Players Championship 30 Dublin 3rd October 2010

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Caven's Dublin Delight
03 Oct 2010

JAMIE CAVEN won his second Players Championship of the year, edging out Ronnie Baxter 6-5 in Sunday's final at the Citywest Hotel in Dublin.[wrapimg=right]http://www.pdc.tv/javaImages/49/82/0,,1 ... 785,00.jpg[/wrapimg]

The Derby ace followed up his victory in Canada in August with the narrowest of wins against Baxter to take his fourth PDC title, and make the best possible preparation for Monday's Bodog.com World Grand Prix opener against Andy Smith.

Caven could well have suffered defeat in a dramatic final against Baxter, who missed two darts to win the deciding leg before his opponent hit double top at the first time of asking to win the £6,000 first prize.

Caven had come from 2-1 down to lead 3-2, hitting an 11-dart finish followed by a 130 checkout, only for Baxter to match his 11-darter and then move 4-3 up.

Caven levelled and the pair also shared the ninth and tenth legs before Baxter saw his chance in the final leg go begging, and the 34-year-old stepped in for the win.

Caven had also had to produce some superb form in his semi-final against Ireland's Michael Mansell, who pushed him all the way in sharing the opening eight legs before going down 6-4.

Caven also saw off Colin Monk, world number five Terry Jenkins, Paul Nicholson and Jelle Klaasen in claiming the win in Dublin.

Baxter had also been bidding for his second win of the year, and brushed off early 6-5 wins against Peter Manley, Alan Tabern and Robert Thornton to defeat Tony Eccles and Steve Beaton in winning through to the final.

Beaton's run to the semi-finals was his best performance since May, while Mansell enjoyed a superb run at the Citywest Hotel to claim £1,500 prize money, defeating Mark Frost, Brendan Dolan, Vincent van der Voort, Denis Ovens and Dennis Smith to reach the semis.

The run was ideal preparation for Mansell ahead of next Sunday's Tom Kirby Memorial Irish Matchplay final against Stephen Byrne, which will be played on stage at the Citywest Hotel and sees the winner qualify for the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship.

Smith boosted his hopes of qualifying for the World Championship by reaching his first quarter-final of the year, whilst Eccles reached the last eight for the second time inside a month.

Jelle Klaasen and Wayne Jones also reached the quarter-finals, while Ian White followed up a semi-final appearance on Saturday by winning through to the last 16.

Simon Whitlock, Saturday's champion, lost out to Thornton in the last 32, while world number three James Wade was defeated by fellow left-hander Mark Webster at the same stage.

Dublin Players Championship (PC30)
First Round
Simon Whitlock (1) Bye
Justin Pipe 6-2 Stephen Hardy
Robert Thornton (22) 6-5 Steve Maish
Aodhagan O'Neill 6-3 Adrian Gray
Ronnie Baxter (16) Bye
Peter Manley 6-0 Jim McKevitt
Alan Tabern (17) Bye
Paul Rowley 6-3 Geoff Whitworth
Adrian Lewis (8) Bye
Nigel Heydon 6-5 Kevin McDine
Martyn Turner 6-4 Steve Brown (25)
Tony Eccles 6-3 Tony Ayres
Mark Walsh (9) Bye
Nick Fullwell 6-4 Chris Thompson
Barrie Bates (24) 6-0 Matt Padgett
Ian McFarlane 6-4 Joe Cullen
James Wade (5) Bye
Matt Clark 6-3 Steve Evans
Mark Webster (28) 6-4 Roland Scholten
Dave Ladley 6-0 Mike Roberts
Wayne Jones (12) Bye
Wayne Mardle 6-3 Peter Wright
Kevin Painter (21) Bye
Denis McCarthy 6-5 Louis Blundell
Gary Anderson (4) Bye
Dylan Duo 6-1 Jon Archer
Mark Hylton 6-2 Michael van Gerwen (29)
Alex Roy 6-1 Tomas McGrath
Steve Beaton (13) Bye
Andy Jenkins 6-1 Steve Hine
Co Stompe (20) Bye
Andy Relf 6-4 Robbie Newland
Colin Lloyd (2) Bye
Darren Johnson 6-3 Richie Burnett
Jelle Klaasen (31) 6-5 Chris Iedema
Gary Eastwood 6-5 Paul Williams
Mervyn King (15) Bye
Kevin Dowling 6-0 Henry Zapata
Andy Smith (18) Bye
Kirk Shepherd 6-5 Arron Monk
Jamie Caven (7) Bye
Colin Monk 6-3 Michael Rosenauer
Terry Jenkins (26) 6-2 Mark Lawrence
William O'Connor 6-3 Simon Burt
Andy Hamilton (10) Bye
Peter Hudson 6-2 Wayne Atwood
Paul Nicholson (23) Bye
David Coyne 6-5 Mareno Michels
Vincent van der Voort (6) Bye
Tony Randell 6-4 Andy Pearce
Brendan Dolan (27) 6-5 Michael Barnard
Michael Mansell 6-3 Mark Frost
Denis Ovens (11) Bye
Mick McGowan 6-2 Glen Fitzpatrick
Dennis Priestley (22) Bye
Mark Jodrill 6-2 Par Riihonen
Wes Newton (3) Bye
John MaGowan 6-5 Nigel Birch
Steve Farmer (30) 6-2 Felix McBrearty
Ian White 6-3 Steve Grubb
Colin Osborne (14) Bye
John Part 6-0 Ali Powell
Mark Dudbridge (19) Bye
Dennis Smith 6-4 Scott Rand

Second Round
Simon Whitlock 6-5 Justin Pipe
Robert Thornton 6-1 Aodhagan O'Neill
Ronnie Baxter 6-5 Peter Manley
Alan Tabern 6-1 Paul Rowley
Adrian Lewis 6-4 Nigel Heydon
Tony Eccles 6-1 Martyn Turner
Mark Walsh 6-2 Nick Fullwell
Barrie Bates 6-0 Ian McFarlane
James Wade 6-1 Matt Clark
Mark Webster 6-1 Dave Ladley
Wayne Jones 6-1 Wayne Mardle
Kevin Painter 6-3 Denis McCarthy
Gary Anderson 6-0 Dylan Duo
Mark Hylton 6-5 Alex Roy
Steve Beaton 6-2 Andy Jenkins
Co Stompe 6-2 Andy Relf
Colin Lloyd 6-1 Darren Johnson
Jelle Klaasen 6-4 Gary Eastwood
Mervyn King 6-1 Kevin Dowling
Andy Smith 6-5 Kirk Shepherd
Jamie Caven 6-2 Colin Monk
Terry Jenkins 6-3 William O'Connor
Peter Hudson 6-2 Andy Hamilton
Paul Nicholson 6-2 David Coyne
Vincent van der Voort 6-1 Tony Randell
Michael Mansell 6-4 Brendan Dolan
Denis Ovens 6-2 Mick McGowan
Dennis Priestley 6-4 Mark Jodrill
Wes Newton 6-2 John MaGowan
Ian White 6-5 Steve Farmer
Colin Osborne 6-3 John Part
Dennis Smith 6-0 Mark Dudbridge
Losers £200

Third Round
Robert Thornton 6-5 Simon Whitlock
Ronnie Baxter 6-5 Alan Tabern
Tony Eccles 6-4 Adrian Lewis
Barrie Bates 6-1 Mark Walsh
Mark Webster 6-3 James Wade
Wayne Jones 6-5 Kevin Painter
Mark Hylton 6-5 Gary Anderson
Steve Beaton 6-5 Co Stompe
Jelle Klaasen 6-5 Colin Lloyd
Mervyn King 6-3 Andy Smith
Jamie Caven 6-5 Terry Jenkins
Paul Nicholson 6-3 Peter Hudson
Michael Mansell 6-4 Vincent van der Voort
Denis Ovens 6-2 Dennis Priestley
Ian White 6-4 Wes Newton
Dennis Smith 6-3 Colin Osborne
Losers £300

Fourth Round
Ronnie Baxter 6-5 Robert Thornton
Tony Eccles 6-1 Barrie Bates
Wayne Jones 6-4 Mark Webster
Steve Beaton 6-5 Mark Hylton
Jelle Klaasen 6-2 Mervyn King
Jamie Caven 6-1 Paul Nicholson
Michael Mansell 6-1 Denis Ovens
Dennis Smith 6-2 Ian White
Losers £500

Quarter-Finals
Ronnie Baxter 6-2 Tony Eccles
Steve Beaton 6-4 Wayne Jones
Jamie Caven 6-1 Jelle Klaasen
Michael Mansell 6-1 Dennis Smith
Losers £1,000

Semi-Finals
Ronnie Baxter 6-2 Steve Beaton
Jamie Caven 6-4 Michael Mansell
Losers £1,500

Final
Jamie Caven 6-5 Ronnie Baxter
Winner £6,000
Runner-Up £3,000

Final - Leg by leg
1-0 - Caven misses double eight to steal the leg and Baxter lands tops
1-1 - Caven hits a 180 and double six to reply in 13 darts
2-1 - Baxter hits double top with his opponent waiting on 40
2-2 - Caven lands another 180 and this time completes an 11-darter with an 81 finish
2-3 - Caven hits his third 180 of the game to leave 130, which he takes out on the bull to break throw
3-3 - Baxter responds to another Caven maximum with one of his own in an 11-darter to break back
4-3 - Baxter regains the lead with double five
4-4 - Caven edges the eighth on double eight to level
5-4 - Baxter eventually wins the ninth on double four with his sixth dart at a double, as Caven waited on 40
5-5 - Caven forces a decider with a 14-darter, opening with a 180 and taking out 32 with a pair of double eights
5-6 - Caven snatches a dramatic win, with Baxter missing two darts for the match - at double 12 and double six for a 78 finish before Caven hits tops at the first time of asking

from www.pdc.tv