Brendan won his second ranking title in the space of three weeks
BRENDAN DOLAN won his second ProTour title in the space of three weeks after a 6-1 victory over Jamie Robinson in the final of the last Players Championship of 2013 at the Barnsley Metrodome.
The Belcoo star began his run to the £10,000 winner’s prize with wins over Connie Finnan, Keith Stephen and Mark Jones before claiming an excellent 6-4 win over Wes Newton to advance to the quarter-finals.
In the last eight he overcame Scotland’s Gary Anderson 6-3 before defeating Terry Jenkins for a place in the final after putting a together a run of four straight legs to win 6-2.
In the final, Dolan began well as he broke Robinson’s throw in the opening leg with a 13-dart-finish before taking the next two comfortably to establish a 3-0 lead, landing double 16 and then breaking again with a 180 in another 13-darter.
Dolan hit double 16 to win the fourth leg before Robinson took out 62 to get a leg on the board, but the world number 15 took the next two legs and completed the win in style by converting a 90 finish on double ten for a 12-darter.
“It feels brilliant and I’m chuffed to bits,” said Dolan, who won his maiden ranking title at the start of November in Wigan.
“The class of players on the tour now is so great that this is the best place in the world to play darts, and it means so much to win another tournament.
“I’d like it to become more of a habit now and the dream is obviously to go on and win a big TV event now. This is a great platform for me to build on going into the Players Championship Finals and World Championship.
“I’m playing well and I know that I can beat anyone if I get my concentration right. I’m really positive about my game at the moment, I’m confident and I know I’m playing well.”
Dolan will now concentrate on next weekend’s televised Cash Converters Players Championship Finals.
The £250,000 tournament, held at the Butlins Minehead Resort from Friday November 29-Sunday December 1, sees the top 32 players from the year’s final ProTour Order of Merit competing.
Brendan Dolan’s victory in Sunday’s Players Championship 16 saw him move onto £59,800 for the year, just £200 ahead of another shooting star, Kim Huybrechts, while Robert Thornton claimed £57,900, Jamie Caven won £55,100 and Steve Beaton picked up £50,650.
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