Skybet World Grand Prix - Thurs

IRELAND'S Jacko Barry delighted his home fans with a final-leg thriller against Steve Beaton to reach the quarter-finals of the Skybet World Grand Prix on Thursday.

Barry, who lives only 35 miles from the Citywest Hotel in Stamullen, won through to his first televised quarter-final in a dramatic contest, which saw Beaton come from behind to lead 2-1 only to let the advantage slip.

Barry, a truck driver by trade, will now meet five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld in the last eight on Friday night in front of a sell-out 3,000 crowd at the Citywest Hotel IECC.

Van Barneveld also secured his place in the last eight in dramatic circumstances, defeating Wes Newton in a sudden-death leg.

Newton hit four ton-plus finishes and out-scored the five-time World Champion, whose composure in the final set took him to victory.

English pair Andy Hamilton and Kevin Painter will clash in the last eight following their victories over Mervyn King and Dennis Priestley.

Hamilton produced the most impressive showing of the night in a 3-0 win over King, dropping only two legs against last year's semi-finalist.

Painter, meanwhile, came from a set down a 2-1 behind in the second to win eight successive legs against two-time World Champion Priestley.

Friday's quarter-finals will also feature room-mates Terry Jenkins and Andy Smith, as well as the all-Stoke battle between defending champion Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis.

Skybet World Grand Prix
Thursday October 8
Second Round
Mervyn King 0-3 Andy Hamilton
Raymond van Barneveld 3-2 Wes Newton
Dennis Priestley 1-3 Kevin Painter
Steve Beaton 2-3 Jacko Barry

ANDY HAMILTON 3-0 MERVYN KING
(3-1, 3-1, 3-0)
ANDY HAMILTON stormed into the quarter-finals of the Skybet World Grand Prix with a 3-0 win over Mervyn King.

Hamilton reached the last eight for the first time in a televised event since this tournament 12 months ago with a fine performance to see off in-form King.

Hamilton took the first set 3-1, winning the opening leg on double top before King levelled on double four.

King posted a 180 in the third, but Hamilton finished 95 on double 16 to lead 2-1 before defying another maximum from his opponent to hit double four and break throw for the set.

Hamilton hit three ton-plus scores and double top to break throw again and lead in set two, before hitting a 180 and double nine to move 2-0 up.

King hit back on double 16, but was left trailing in leg four as Hamilton wrapped up a two-set cushion on double ten.

King's disappointing night continued as he missed three darts to win the third set's opening leg, with double five coming to Hamilton's rescue.

The Stoke ace then landed the bullseye for a 90 checkout in doubling the advantage and wrapped up victory with another 90 finish, this time on double 15 for a 14-darter.

"I've been lacking confidence through not winning but I'm coming good again," said Hamilton.

"I've had a difficult 12 months but am getting back to something like I know I can be and we'll see where it takes me.

"I beat Phil Taylor for the first time on Saturday in a Players Championship and that was good for me, then I got my first ever win over Mark Walsh on Tuesday, and now this. I can look forward to the quarter-finals now."

Match Stats

Mervyn King	0-3	Andy Hamilton
11	100+	18
7	140+	5
2	180	1
28.13	Ave1	29.84
84.38	Ave3	89.51
52	High Finish	95
0	Legs Against Throw	3

RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD 3-2 WES NEWTON
(3-2, 0-3, 3-2, 2-3, 3-2)
RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD edged another final-leg thriller to book his place in the quarter-finals of the Skybet World Grand Prix with a 3-2 defeat of Wes Newton.

The Dutchman needed a 130 finish to defeat Alan Tabern in the first round on Tuesday and had to dig deep once again to see off in-form Newton in a decider.

Van Barneveld took the first set 3-2, with Newton missing one dart to break throw in the opening leg and also hitting a 180 in the fifth, only for the Dutchman to hold his nerve to lead.

Newton hit back superbly to take the second set without reply, checking out 141 in the first leg, 139 against the throw in the second and double ten to win the third.

The third set followed the same pattern as the first, with all five legs going against the throw as Newton missed two darts at double six in the decider to win the set.

Van Barneveld picked up his first break of throw to lead in set four, following seven missed doubles by Newton, who hit back in 14 darts to level.

Newton landed a 180 and double top to move 2-1 up, but took nine darts to hit an opening double in leg four, with van Barneveld posting double ten to square the leg.

But Newton prevailed in the decider, hitting double four to send the contest into a fifth set.

A missed bullseye from the Fleetwood ace gave van Barneveld a reprieve in the fifth set's opener, before a 103 checkout allowed Newton to level.

Double ten gave van Barneveld a 2-1 cushion, but he could only watch as Newton took out 72 in two darts to force a sudden-death final leg.

The Englishman, though, missed his first five starting doubles to give van Barneveld a head start, and a score of only nine proved a telling blow in giving the Dutchman the breathing space to take out 70 in two darts for victory.

"It's probably one of the strangest games I've been involved in," said van Barneveld. "Wes played really well and kept hitting back at me but luckily I stayed calm in the final set and the last leg.

"In the first set it was all fine but then I'm not sure what happened in the first break. I lost my concentration and couldn't find the treble 20 for a while after that.

"Maybe the game came around too soon and I wasn't prepared enough because Andy Hamilton won 3-0 against Mervyn King and I expected it to be 3-2.

"I've not played a lot recently and the standard is so high that you have to dig in deep. I've had close games but I've hit the winning doubles too."

Match Stats

Raymond van Barneveld	3-2	Wes Newton
24	100+	28
11	140+	14
1	180	4
28.26	Ave1	27.41
84.79	Ave3	82.23
92	High Finish	141,139,109,103
1	Legs Against Throw	2

KEVIN PAINTER 3-1 DENNIS PRIESTLEY
(1-3, 3-2, 3-0, 3-0)
KEVIN PAINTER battled from a set down to defeat Dennis Priestley 3-1 and move into the quarter-finals of the Skybet World Grand Prix.

Painter looked set to crash out of the event when Priestley took the first set and led 2-1 in the second - only to miss a stack of darts for a two-set lead.

Painter hit back and took the set, before winning the next six legs without reply to set up a quarter-final with Andy Hamilton on Friday.

Priestley took advantage of a sluggish start from Painter to win the opening leg against the throw and then the second leg with his tenth dart at a winning double.

The duo traded 180s in the third, before Painter hit the bullseye to get off the mark, but Priestley won the next on double eight to take the set.

Double top put Priestley ahead in the second set, but he missed the same bed to move 2-0 up as double 16 from Painter levelled.

A brilliant 125 finish from Priestley - of bullseye, outer bull and bullseye - put him 2-1 ahead, only for his finishing to desert him in the next leg.

Both players missed a host of doubles to win the leg, with Priestley wasting eight darts for the set before Painter hit double one.

Painter then hit a 180 in the deciding leg, before double 16 saw him square the match.

Painter won the third set's opener with an 85 finish, despite a 180 from Priestley, who kicked off the second leg with a 160 start.

However, Painter produced a maximum of his own and double 16 for a 13-darter to break through, before scores of 180 and 140 helped him wrap up the set without reply.

Painter landed a 180 for a third successive leg in the fourth set's opener, which Priestley opened with another 160 only to miss three darts for the closing double.

That allowed Painter in to land double eight, before double 16 put him 2-0 up, and another maximum helped him set up a double top finish for victory.

"It wasn't a very good display and I'm just relieved to be through," said Priestley. "I felt good going on stage but couldn't find it for the first half of the game.

"Dennis should have been 2-0 up and running away with it. The second set was comedy darts and Dennis should have won that - but once I won it I didn't look back."

Match Stats

Dennis Priestley	1-3	Kevin Painter
26	100+	7
7	140+	13
2	180	6
26.54	Ave1	26.61
79.61	Ave3	79.83
125,110	High Finish	85
1	Legs Against Throw	4

JACKO BARRY 3-2 STEVE BEATON
(3-0, 1-3, 1-3, 3-1, 3-2)
IRELAND'S Jacko Barry delighted his home fans with a final-leg thriller against Steve Beaton to reach the quarter-finals of the Skybet World Grand Prix.

Barry, who lives in Stamullen, won through to his first televised quarter-final in a dramatic contest, which saw Beaton come from behind to lead 2-1 only to let the advantage slip.

Barry, a truck driver by trade, will now meet five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld in the last eight on Friday night in front of a sell-out 3,000 crowd at the Citywest Hotel IECC.

"It's a dream come true," said Barry. "I'm absolutely delighted and I'm speechless, but I did it.

"I've beaten a World Champion in Steve and I get to play another now. I joined the PDC to play the likes of Phil Taylor and Raymond van Barneveld, and to get to Ray in front of my home crowd is extra special."

Barry certainly made a dream start, hitting 152 in his first three darts and double three for the first leg following four misses from Beaton.

The local favourite landed a 180 and double four to move 2-0 up, before punishing 14 missed starting doubles from Beaton in the next to wrap up the set comfortably on double eight.

He also led in the second set, but a 177 from Beaton to follow up a 180 from Barry seemed to spark the former World Champion to life.

He won the leg on double eight, the next on double ten and then took out 120 for a 12-darter to square the game.

Barry took the third set's opener, but Beaton edged a scrappy second and then took out double 16 to lead 2-1.

Beaton then secured the set with another 12-dart leg, hitting a second maximum of the game and a brilliant 141 checkout to hit the front.

Double top put Beaton ahead in set four, but two missed darts at double 16 allowed Barry to level before he then wasted ten darts to wrap up the third leg, with double ten putting the Irishman in front.

Double top saw Barry secure the set, and he then took out 92 to edge ahead in set five.

Beaton hit a 180 in taking the second leg, but was left waiting on a finish as double 18 put Barry 2-1 up.

The Irishman then missed two darts for the match in leg four, with Beaton holding his nerve to take out double nine to force a decider, only to then miss three darts at an opening double.

Barry posted two 140s to leave himself 28, and sank double 14 at the first time of asking before sinking to his knees in delight at booking a last eight spot.

"When I lost the second set Steve really picked up and I knew I had to dig in," said Barry. "I kept digging in and digging in, and said to myself I had to hold my own throw.

"I got away most of the time within the first three darts and Steve didn't. I had to keep plugging away and try and punish him, and luckily enough I did it.

"I should have won the game in the penultimate leg but made an absolute mess of the finish, but I managed to get myself together for the last leg."

Match Stats