Mick McGowan qualifies for World Darts Championship

[carrickharp]

PHIL TAYLOR will begin the defence of his Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship title against Austria's Anton Pein.

Taylor opens his challenge for a 14th World Championship on Monday 18 December by taking on the Circus Tavern debutant, who won the German qualifier last weekend to win a spot at Purfleet.

World number one Colin Lloyd also faces European opposition, in Germany's Tomas Seyler, and he could face Dutchman Raymond van Barneveld in round two.

The four-time Embassy champion will make his first appearance in the PDC World Championship this year against 16-year-old Australian qualifier Mitchell Clegg.

Van Barneveld's rise to 32nd in the world rankings since joining the PDC earlier this year means that he would meet Lloyd in round two.

Other tasty first round clashes include American number one John Kuczynski facing 2005 finalist Mark Dudbridge and Kevin Painter's meeting with rising star Colin Osborne, from Derby.

Osborne was one of 16 Professional Darts Players Association members to win the remaining places in the 64-man World Championship field in their qualifiers at Villa Park, Birmingham on Saturday.

Ireland's Mick McGowan, St Helens duo Gary Welding and Alan Tabern and Welshman Richie Burnett - a former World Champion - came through from over 170 players to earn a place in the limelight.

There was to be no fairytale return to the big stage for Eric Bristow, John Lowe or Keith Deller, whose total tally of nine World Championship titles stood for nothing in their losses to Dennis Smith, Ian Branks and Dave Ladley.

While Branks and Ladley went on to qualify, Smith's defeat to Alan Green meant that the world number 33 is the highest ranked player not to be competing at Purfleet, ending a run of 12 successive appearances at the Circus Tavern.

Full schedule of play will be available on Sunday 3 December. Play commences on Monday 18 December.

Click here for results from the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship PDPA Qualifiers

Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship Draw
(ENG unless stated - () denotes seeding)

Colin Lloyd (1) v Tomas Seyler (Ger)
Raymond van Barneveld (32, Ned) v Mitchell Clegg (Aus)
Mark Walsh (16) v Rico Vonck (Ned)
Barrie Bates (17, Wal) v Brian Cyr (Can)
Wayne Mardle (8) v Alan Caves
Dave Askew (25) v Martin Burchell
Denis Ovens (9) v Steve Smith
Alan Warriner-Little (24) v Alan Tabern
Adrian Lewis (5) v Anthony Fleet (Aus)
Wayne Jones (28) v Ian Branks
Andy Jenkins (12) v Bill Davis (USA)
Andy Smith (21) v Shi Yongsheng (Chi)
Roland Scholten (4) v Ron Miller (Can)
Alex Roy (29) v Richie Burnett (Wal)
Kevin Painter (13) v Colin Osborne
Wes Newton (20) v Tetsuya Wada (Jap)
Phil Taylor (2) v Anton Pein (Aut)
Matt Clark (31) v Mick McGowan (Ire)
Chris Mason (15) v Wayne Atwood (Wal)
John Part (18, Can) v Alan Green
Peter Manley (7) v Dave Jowett
Steve Maish (26) v Wynand Havenga (RSA)
Ronnie Baxter (10) v Adrian Gray
Bob Anderson (23) v Darren Webster
Terry Jenkins (6) v Mark Lawrence
Steve Beaton (27) v Gerry Convery (Can)
James Wade (11) v Warren French (NZ)
Lionel Sams (22) v Dave Ladley
Dennis Priestley (3) v Josephus Schenk (Ned)
Colin Monk (30) v Per Laursen (Den)
Mark Dudbridge (14) v John Kucynski (USA)
Andy Hamilton (19) v Gary Welding

[ramskinny]

come on dennis the menace

[carrickharp]

FIRST ROUND
Monday 18th December 2006

Game Time
1 1pm Ronnie Baxter v Adrian Gray
2 2pm Steve Maish v Wynand Havenga
3 3pm Terry Jenkins v Mark Lawrence
4 4pm Matt Clark v Mick McGowan

5 7pm Chris Mason v Wayne Atwood
6 8pm John Part v Alan Green
7 9pm Phil Taylor v Anton Pein
8 10pm Peter Manley v Dave Jowett

Tuesday 19th December 2006

9 1pm Mark Walsh v Rico Vonck
10 2pm Barrie Bates v Brian Cyr
11 3pm Bob Anderson v Darren Webster
12 4pm Denis Ovens v Steve Smith

13 7pm Alan Warriner-Little v Alan Tabern
14 8pm Colin Lloyd v Tomas Seyler
15 9pm Raymond van Barneveld v Mitchell Clegg
16 10pm Adrian Lewis v Anthony Fleet

Wednesday 20th December 2006

17 1pm Wayne Jones v Ian Branks
18 2pm Lionel Sams v Dave Ladley
19 3pm Colin Monk v Per Laursen
20 4pm Andy Hamilton v Gary Welding

21 7pm Steve Beaton v Gerry Convery
22 8pm Dennis Priestley v Josephus Schenk
23 9pm Wayne Mardle v Alan Caves
24 10pm James Wade v Warren French

Thursday 21st December 2006

25 1pm Dave Askew v Martin Burchell
26 2pm Andy Smith v Shi Yongsheng
27 3pm Wes Newton v Tetsuya Wada
28 4pm Andy Jenkins v Bill Davis

29 7pm Mark Dudbridge v John Kuczynski
30 8pm Roland Scholten v Ron Miller
31 9pm Kevin Painter v Colin Osborne
32 10pm Alex Roy v Richie Burnett

SECOND ROUND
Friday 22rd December 2006

33 12.10pm Walsh/Vonck v Bates/Cyr
34 2pm Lewis/Fleet v Jones/Branks
35 3.30pm T Jenkins/Lawrence v Beaton/Convery

36 6.10pm Manley/Jowett v Maish/Havenga
37 7.45pm Mason/Atwood v Part/Green
38 9.15pm Lloyd/Seyler v van Barneveld/Clegg
39 10.45pm Baxter/Gray v Anderson/Webster

Tuesday 26th December 2006

40 6.10pm Ovens/S Smith v Warriner-Little/Tabern
41 7.45pm Dudbridge/Kuczynski v Hamilton/Welding
42 9.15pm Taylor/Pein v Clark/McGowan ;)
43 10.45pm Mardle/Caves v Askew/Burchell

Wednesday 27th December 2006

44 12.10pm Wade/French v Sams/Ladley
45 2pm Priestley/Schenk v Monk/Laursen
46 3.30pm Painter/Osborne v Newton/Wada

47 6.10pm A Jenkins/Davis v A Smith/Yongsheng
48 7.45pm Scholten/Miller v Roy/Burnett

THIRD ROUND

49 9.15pm Lloyd/Seyler/van Barneveld/Clegg v Walsh/Vonck/Bates/Cyr
50 10.45pm Mardle/Caves/Askew/Burchell v Ovens/S Smith/Warriner-Little/Tabern

Thursday 28th December 2006

51 12.10pm Manley/Jowett/Maish/Havenga v Baxter/Gray/Anderson/Webster
52 2pm Scholten/Miller/Roy/Burnett v Painter/Osborne/Newton/Wada
53 3.30pm Lewis/Fleet/Jones/Branks v A Jenkins/Davis/A Smith/Yongsheng

54 6.10pm T Jenkins/Lawrence/Beaton/Convery v Wade/French/Sams/Ladley
55 7.45pm Taylor/Pein/Clark/McGowan v Mason/Atwood/Part/Green
56 9.45pm Priestley/Schenk/Monk/Laursen v Dudbridge/Kuczynski/Hamilton/Welding

QUARTER-FINALS
Friday 29th December 2006

57 12.10pm Winner Game 53 v Winner Game 52
58 3.30pm Winner Game 54 v Winner Game 56

58 6.10pm Winner Game 49 v Winner Game 50
60 7.45pm Winner Game 55 v Winner Game 51

SEMI-FINALS
Saturday 30th December 2006

61 7.10pm As per draw
62 9.00pm As per draw

FINAL
Monday 1st January 2007

63 7.00pm

[carrickharp]

Ronnie Baxter 2 Adrian Gray 3
Steve Maish 2 Wynand Havenga 3
Terry Jenkins 3 Mark Lawrence 1
Matt Clark 1 Mick McGowan 3

Chris Mason 3 Wayne Atwood 0
John Part 3 Alan Green 2
Phil Taylor 3 Anton Pein 0
Peter Manley 3 Dave Jowett 0

MICK McGOWAN 3-1 MATT CLARK
(0-3, 3-0, 3-2, 3-1)
IRELAND'S Mick McGowan enjoyed a dream Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship debut, coming from a set down to win 3-1 against Matt Clark.

McGowan has enjoyed a dream year on the PDC circuit, and came through the qualifiers to book his place at the Circus Tavern.

Despite struggling with a bout of 'flu over the weekend, McGowan booked his place in the last 32 - and a potential clash with defending champion Phil Taylor - with a fine win.

Clark began brightly, taking the first set 3-0 and scoring well, but McGowan found his range in set two.

The Irishman hit eight ton-plus scores and two 15-dart legs to respond in kind to Clark and level matters.

Further legs of 13 and 15 darts saw McGowan move 2-0 up in the third set, with Clark hitting back to square the set in 15 and 14 darts before the Ireland Open Classic champion landed double top to edge ahead.

A 117 finish helped McGowan into a 2-0 lead in set four, and though an outstanding 161 finish kept Clark in the game, the debutant held his nerve with a 13-darter - including three 140 scores - to seal the win.

[Dodge]

Think he has a long wait for round two. Stephens' Day apparently

[carrickharp]

Think he has a long wait for round two. Stephens' Day apparently

Yeah 9.15 that night, but worth waiting for!!

[carrickharp]

Day 2 Results:
Mark Walsh 0 Rico Vonck 3
Barrie Bates 2 Brian Cyr 3
Bob Anderson 1 Darren Webster 3
Denis Ovens 3 Steve Smith 0

Alan Warriner-Little 0 Alan Tabern 3
Colin Lloyd 3 Tomas Seyler 0
Raymond van Barneveld 3 Mitchell Clegg 0
Adrian Lewis 3 Anthony Fleet 0

Todays Matches:
17 1pm Wayne Jones v Ian Branks
18 2pm Lionel Sams v Dave Ladley
19 3pm Colin Monk v Per Laursen
20 4pm Andy Hamilton v Gary Welding

21 7pm Steve Beaton v Gerry Convery
22 8pm Dennis Priestley v Josephus Schenk
23 9pm Wayne Mardle v Alan Caves
24 10pm James Wade v Warren French

[samabu92]

come on dennis the menace

sooner he is out the better. Fall asleep watching him, terribly slow.

[beautifulrock]

Anyone see the 16 year Aussie qualifier, Barney blew him away as expected but to be fair to him he did alright. Certainly got the build of a darts player :)

[samabu92]

Anyone see the 16 year Aussie qualifier, Barney blew him away as expected but to be fair to him he did alright. Certainly got the build of a darts player :)

If the aussie could have hit his doubles, would have been interesting.
Annoying having a break after each set on sky.

[Roadend]

Adrian Lewis looked good last night, even though the other Aussie wasn't up to much. Looked very strong on the doubles.

[samabu92]

Couple more games like Mardle v Caves would help the darts tourney big time.

[carrickharp]

McGowan at odds of 8-1 to beat Taylor!!

[Superhoops]

Couple more games like Mardle v Caves would help the darts tourney big time.
Like the one tonight between Ray Barnaveld and Colin Lloyd. Class game.

[samabu92]

Like the one tonight between Ray Barnaveld and Colin Lloyd. Class game.

Will take some game to beat that one,best I have seen Lloyd play for a while.

[Superhoops]

...best I have seen Lloyd play for a while.
Played great until it mattered. He had three seperate chances to take the match and missed them all. You would expect the World No.1 to hit one of them but the pressure got to him.

Makes you wonder if he has the 'bottle' to ever win the WC. Being ranked No.1 in the world must mean he has been playing well throughout the year but when it comes to the big one he has been disappointing too many times now.

No doubt that Barney is a big game player, not many would have stuck in after Lloyd went 3-0 up. He is the only one I can realistically giving Taylor a run, assuming Taylor beats McGowan, of course!!!

[samabu92]

Played great until it mattered. He had three seperate chances to take the match and missed them all. You would expect the World No.1 to hit one of them but the pressure got to him.

Makes you wonder if he has the 'bottle' to ever win the WC. Being ranked No.1 in the world must mean he has been playing well throughout the year but when it comes to the big one he has been disappointing too many times now.

No doubt that Barney is a big game player, not many would have stuck in after Lloyd went 3-0 up. He is the only one I can realistically giving Taylor a run, assuming Taylor beats McGowan, of course!!!

Dont know how he is no.1 as that was his first time getting past 1st round in 4 attempts in last 4 comps. Would barney meet Taylor in semi or final. Its the final we all want.

[Superhoops]

Dont know how he is no.1 as that was his first time getting past 1st round in 4 attempts in last 4 comps. Would barney meet Taylor in semi or final. Its the final we all want.
The PDC have their own ranking system (http://www.planetdarts.tv/page/Rankings/0,,10180~727093,00.html) based on results throughout the year. The latest rankings (http://www.planetdarts.tv/page/Rankings/0,,10180,00.html) have Colin Lloyd at No.1.

Barney is in the top half of the draw where Adrian Lewis, who he would not meet until the semi final, is probably his biggest threat.

Taylor is in the bottom half, where, if he beats Mick McGowan, he will meet Chris Mason in the next round. After that, Dennis Priestley is the likely semi-final opponent.

[Superhoops]

Although beaten 4-1 by Taylor, Mick McGowan put up a great display and pushed Taylor into producing the best darts of the tournament so far with a 109 average. McGowan was just over 100 average, the second best of the tournament so far. McGowan missed three vital doubles for legs that should have won him at least another set. 4-1 sounds as it if was easy for Taylor, it was anything but.

[samabu92]

Although beaten 4-1 by Taylor, Mick McGowan put up a great display and pushed Taylor into producing the best darts of the tournament so far with a 109 average. McGowan was just over 100 average, the second best of the tournament so far. McGowan missed three vital doubles for legs that should have won him at least another set. 4-1 sounds as it if was easy for Taylor, it was anything but.

Great display by him alright, he would have hammered anyone else on that average. Lewis has 3rd best and its 96. Hopefully he can go on from this tourney and go on to better things. Must give Taylor credit though(I am Barney fan), he has won it 13 times and still looks hungry as ever. These adverts still annoying after sets,you see players themselves asking is there a break now or not. Grew up watching BBC world championship and still prefrer it over sky.

[passinginterest]

Phil Taylor threatened to quit the PDC Darts circuit after receiving abuse from Chris Mason when he hammered him four nil last night. I've never been a big fan of Taylor, having met most of the pro's in person he's one of the most stand off ish, but it looked like Mason was really having a go and being a very sore looser. It would be a pity if Taylor was forced out of the game by a scum bag like Mason (serious criminal convictions), like him or hate him Taylor is the greatest player to play the game. I'd imagine it's an idle threat, but no one deserves to be abused after winning a match fair and square.

[Clifford]

I saw the interview with Taylor after it, he was fuming indeed. Think there was also a newspaper article where Mason attacked him also before hand, so he obviously reacted to that. Taylor is right, he's been there and done it so if the other want the respect he brings to the thing then they must earn it.

[samabu92]

Having also met a few pros doing exhibitions, dont recall one of them having a good word about Taylor(some of them even had bad words against John Lowe:confused: ). Richie Burnett was the most ignorant I have come accross as a person though.

[passinginterest]

Have to say John Lowe was the worst personally, extremely rude and ignorant. John Part an Taylor don't tend to mingle with the crowd or chat as much as many of the others. With Taylor this is fairly understandable, Part just seems arrogant. Best Exhibition player I've seen has to be Bob Anderson, fantastic entertainer. I've played against Alan Warriner and Ronny Baxter in exhibition games and both sound enough. Was also luck enough to see the great Leighton Reese as a child, he lost nearly every game in the exhibition but was a total gentleman. Bobby George is a good entertainer too but never really warmed to him. I used to be a Chris Mason fan, was at the Irish Open when he won it, but wouldn't give him the time of day now. Eric Bristow will always be my hero though, my first set of darts were brass Bristow imitation ones that came with an Eric Bristow Darts book. I still have the book but lost the darts somewhere along the way. Legend.

[samabu92]

Have to say John Lowe was the worst personally, extremely rude and ignorant. John Part an Taylor don't tend to mingle with the crowd or chat as much as many of the others. With Taylor this is fairly understandable, Part just seems arrogant. Best Exhibition player I've seen has to be Bob Anderson, fantastic entertainer. I've played against Alan Warriner and Ronny Baxter in exhibition games and both sound enough. Was also luck enough to see the great Leighton Reese as a child, he lost nearly every game in the exhibition but was a total gentleman. Bobby George is a good entertainer too but never really warmed to him. I used to be a Chris Mason fan, was at the Irish Open when he won it, but wouldn't give him the time of day now. Eric Bristow will always be my hero though, my first set of darts were brass Bristow imitation ones that came with an Eric Bristow Darts book. I still have the book but lost the darts somewhere along the way. Legend.

Best dart players I ever met are funny enough the 1st and last players I have played. Alan Glazier(ton machine) was the 1st(showing my age:o ), he was great crack all night. Played Harvey and Stoddart few months before Xmas(it was supposed to be Warriner but he could not make it), 2 fellows were a great laugh all night

[Stevo Da Gull]

Fair play and congratulations to Raymond Van Barneveld on his 7-6 (sudden death) World Championship Final win over Phil Taylor. Arguably the greatest final of all time, Barneveld threw 21 180's and missed a few doubles for the match before eventually hitting the winner after trailing by three sets to nil. Fair play to Taylor also, but Barney's the champ!

[Superhoops]

Fair play and congratulations to Raymond Van Barneveld on his 7-6 (sudden death) World Championship Final win over Phil Taylor. Arguably the greatest final of all time, Barneveld threw 21 180's and missed a few doubles for the match before eventually hitting the winner after trailing by three sets to nil. Fair play to Taylor also, but Barney's the champ!
If it was not the greatest final it was certainly the greatest comeback ever. After Taylor went 3-0 up, sets he won easily, it would have been a very optimistic man that backed Barney at that stage.

In the latter stages, it was great watching Taylor playing 'catch up', something he is not used to doing, and even though Barney missed four darts to take the match, Taylor kept nibbling away. I thought when he scored his 180 in the sudden death leg he had broken Barney, but Barney showed what a great match player he is by coming straight back with 180 and it was those three darts that finally broke Taylor.

After watching the whole tounament and especially the final, it is hard to understand people who still consider that darts is not a proper sport. :confused: :confused:

[samabu92]

Did the word "fix" ever cross your minds in the last set. Know of a few lads who thought the same.

[Superhoops]

Did the word "fix" ever cross your minds in the last set. Know of a few lads who thought the same.

Interesting theory! but not sure who the 'fix' would be in favour of.

If it was fixed for Taylor to win, I could understand Barney missing a few crucial doubles but he missed 4 darts at doubles and then won it by hitting six doubles in the set, harldly the form of a guy looking to throw a match. :confused: . Also, why would he continue to bang in 180's, especially the one in the last leg. :confused:

If it was fixed for Barney to win, why did Taylor keep hitting scores/doubles when he was playing catch up in the last set. Why would he have gone for his 180 in the last leg? :confused: He could have easily lost the last set 3-0 or even 3-2 but he kept plugging away. When it went down to the last leg, if you are looking to throw a game you dont go for 180 and hope the other guy is going to follow you.

[samabu92]

The last leg of the match was the only leg of the last set that they both went for to win. When Barney had the darts in last set he banged in ton+ after ton+ no problem at all, but when against the darts he could hardly hit a treble until Taylor would be on double then he would bang in 140 or 180(some people say that was due to pressure, yet he was never under as much pressure as when Taylor hit 180 in final leg and replyed with 180) Also the 3 darts he had earlier to win it that were miles away:confused:
IMO, that final was always going to last leg and then may the best man win, which thank God was Barney:)

[carrickharp]

Did the word "fix" ever cross your minds in the last set. Know of a few lads who thought the same.

Never crossed my mind anyway, cracking match!