The third event in the Ireland’s Pub Players Darts Tour took place at the weekend past when the Co. Donegal Pub Players Open was staged at Biddy Friels Entertainment Complex Co. Donegal when a host of top players from throughout Ireland gathered to try and win a slice of the 1,000 euros which was for grabs in this individual event which included the current N. Ireland champion Ray Campbell and a number of Donegal’s top inter county players and not forgetting Ireland’s Pub Players Dart Tours number one ranked player Felix Mc Brearty (Tyrone) who was going for three in a-row but come Saturday evening it was only one mans name everyone was talking about and that was Daniel Mc Donald who played outstanding darts throughout the day to be crowned champion.

Daniel who hails from Ballymoney started out in his victory campaign defeating top class players along the way which included Danny Mc Callion (Tyrone, 5-3) in the ¼-finals, Kieran Sloane (Down, 5-1), Eugene Mc Cusker (Fermanagh, 5-3), and then overcoming the challenge of his good friend Ricky Dunlop (Antrim) in the semi-finals on a 6-2 score-line which included a 116 checkout.

In the other half of the draw it was Fermanagh’s Eamon Mc Govern and the tournaments number two seed who was making all the headlines progressing round by round to make his way into the final also overcoming Tony Mc Millan (Derry, 5-0) in the last-32, Paddy Gallagher (Donegal, 5-0), Sean Gallagher (Donegal, 5-0) before just getting over the line on a 6-4 score-line over Co. Donegal’s top inter county player Anthony Whorisky in the semi-final to set-up a challenge with the inform Daniel Mc Donald in the final.

When both players was called onto the stage it wasn’t long before both players got into there stride recording big scores and high checkouts which included 108 checkout from Eamon and 106 and 86 from Daniel but it was the Ballymoney player who kept the high tempo going to run out a 7-3 winner to be crowned champion in the third Pub Players Darts Tour Event.

Tournament Highlight: All in all it was another fantastic event which had everything to offer big scores, unbelievable amount of 180’s, high checkouts and the great long playing format which takes place on the tour, but for me the highlight of the tournament was the performances Joe Lynsie (Strabane) put in defeating N. Ireland’s top player Brian Cathcart where he recorded 5 x 180’s in doing so in his 5-3 victory.

Daniel Mc Donald          7-3      Eamon Mc Govern

Semi-Finals:

Daniel Mc Donald          6-2     Ricky Dunlop

Eamon Mc Govern         6-4     Anthony Whoriskey

Daniel Mc Donald          5-3    Eugene Mc Cusker

Ricky Dunlop                5-0    Gary Mayse

Anthony Whoriskey       5-0    Noel Mc Laughlin

Eamon Mc Govern         5-0    Sean Gallagher

Eugene Mc Cusker        5-2   Felix Mc Brearty

Daniel Mc Donald          5-1   Kieran Sloane

Gary Mayse                 5-1   Joe Lynsie

Ricky Dunlop                5-1   John Campbell

Anthony Whoriskey       5-2    Ray Campbell

Noel Mc Laughlin          5-4    Gareth Mc Clean

Sean Gallagher             5-2    Nigel Hegarty

Eamon Mc Govern         5-0    Paddy Gallagher

Felix Mc Brearty           5-0     Dermott Lawrence (Donegal)

Eugene Mc Cusker        5-1    Davy Duggan (Donegal)

Daniel Mc Donald          5-3    Danny Mc Callion

Kieran Sloane              5-0    Willie Hull

Gary Mayse               5-1    Kevin Mc Laughlin

Joe Lynsie                 5-3     Brian Cathcart

John Campbell            5-1    Dereck Gallagher

Ricky Dunlop              5-1    Khaeild Elouai

Anthony Whoriskey     5-4    Mickey Mansell

Ray Campbell             5-0    Conor Mc Daid

Gareth Mc Clean         5-2    Paul Rogan

Noel Mc Laughlin        5-0    Ryan Coulter

Nigel Hegarty              5-0   Willie Hull

Sean Gallagher            5-1  Paddy Trimble

Paddy Gallagher          5-2   Sam Hegarty

Eamon Mc Govern       5-0   Tony Mc Millan

The Co. Donegal Open Doubles Championships also seen top pairs from throughout join together for this event which was played in a round robin format but it was the top pairing of Ramie Williamson and Ricky Dunlop who emerged as champions defeating the Fermanagh pairing of Eamon Mc Govern and Eugene Mc Cusker in the final on 4-2 score-line. The shock in this event was the pairing of the 2006 Co. Donegal Pub Players Dart Champion Daniel Mc Donald and Brian Cathcart not making out of there group to the knockout stages.

Doubles Highlights: The highlight for me in the Co. Donegal Open Doubles Championships came in the final when Eamon Mc Govern recorded a brilliant 158 checkout in the final to the level the match at 2-2 but in the end it wasn’t enough as Williamson & Dunlop ran worthy winners.