Dazzling Dolan Wins at the Death

Former Ally Pally Quarter Finalist Brendan Dolan came through a real battle with good mate Mickey Mansell on Day 8 of the 2024 World Darts Championship.

The History Maker claimed a sudden death decider to win 3-2 and reach the Third Round, moving through to face 5th Seed and 2021 Champion Gerwyn Price.

Florian Hempel produced one of the best comebacks the Alexandra Palace has seen, coming from 2-0 down and surviving match darts in beating last year’s Semi Finalist Dimitri van den Bergh 3-2 in the opening match of the evening session.

The all-Northern Irish battle saw both players find breaks in the opening 2 legs, before Brendan proceeded to take the opening set including an 88 finish in the third leg.

Mansell responded emphatically after the break by taking the second set without reply from his good friend, pinning tops to complete a 157 checkout in the 2nd leg to break throw.

Brendan had the advantage of throw in the third set, making full use of it to move a set away from victory. The Winmau player averaged 103.05 over the 5 legs played, missing no darts at double in moving one away from a place in the Last 32.

The Clonoe Cyclone again responded strongly to going behind in the match, averaging 100.78 in winning the fourth set 3-2 with Dolan including a 100% checkout rate again despite his lead disappearing.

Mansell hit 2 ton plus finishes, with his second of 148 sending the match into a sudden death decider after finding double 14 to follow on from two treble twenties, levelling the set at 5-5.

The History Maker found double 16 to win the sudden death decider, having earned the advantage of throw having won the nearest bull before the match. Both players played their part in another classic at this year’s World Championship, with Brendan averaging 97.51 whilst Mansell hit a checkout rate of 55.56%.

Florian Hempel fell to an early 2-0 deficit against Dimitri van den Bergh in the opening match of the evening session, with the former World Matchplay Champion including a 117 finish to take the opening set.

The response from the German was emphatic, breaking throw in a deciding leg in the third set to save himself in the contest. The Winmau player then found a 151 checkout on double tops to save himself again, before finding back-to-back 10 darters in a real spirited fightback.

The Dessau born player missed just 7 darts at double in recording a finishing rate of 63.16% against Van den Bergh, taking the last set 3-0 having broke the throw twice. Hempel defeats Dimitri for a second time in the last three years at a PDC World Championship, after finishing 80 to claim a 3-2 to move through a face either Stephen Bunting or Ryan Joyce in the Third Round.

Elsewhere, Chris Dobey came through an entertaining battle against William O’Connor, with the Irishman proving a very tricky customer for the Masters Champion in the final match. Chris included 10 180s to move through a 3-2 winner and a Last 32 showdown with 16th Seed Ross Smith.

Saturday is the final day of action before the Christmas break, with Jonny Clayton taking on Steve Lennon in the afternoon session as well as an all Winmau showdown between Daryl Gurney and Steve Beaton.

2024 World Darts Championship:

Day 8 Results

Last 64:

Brendan Dolan (28) 3-2 Mickey Mansell
Jeffrey de Graaf 3-1 Jose de Sousa (25)
Krzysztof Ratajski (24) 3-1 Jamie Hughes
Boris Krcmar 3-1 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Florian Hempel 3-2 Dimitri van den Bergh (15)
Martin Schindler (26) 3-1 Jermaine Wattimena
Raymond van Barneveld (29) 3-1 Radek Szaganski
Chris Dobey (17) 3-2 William O’Connor