Nine-dart delight for Dolan

joekingman

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October 8, 2011


Northern Irishman dumps Wade out to set up final date with Taylor


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Brendan Dolan: Hit first ever nine-dart finish at the World Grand Prix


​Brendan Dolan continued his fairytale run at the World Grand Prix as he hit an historic nine-darter in the process of claiming a 5-2 win over James Wade in the semi-finals.

The Northern Irishman, playing in the last four stage of a major for the first time, threw the first perfect leg in the history of the double-start competition at the end of the second set.

And he took the momentum through the rest of the match, comfortably dumping out the defending champion to set up a final showdown with Phil Taylor, who defeated Richie Burnett 5-2.

"I can't believe it myself. The form I've had this year...I never expected (to reach) a final in a major competition," Dolan told Sky Sports.

"The money doesn't matter, it's about getting to a final and making a name for myself.

Nerves

"I think this week I've held myself, held my nerves, together and I'm just glad to get to a final."

On his nine-darter, Dolan added: "The only thing I thought when I did it was, 'I've done it before Phil', because he will do it!"

Wade won the first set 3-1 after a 96 finish and two straight checkouts of double top saw him cancel out Dolan's starting checkout of 121.

Dolan fought back to move 2-1 up in the second set before his run of 160, 180 and a 161 finish brought the Dublin crowd roaring to their feet.

Wade hit a 151 finish at the start of the third set but Dolan hit back by with a ton-plus finish of his own to break the throw and set him on his way to moving 2-1 up in sets.

The former decorator took the fourth set as well to open up a comfortable lead before Wade hit back to move 2-1 up in the fifth.

Victory

However, Dolan took out a 96 in two darts before finishing on 69 to leave Wade floundering once again as he moved to within one set of victory.

Two 13-dart finishes helped Wade claw back a set but it was to prove too little, too late as Dolan wrapped up the victory in the next set.

Nine-time champion Taylor split the first two sets with Welsh veteran Burnett but stormed back to book his place in the final with a comfortable win.

After the early setback, Taylor took the next three legs while maintaining an average in excess of 100.

Burnett salvaged some pride by taking the sixth set but Taylor duly finished off the contest in the seventh, looking in ominous form as he hit a total of four ton-plus finishes and finished with an average of 103.02.


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