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Irish darts player John O’Shea beaten by Michael Smith in first PDC ranking final

Corkman, nicknamed ‘The Joker’, reached the final of the Players Championship

Cork darts player John O’Shea. Photograph: PDC Darts
Cork darts player John O’Shea. Photograph: PDC Darts
Wed May 11 2022 - 11:21

Irish darts player John “The Joker” O’Shea was beaten by World Championship finalist Michael Smith in his first PDC ranking final, the Players Championship.

O’Shea got off to a flying start, taking out checkouts of 105, 50 and 120 as he moved into a 3-2 lead.

But Smith put together a superb mid-game spell, taking five of the next six legs as he moved within a leg of the title at 7-4.

With O’Shea within two, he threatened to move to close the gap again but six missed darts at the double proved costly as Smith pinned double two to secure the title at the Robin Park Tennis Centre.

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Corkman O’Shea started his run with a 6-4 win over Nick Fullwell, before defeating the in-form Nathan Aspinall by the same scoreline.

He then saw off Dutchman Damian Mol 6-3, before beating Ross Smith in the last 16 with a 6-3 win.

The 46-year-old saw off Maik Kuivenhoven in the quarter-finals to continue his run, before scalping world number 13 Dave Chisnall 7-4 in the last four to set up the showdown with Smith.