SPONSORED BY |
THE PUNT
FRIDAY
17TH AUGUST
ONE OF THE TOUGHEST CHALLENGES ON THE CALENDAR FOR THE COUNTY TEAM, THE PUNT WAS ALWAYS GOING TO RUN US THE DISTANCE AND A BIT MORE MAYBE. IT WAS A 16 A SIDE CHALLENGE AND ITS WELL KNOWN THERE'S 16 GOOD PLAYERS IN OLLIE THOMPSONS CONTACTS LIST.
THE SET UP WAS SPOT ON AS ALWAYS AND WITH THE PRACTICE BOARD FUNCTIONAL , EVERYTHING WAS LOOKING GOOD FOR THE DUEL.
A BUS LOAD OF DUNDALK FOLK ALONG WITH A COUPLE OF LADS FROM MID LOUTH AND A COUPLE FROM AROUND THE DROGHEDA AREA WERE TO REPRESENT THE COUNTY FOR THIS ONE . TEAM SHEETS WERE ON THE TABLE AT NINEISH AND WE ALL GOT DUG IN. IT JUST SO HAPPENED THAT A LOCAL WEDDING AND WORKING COMMITMENTS WERE TO DRASTICLY REDUCE THE NUMBBERS ON THE PUNT TEAM, BUT THAT WOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM AS THE COUNTY WOULD LEND A COUPLE OF THROWERS AND ALSO PLAY THE SAME LADS ON THE COUNTY TEAM SHOULD THE TIME ALLOW . SO THE WHISTLE WENT AND MICKEY KELLY TOOK OVER AS MASTER OF CEREMONIES .
A BUS LOAD OF DUNDALK FOLK ALONG WITH A COUPLE OF LADS FROM MID LOUTH AND A COUPLE FROM AROUND THE DROGHEDA AREA WERE TO REPRESENT THE COUNTY FOR THIS ONE . TEAM SHEETS WERE ON THE TABLE AT NINEISH AND WE ALL GOT DUG IN. IT JUST SO HAPPENED THAT A LOCAL WEDDING AND WORKING COMMITMENTS WERE TO DRASTICLY REDUCE THE NUMBBERS ON THE PUNT TEAM, BUT THAT WOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM AS THE COUNTY WOULD LEND A COUPLE OF THROWERS AND ALSO PLAY THE SAME LADS ON THE COUNTY TEAM SHOULD THE TIME ALLOW . SO THE WHISTLE WENT AND MICKEY KELLY TOOK OVER AS MASTER OF CEREMONIES .
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THE ONE CHOSEN TO LEAD US INTO BATTLE THIS WEEK WAS THE VERY TALENTED DAVID RATH. DAVID , WITH 100% STRIKE RATE WENT IN EARLY FOR A CHANGE. HIS OPPONENT WAS THE VERY STEADY GARY BRADLEY. BOTH HAD A SHOT AT THE DOUBLE AFTER 18 DARTS BUT IT WAS DAVID THAT GOT THERE FIRST. SECOND LEG WENT SOMETHING SIMILAR ONLY TO HAVE GARY TO TAKE THE WIN AND WITH BOTH LADS THROWING WELL THE THIRD DIDN'T LAST LONG. DAVID GOT TO A DOUBLE IN 15 ONLY TO BE FACED WITH THE INFAMOUS DOUBLES MONSTER. INSIDE ONE WIRE , OUTSIDE THE NEXT WIRE , WRONG DOUBLE. ALL HE WAS SHORT WAS HITTING THE DAMN THING WHICH HE EVENTUALLY DID WITH GARY PLODDING ALONG IN THE LOW ONE HUNDREDS. A GOOD OPENING GAME AND 5 OUT OF 5 FOR THE DROGHEDA MAN . WELL DONE
LOUTH -1
PUNT - 0
LOUTH -1
PUNT - 0
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A BIT OF MAGIC WAS IN ORDER NEXT WITH THE NOT TOO OFTEN PLAYED OWEN CAFFREY. OWEN WAS UP AGAINST THE ONE OF THE DULEEK MEN THERE ON THE NIGHT . A ONE MR. NEIL BARRY. IT HAD ALL THE EDGINGS OF A LITTLE WAR WRITTEN ALL OVER IT. AND THATS JUST WHAT IT WAS . A WAR FROM THE FIRST 3 DARTS. NEIL WENT OFF WITH AN 85, 140, 85. CAFFREY RESPONDED WITH 100, 140. 180 AND TOOK ANOTHER 4 DARTS TO FINISH IT. NEXT LEG CAFFREY MISSED DOUBLE 10 FOR A 137 OUT IN 15, THEN FANNIED ABOUT UNTIL NEILL WHO HIMSELF HAD 2 X 140 IN THIS LEG TOOK OUT A NEAT 80 WHICH LEFT THE LAST LEG TO DO THE DANCING. NEIL ONCE AGAIN SCORED IN TELEPHONE NUMBERS WITH CAFFREY HANGING ON IN THERE. AND A SMALL ONE FROM NEIL IS WHERE IT HAPPENED . A TON PLUS FROM CAFFREY LEFT HIM IN COMMAND AND IT WAS ALL OVER IN 17. GREAT MATCH LADS
LOUTH - 2
PUNT -0
LOUTH - 2
PUNT -0
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OLD AGAINST NEW NEXT. NEW TO THE COUNTY THIS YEAR , AND THIRD TIME OUT WAS PAT NULTY, PITCHED IN AGAINST EX-COUNTY THROWER , PAUL MCGAULEY . IT WOULD BE EASY FOR NEITHER MEN. WITH STEADY PLAY TO THE FINISH'S IT WAS PAUL THAT TOOK THE FIRST AFTER PAT ENTERTAINED THE DOUBLES MONSTER FOR A WHILE. PAT QUICKLY RETURNED THE INSULT TO PAUL AND OFF THEY WENT ON THE DECIDER. WITH A TON AND 2 X 140'S IN THE BAG FOR PAT, IT LOOKED BLEAK FOR PAUL , BUT THEN AGAIN THAT FECKIN MONSTER WAS IN THE HOUSE AND AFTER WHAT SEEMED LIKE AN ETERNITY , PAUL EVENTUALLY CAUGHT UP WITH PAT AND SOON GOT THE DOUBLE TO PUT THE PUNT ON THE SCORE SHEET.. GOOD GAME LADS
LOUTH -2
PUNT -1
LOUTH -2
PUNT -1
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TWO COUNTY PLAYERS UP AGAINST EACH OTHER THIS TIME , BRIAN FITZPATRICK REPRESENTING THE COUNTY AND OLLIE THOMPSON REPRESENTING THE PUNT. ANOTHER CRACKING MATCH WITH 6 TONS AND TON PLUSES EACH COMING FROM THE FIRST 2 LEGS. A BIG MATCH FROM THE START WITH OLLIE TAKING THE SPOILS IN THE FIRST 2 LEGS. BRIAN THREW VERY WELL BUT HE TOO MET WITH THAT ROAMING DOUBLES MONSTER. GOOD GAME LADS.
LOUTH -2
PUNT -2
LOUTH -2
PUNT -2
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AAAAH! THE BOULD JIMMY "ICE MAN " REENAN. UP AGAINST NOEL COURTNEY. IT WAS GOING TO BE A CRACKER. NOW I HAVE BEEN TOLD NOT TO MAKE TOO MUCH OF A FUSS OVER THE ICE MAN AS IT LOOKS VERY LIKE FAVOURITISM . JIMMY, ORIGINALLY NAMED ALAN BY HIS PARENTS , WAS BORN AT THE AGE OF 35 ,AN OULD FASHIONED YOKE, WELL HE DECIDED TONIGHT WAS THE NIGHT TO SHOW GOOD ACCOUNT OF HIMSELF. AND HE DID (HE DRANK VERY LITTLE). NOEL WAS AN EXCELLENT OPPONENT BUT EVEN AFTER MISSING 3 AT A DOUBLE IN THE FIRST, JIMMY PUT IT AWAY SHARPISH AFTER NOEL HIT A TON PLUS TO LEAVE A SMALL FINISH.SECOND LEG WENT THE OPPOSITE WAY BUT STILL HIGH SCORING AND WE WERE IN FOR A TREAT. 3RD LEG AND THE COUNTY MAN PUT IN 2 X 140 BACK TO BACK TO TAKE FULL CONTROL , ONLY TO DILLY DALLY WITH THE NEXT 2 THROWS AND SEE NOEL NEARLY GO PAST , BUT A WELL PLACED 85 LEFT DOUBLE 16. AND WITH NOEL NEEDING A TON PLUS FINISH, THE TASK WAS TOO GREAT AND ICE MAN TOOK THE WIN. GREAT GAME LADS.(seem to remember something about a cabbage in there somewhere. wonder what that was)
LOUTH -3
PUNT -2
LOUTH -3
PUNT -2
AT THIS STAGE OF THE MATCH THE PUNT HAD TEMPORARILY RAN OUT OF PLAYERS , SO IT WAS COUNTY PLAYER AGAINST COUNTY PLAYER FOR A WHILE. IN REALITY THE COUNTY DIDN'T WANT TO COUNT THESE GAMES AS SCORES FOR THIS CHALLENGE JUST SO THE RESULT WOULD LOOK MORE REAL, AND NOT LIKE A SINGLES KNOCK OUT. HOWEVER SOME OF THE GAMES HAD A CRACKING STANDARD SO WE WILL GIVE AN ACCOUNT OF THEM. AND THERE WAS ALSO ANOTHER COUPLE TO COME FROM THE PUNT.
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THE VERY TALENTED "QUIET MAN" GERRY RICE WAS MATCHED UP WITH DAVID RATH, WHO WAS IN FOR THE SECOND TIME TONIGHT. THIS WAS ALWAYS GOING TO BE A CRACKER OF A MATCH AS ANY COUNTY-V-COUNTY MATCH WOULD AND IT WAS JUST THAT FROM THE START. 15 DARTS IN AND GERRY HAD ALREADY MISSED A DART AT THE DOUBLE LEAVING DAVID ON A 3 DART FINISH. DAVID DID GET A SHOT AT THE DOUBLE BUT MISSED AND IT LOOKED RIGHT FOR GERRY. OUT POPS THE DOUBLES MONSTER AND THE WIRE TOOK THE WORST OF IT. DAVID TOOK ADVANTAGE IMMEDIATELY AND TOOK THE FIRST OF THE SCORES. SECOND LEG AND THEY WERE AT IT AGAIN. TONS AND TON FORTYS . ONCE AGAIN GERRY , ON A SMALL FINISH MISSED THE SINGLE TO LEAVE THE DOUBLE ONLY TO LET DAVID IN TO TAKE THE MATCH. HARD WAY TO LOOSE A GAME BUT WE ALL KNOW , IN DARTS ITS THE DOUBLE THAT COUNTS. SUPER MATCH LADS
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THE GINJA NINJA OR JAFFA AS J.P. MULDOON IS KNOWN TO MOST FOLK WAS UP NEXT AGAINST THE MAN WITH NO STAGE NAME (HOW ABOUT "CAPTAIN AMERICA". COULD WORK). ANYWAY CONOR MCARDLE WAS THE OPPONENT AND BOTH LADS ARE UNBEATEN IN THE RED AND WHITE THIS YEAR. OOOOOH ME FINGERS ARE ITCHY WITH THIS ONE. A SAVAGE MATCH RIGHT FROM THE START, THE FIRST WENT IN 18 DARTS TO J.P ONLY TO GET THE SAME REPLY FROM CONOR IN THE SECOND AFTER A 140 THAT SET HIM UP ON THE DOUBLE. ALL EYES ON THE LAST GAME WERE REWARDED WITH SERIOUS TENSION . CONOR WITH 3 TON'S AND J.P WITH A 180 JUST BROUGHT A SLOW MOTION SILENCE TO THE ROOM. WITH NOTHING BETWEEN THESE 2 YOUNG MEN IT WAS J.P. WHO GOT THERE FIRST TO TAKE THE RESULT. ONE OF THE GREAT MATCHES OF THE CHALLENGES SO FAR. WELL DONE LADS
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NEXT UP WAS MUTLEY OR MICKEY KELLY WHEN HE STOPS LAUGHING, PLAYING AGAINST OUR VERY OWN CARL THOMAS. THIS HAD ALL THE LOOKS OF A CRACKER APART FROM ONE THING. MICKEY KELLY HAD SPENT THE EVENING WITH A MARKER IN HIS HAND AND NEVER THREW A DART FOR PRACTICE WHEREAS CARL HAD PREPARED FOR THE MATCH ON THE PRACTICE BOARD. ALTHOUGH MICKEY GOT TO A FINISH IN BOTH LEGS, HE CERTAINLY DIDN'T THROW TO HIS USUAL STANDARD. CARL ON THE OTHER HAND THREW HIS USUAL STEADY GAME AND HAD HIT THE 2 DOUBLES IN 36 DARTS. A GOOD AVERAGE AT ANY STANDARD.
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THE NEXT GAME WAS A BIT OF QUACK . NEW MAN THIS YEAR TO THE COUNTY TEAM HAMMILTON SMITH WAS UP AGAINST VETERAN DANIEL "DAFFY" DUNN. TWO HEAVY HITTERS AND A GAME TO LOOK FORWARD TO. .OFF WENT DANIEL AND THERE WAS NO MESSING ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT. THEY TRADED TREBLES WITH EVERY THROW AND THE FIRST LEG WENT WITH THE DARTS WITH HAMMILTON SITTING ON A DOUBLE. NEXT LEG AND THEY WERE AT IT AGAIN. ONE LIGHT SCORE FROM THE NEW MAN AND DANIEL TOOK ADVANTAGE IMMEDIATELY AND WITH CONFIDENT PERCISION , PUT IT BEYOND THE REACH OF HAMMILTON. IT WAS WHAT IT WAS ALWAYS GOING TO BE, A GREAT GAME. WELL DONE LADS.
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AT THIS STAGE THE PUNT PRODUCED ANOTHER PLAYER IN EX- COUNTY MAN CHRIS MURRAY."ATTITUDE ON STEROIDS". CHRIS , ALWAYS THE GOOD CRACK WAS MORE SNEERED THAN CHEERED BY HIS OWN LADS, BUT THATS THE CRACK DOWN THERE AND THE CRACK WAS GOOD. UP FOR LOUTH THIS TIME WAS GARY STEWART. GARY WHO IS COMING ON VERY STRONG SINCE JOINING THE LOUTH PANEL THIS YEAR, HAD A TOUGH TASK AHEAD OF HIM AS CHRIS HAD MADE HIS WAY ONTO THE COUNTY PANEL LAST YEAR BY THROWING HIS LAST LEG IN THE PLAYOFFS AT THE BULLS EYE, AND BEATING ALAN REENAN IN THE PROCESS , HE WAS SURE TO EXUDE A SIMILAR CONFIDENCE HERE. AND THATS JUST WHAT HE DID. NO MESSING FROM EITHER PLAYER IN THE FIRST 2 LEGS AND THEY SHARED THE REWARDS FOR IT. DOWN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE THIRD AND GARY AFTER HITTING 3 TONS HAD HIS FIRST DART AT THE DOUBLE TO WIN THE GAME , THEN HIS SECOND AND THEN HIS THIRD. CHRIS QUICKLY TOOK THE THE OCHE AND RELIEVED GARY OF THE BURDEN TO SQUARE IT UP WITH THE COUNTY AND THE PUNT. GREAT GAME LADS.
LOUTH - 3
PUNT - 3
LOUTH - 3
PUNT - 3
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BACK IN AGAIN FOR THE PUNT WAS NOEL COURTNEY LOOKING FOR A DIFFERENCE IN FORTUNE FROM HIS LAST GAME. HE WAS UP AGAINST GAVIN HILLIARD THIS TIME. GAVINS FIRST YEAR IN THE COUNTY COLOURS , AND HE'S PLAYING BETTER FOR IT. THE 2 GOT GOING IN WHAT WAS NOW A TIGHT MATCH BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND A PUB, SO THERE WAS PRESSURE ENOUGH FOR A VETERAN, NEVER MIND A NEW MAN. BOTH LADS PLAYED VERY WELL IN THE TWO LEGS THAT FOLLOWED BUT THE DOUBLES MONSTER STOPPED BY AGAIN FOR A VISIT WITH GAVIN AND NOEL GOT HIS WIN. GOOD GAME LADS
LOUTH -3
PUNT -4
LOUTH -3
PUNT -4
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PAUL MCGAULEY WAS IN AGAIN FOR THE PUNT AGAINST ANOTHER NEW COUNTY THROWER FOR THIS YEAR. JOHN "THE BULLET" O'BRIEN. THIS TIME ROUND EX-COUNTY PLAYER MCGAULEY WOULD BE HIT WITH A BRICK WALL WHEN IT COMES TO CONFIDENCE IN AN OPPONENT. JOHN TOOK OUT SOME BIG SCALPS IN THE QUALIFIERS AND HAS ONLY IMPROVED SINCE. IT WAS GOING TO BE GOOD. OFF THEY WENT AND JOHN WASN'T FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS WILE PAUL HIT STEADY STUFF. THEN OUT OF NOWHERE CAME THE 180 AND JOHN WAS FIRMLY IN COMMAND. DEATH CAME QUICKLY IN THAT LEG AND PAUL GOT THE DARTS IN SECOND. THE DOUBLES WAS THE PROBLEM IN THE SECOND FOR JOHN AND PAUL TOOK ADVANTAGE OF IT FAIRLY QUICK. SO IT WAS DOWN TO THE LAST AND THE BULLET WAS ON TARGET. ANOTHER 180 IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LEG LEFT HIM IN CONTROL AT THE RIGHT TIME AND WHEN HE LEFT 100 FOR THE FINISH , PAUL WAS ONLY ON A HIGH FINISH. DIDN'T MATTER JOHN TOOK OUT THE 100 IN 2 DARTS AND LEVELED UP THE SCORES. CRACKING MATCH LADS.
LOUTH -4
PUNT -4
LOUTH -4
PUNT -4
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DOWN TO THE LAST GAME AND IT WAS ISAAC SMITH FOR LOUTH AND A REAPPEARANCE OF NEIL BARRY FOR THE PUNT. POOR ISAAC WAS ON AT THE END OF A LONG NIGHT OF DARTS AND NEIL HAD ALREADY HAD A GAME UNDER HIS BELT. BUT THAT WOULDN'T TAKE FROM ISAAC'S ENTHUSIASM FOR THE GAME AND OFF THEY WENT ON WHAT WAS ANOTHER GREAT GAME. NEIL PEPPERED THE TREBLE IN THE FIRST AND ISAAC DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO CATCH UP SO THE FIRST WENT TO THE PUNT. SECOND WASN'T SO EASY FOR THE HOME TEAM WITH ISAAC GETTING TO THE DOUBLE FIRST , BUT GUESS WHO ? YIP YOU GOT IT. THE DOUBLE JUST WOULDN'T GO IN AND NEIL TOOK IT OUT SHARPISH. SUPER SUPER GAME LADS
LOUTH - 4
PUNT - 5
LOUTH - 4
PUNT - 5
ALTHOUGH IT WAS ALWAYS GOING TO BE TOUGH IN THE PUNT, WE WERE ALSO GOING TO HAVE A GREAT CRACK. A LOT OF PLAYERS DIDN'T MAKE IT FOR THE PUNT . LIKE STEPHEN GIBNEY AND DANNY BLACK, AND ALTHOUGH THEY BOTH TURNED UP LATER ON IN THE NIGHT . IT WAS TOO LATE FOR A GAME WITH THE COUNTY LADS AS THEY HAD A BUS TO CATCH AND MINTY'S WAS THERE SPOT ON TIME.
THE LOUTH DARTS TEAM WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS THEIR THANKS TO THE PUNT FOR THERE SUPPORT AND SPONSORSHIP. ONCE AGAIN THE FOOD WAS TOP CLASS, THE DRINK WAS WELL PRICED AND TASTED EXCEPTIONALLY WELL AND ABOVE ALL THE CRACK WAS 90
THE LOUTH DARTS TEAM WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS THEIR THANKS TO THE PUNT FOR THERE SUPPORT AND SPONSORSHIP. ONCE AGAIN THE FOOD WAS TOP CLASS, THE DRINK WAS WELL PRICED AND TASTED EXCEPTIONALLY WELL AND ABOVE ALL THE CRACK WAS 90