opened the game with a 152 checkout and added a 164 to win the fifth set.
"I'm delighted to have won through because Richie's had a fantastic week and he played really well there," said Taylor. "A couple of my big finishes were crucial and they had to be to keep Richie away.
"It will be a great atmosphere on Sunday and I'll play well against Brendan. It's going to be a cracking final because he'll go up there relaxed and enjoy it.
"Brendan getting to the final is fantastic and to do it with a nine-darter as well will go down in history. It's the best darts I've ever seen from Brendan and I'm pleased for him."
Tickets for Sunday's PartyPoker.com World Grand Prix final are still available and can be purchased from the Citywest Hotel Box Office in person or by calling 00353 1 401 0505.
The final will commence at 7pm, with the Tom Kirby Memorial Irish Matchplay final to be played at 6pm featuring Shane O'Connor and Connie Finnan battling for a place in the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship.
PartyPoker.com World Grand Prix
Semi-Finals
Brendan Dolan 5-2 James Wade - BRENDAN DOLAN hits nine-dart finish!
Phil Taylor 5-2 Richie Burnett
Best of nine sets
BRENDAN DOLAN 5-2 JAMES WADE
(1-3, 3-1, 3-1, 3-1, 3-2, 0-3, 3-2)
BRENDAN DOLAN created history with the first nine-dart finish in the history of the PartyPoker.com World Grand Prix as he knocked reigning champion James Wade out of the tournament with a 5-2 semi-final triumph.
The Northern Ireland ace had already produced a personal best by reaching his first major semi-final with his run at the New Citywest Convention Centre before producing the performance of his life.
He came from a set down to level before winning the third set with the historic nine-dart finish, which was the first in the history of the double-start event as he opened the leg with a 160, hit a 180 and then took out 161.
Dolan, 38, moved into a 4-1 lead in sets before Wade hit back to take the sixth, but the former decorator edged the next 3-2 to secure his place in a first televised final.
"It's incredible," said Dolan. "I couldn't have ever dreamed of being in the final when I qualified for this but I've held myself together this week.
"The nine-darter was amazing, the best moment of my career and it's something that even Phil Taylor hasn't achieved yet!"
Dolan will meet either Taylor or Richie Burnett in Sunday's final at the Citywest Hotel, and has pocketed at least £40,000 for reaching the decider, plus a further £5,000 bonus for the nine-darter.
Dolan made a fine start to the game, hitting the bull for a 121 finish in the opening leg only to then see his doubling desert him as Wade responded in great style.
The defending champion levelled the set with a 96 finish and then hit double top in the next two legs to secure the set 3-1.
Dolan punished a slow start to the second set's opener from Wade to hit double four and landed his first 180 of the game in leg two, although Wade finished double 12 to level.
Dolan posted double eight to win the third before creating history to win the set with a perfect leg, opening with a 160 and then hitting a 180 and the 161 finish to bring the Citywest Hotel crowd to its feet.
Wade finished 151 in the next leg to lead in the third set, but Dolan hit double 16 and then broke with a key 105 checkout - with the left-hander waiting on 40 - before hitting double 16 for the set.
Dolan also took the fourth 3-1, defying a maximum from Wade with a 13-darter to take a 3-1 lead in the game.
Wade found another gear to hit double top and a 13-dart finish to lead 2-1 in the fifth set, but Dolan opened the fourth leg with a 160 before finishing 96 in two darts to level, and then took out 69 to win his fourth set and move just one away from victory.
The reigning champion hit back to win the sixth without reply, hitting a pair of 14-darters to twice break Dolan's throw as he cut the deficit to 4-2.
Wade also led 2-1 in the next set, hitting another 180 in a 14-darter, before Dolan levelled in the fourth.
Dolan found his starting double immediately in the deciding leg, with Wade needing six darts to hit tops before clawing his way back into contention with scores of 137 and 140.
Dolan was first to a finish but missed the bull for a 121 checkout and further darts at double eight and four - but Wade was unable to take out 80 in what proved to be his final visit to the oche as the Northern Irishman hit double two for the most memorable victory of his career.
Match Stats
|
Brendan Dolan |
5-2 |
James Wade |
|
44 |
100+ |
36 |
|
24 |
140+ |
23 |
|
3 |
180 |
6 |
|
29.19 |
Ave1 |
28.91 |
|
87.58 |
Ave3 |
86.73 |
|
161,105 |
High Finish |
151 |
|
6 |
Breaks of Throw |
4 |
|
29/62 - 47% |
Starting Doubles |
29/78 - 37% |
|
16/55 - 29% |
Finishing Doubles |
13/28 - 46% |
PHIL TAYLOR 5-2 RICHIE BURNETT
(3-0, 0-3, 3-1, 3-1, 3-1, 0-3, 3-0)
PHIL TAYLOR ended Richie Burnett's amazing week at the PartyPoker.com World Grand Prix with a 5-2 semi-final victory which keeps him on course for a tenth title in the double-start format.
Taylor hit four ton-plus finishes in a superb performance as he recorded his highest-ever average in the tournament, which finished at an impressive 103.02.
Burnett held his own early on, but was unable to match Taylor's power scoring as the world number one took three successive sets in mid-game to pull clear and set up a final against Northern Ireland's Brendan Dolan on Sunday.
Taylor made an electric start to the match, pinning a brilliant 152 checkout in the opening leg before hitting successive 13-dart finishes to win the set without reply.
Burnett hit back to take the second in the same manner, finishing double top and double 16 before taking out 136 to level the game.
Legs of 13 and 12 darts from Taylor, which included his first 180 of the game and a 104 finish, put him 2-1 up in the third set, and he landed another maximum in the fourth leg as he edged into the lead.
Burnett led in the fourth, but Taylor hit three successive 14-dart finishes to win his third set of the game, despite Burnett hitting two 180s in reply.
Burnett won the opener to set five in 14 darts, but Taylor's response was clinical as he took out 107 for a 12-darter, double top for a 13-dart finish and then won the set with a sensational 164 checkout.
The resurgent Welshman, appearing in his first major semi-final for a decade, won the sixth set without reply to keep the game alive, landing a 180 in a 14-darter to break as well as finishes of double eight and double six.
Taylor, though, was in no mood to allow the comeback to continue, with a 70 finish followed by another 13-darter as he led 2-0 in set seven before hitting a fourth 180 of the game and double eight to wrap up the win.
"I'm delighted to have won through because Richie's had a fantastic week and he played really well there," said Taylor. "A couple of my big finishes were crucial and they had to be to keep Richie away.
"It will be a great atmosphere on Sunday and I'll play well against Brendan. It's going to be a cracking final because he'll go up there relaxed and enjoy it.
"Brendan getting to the final is fantastic and to do it with a nine-darter as well will go down in history. It's the best darts I've ever seen from Brendan and I'm pleased for him."
Match Stats
|
Phil Taylor |
5-2 |
Richie Burnett |
|
42 |
100+ |
32 |
|
15 |
140+ |
14 |
|
4 |
180 |
3 |
|
34.34 |
Ave1 |
29.38 |
|
103.02 |
Ave3 |
88.15 |
|
164,152,107,104 |
High Finish |
136 |
|
6 |
Breaks of Throw |
2 |
|
24/37 - 65% |
Starting Doubles |
24/51 - 47% |
|
15/30 - 50% |
Finishing Doubles |
9/15 - 60% |