Aodhagan O’Neill (Cavan)  Crowned  3^rd  Annual  Champion

Over 70 players from throughout Ireland travelled to the little village of Dromore in Co. Tyrone on Saturday past for the 3^rd annual Packie Donnelly Memorial Individual Darts Tournament all chasing the £1,000 prize-money with the winner receiving £500 and the perpetual cup.

Barry Campbell on behalf of the Donnelly Family presents
Aodhagn O' Neill 2008 champion with the Packie Donnelly memorial cup.

The tournament attracted a lot of Ireland’s top players who have been in tremendous form lately which included Brendan Dolan (Fermanagh) who reached the recent World PDC Professional  Tournament final in England only to be defeated by 13 times world champion Phil Taylor and Tyrone’s young gun Shane Pearson (Tyrone) who won the Maghera open championship last week and was defeated in the final of this years 2008 N. Ireland open.

 Other top players taking part included Roy Bailie (Down), Ray Walsh (Waterford), Campbell Jackson (Tyrone) Ricky Dunlop (Antrim), Daniel Mc Donald (Antrim), Davy Glen (Antrim), Stephen Rennie (Down), Ian Kitchen (Down), past Tyrone Individual champions Mickey Mansell and Colin Strong and the current 2007 champion Felix Mc Brearty just to mention a few but come Saturday evening there was only one man that every person was taking about and that was Ireland’s former number one ranked player who is still ranked number three in the INDO official rankings for Rep of Ireland know other than the brilliant Aodhagn O’ Neill (Cavan).

Aodhagan who hails from Ballyconnell in Co. Cavan put in one of the finest performance ever seen in around this area on claiming the 2008 title with a brilliant performance throughout the day defeating big named players, hitting high checkouts and a number of low dart finishes which included a impressive 11 darter in the earlier rounds.

Four semi-finals is pictured at presentation LtoR: Adrian Maguire (Central Bar), Shane Pearson (Tyrone, semi-finals), Aodhagn O' Neill (Cavan, winner), Barry Campbell (representing the Donnelly family), Campbell Jackson (Tyrone, runner-up) and Brendan Dolan (Fermanagh, semi-finals).

On route to victory Aodhagan started off his winning campaign in the last-64 with a 4-0 victory over Strabane’s Niall Mc Glinchey and followed that up with victories over Sam Mein, Stephen Mc Donagh but was made to battle all the way with a 4-3 win over the current 2007 champion Felix Mc Brearty in the ¼-finals and also got over the line in a last game decider 5-4 against the inform Brendan Dolan in the semi-final before defeating another top player Campbell Jackson (Tyrone) in the final on a 5-1 score-line with another fantastic display to be crowned the 2008 Packie Donnelly Memorial champion receiving £500 and the perpetual cup.

Aodhagn O' Neill (Cavan, winner) and Campbell Jackson (Tyrone, runner-up).

Aodhagan received £500 and the Packie Donnell Memorial cup for his title victory and goes alongside Brian Cathcart (Belfast, 2006 champion) and Felix McBrearty (Tyrone, 2007 champion) on the tournaments roll of honours list.

Past Champions:

2006:  Brian Cathart (Belfast)

2007:  Felix Mc Brearty (Tyrone)

2008:  Aodhgan O’ Neill (Cavan)

Note:

If any players would like to catch up with other dart tournaments such as fixtures, results, reports, photo’s etc can do so by visiting the following website www.rballsports.com

Results:

Last-16:

Campbell Jackson (Strabane)         4-1      Colm Hagan (Newtownstewart)

Justin Mc Guigan (Tattyreagh)       4-2      Ray Walsh (Waterford)

Gerald Maguire (Strabane)             4-0      John Mc Cormack (Newtownstewart)

Shane Pearson (Pomeroy)               4-2      Sean Gallagher (Fintona)

Stephen Rennie (Down)                  4-0      Kevin McLaughlin (Newtownstewart)

Brendan Dolan (Fermanagh)           4-1      Colin Maxwell (Castlederg)

Felix Mc Brearty (Dromore)           4-1      Davy Glenn (Antrim)

Aodhagn O’ Neill (Cavan)              4-2      Stephen Mc Donagh (Dungannon)

¼-Finals:

Campbell Jackson      4-0     Justin Mc Guigan

Shane Perason            4-2     Gerald Maguire

Brendan Dolan           4-1     Stephen Rennie

Aodhagn O’ Neill       4-3     Felix Mc Brearty

Semi-Finals:

Campbell Jackson      5-3   Shane Pearson

Aodhagn O’ Neill      5-4   Brendan Dolan

Final:

Aodhagn O’Neill     5-1    Campbell Jackson