Cork Darts: Groves get the new year off to a fine start

IT was back on the oche for the players after the Christmas team break came to an end on Monday night last with the playing across all four divisions of the Cork Darts Organisation trophy competitions.

The Groves second team who operate alongside their first squad in the CDO Premier Division welcomed the out-of-towners, the Riverstown Inn, to their Dublin Street Blackpool venue.

Long-serving veteran John O’Callaghan was the player in the first position for the Groves and John certainly gave off no impression that he was away from the practice board over Christmas as he never allowed Riverstown Inn’s number one Dave Power to get his darts going as O’Callaghan came through on a 3-0 scoreline.

Craig Bowen from the Groves playing in only his first season up with the adults having just this season graduated from youth darts was another player to impress once again as he got the better of the more experienced Eddie Moynihan by three legs to one.

Vince Moynihan was the Riverstown number three and there for the Groves was Mark Farrell and in a real nail-bitter of a game it was Moynihan who took it by 3-2 and Decky Cotter kept the momentum up for the Riverstown Inn as he went on to take the fourth game on a 3-1 scoreline to level and leave the decision down to the final clash of the match.

The last game of this Premier Division clash however proved to be a little bit of an anti-climax as it was the home player Steve Casey who took the honours on a 3-0 result to seal all three points for the Groves 2 and a great start to the new year.

Quinlans 2 who only just prior to Christmas completed a run of 10 games unbeaten which saw them being crowned Premier division champions, saw their attempt to make it eleven games on the spin halted as they suffered a 3-2 loss at home against a vibrant Cow side.

Over in CDO First Division, there were home wins for River Lane by 3-2 over the Joshua Tree while Old Reliable impressed with a 4-1 win over the Groves.

Also in the First Division, the Gallow's second squad suffered a 4-1 loss away to the Local and the Residence claimed 4-1 win in their away clash with O’Cionnaighs.

Meanwhile, in the Second Division the Gallows 3 were brought back to Earth as they lost at home 3-2 against Carrigaline GAA who were their victims in the recent Second Division final by a 3-0 scoreline. 

Also in the Second Division, Hennessy’s were 4-1 winners away to O’Cionnaigh’s and the Local 2 put up a very impressive 5-0 win away to the Tower and the Glenryan Tavern were 3-2 home winners against the Red Cove.