TheOche.com

By Phill Catterick, who may be reached at phillcatterick@hotmail.com

PHIL TAYLOR has finally achieved the pinnacle in the darting calendar by winning all five major televised events after beating Raymond Barneveld 6-3 in yesterday’s Grand Prix final in Dublin.

Taylor was aiming to secure his ninth title and the elusive Grand Slam which would mean `The Power` would hold all five majors, excluding the Premier League which James Wade won back in May.

Barney came out to a hero’s welcome, and even Phil’s efforts to get the crowd on his side by carrying an Irish flag to the stage didn’t work as well as he would of hoped.

The first set was tense to say the least, particularly the final leg with Taylor missing eleven darts to get off and running, and this aloud Barneveld to create an advantage big enough to claim the set.

However, Taylor still had a chance to nick it but his effort at double 16 hit the wire and Barney hit tops at the first time of asking to break the throw and go a set up.

Without those missed doubles Taylor would have almost certainly clinched the set, and I doubt many will see him miss 11 darts at a double ever again.

He responded well though and after the commercial break he took the match to Barneveld although it was clear he wasn’t at his absolute best. Despite that he broke throw in the third leg to put himself in a good position to win the set.

Barneveld came back well and had a dart to save the set but he missed double top, but just when you thought Taylor was going to clinch it he missed two doubles himself and the Dutchman didn’t need a second invitation.

As a result Barney was throwing for a 2-0 lead, but again he missed tops to clinch it for a 135 checkout, but to everyone’s amazement Taylor missed doubles again, and Barney came back to the board to make it 2-0 using double ten.

Neither player had been particularly impressive as the three darts average would suggest, but Barney’s consistency in his finishing gave him the advantage, but then again Taylor had almost gifted him the lead.

He looked more determined as the cameras returned for the third set, and won it convincingly taking all three legs as Barney struggled to live with the resurgent reigning champion.

He struggled again in the fourth missing six darts to win the opening leg, and then hit his first maximum too late in the second as Taylor checked out 110.
The reigning World Champion clinched the set to level up the match, and then took the lead in the fifth to turn the match on its head.

Yet again a player in a decent position threw away a potential match winning opportunity, and it does beg the question why this happens. Phil was definitely better in the third and fourth sets, but Barneveld didn’t reproduce the same form and perhaps a sense of complacency did creep in.

He lost the sixth to go 4-2 down and then double 16 gave Taylor a three set advantage, and from there on in there was no way back for the Dutchman.

He kept going but it was evident his best Darts had eluded him and Phil powered into a 5-2 lead. Remarkably Barney wasn’t finished yet though and put in a decent couple of legs to secure the set and reduce the advantage to 5-3.

However that would be his last contribution to the contest as Taylor wrapped it up by dominating the final set, and the Grand Slam was finally his.

Only the Premier League has eluded him this season but not many would bet against him winning it back next year, although before that he has the Grand Slam and the World Championships to contend with, and I wouldn’t be overly surprised if he wins both.

Barneveld didn’t quite show up for the match and didn’t produce the Darts we know he can. He just hasn’t been the same player since he won the Worlds two years ago and he needs to find his best game soon if he’s to be consistently challenging `The Power.`

Taylor said after the match:

“I’m absolutely over the moon. I thought the crowd were behind Barney and he never gave in.”