Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson into World Grand Prix quarter-finals
Van Barneveld crashes out as seeds prevail on day three in Ireland
Monday 8 October 2018 16:26, UK
Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson remained on course for a World Grand Prix showdown, while defending champion Daryl Gurney survived a huge scare.
Much of the darting debate has been on whether Van Gerwen or Anderson is the best player in the world - a conversation that has come about as the Flying Scotsman has hoovered up the majority of the big TV titles this year.
The pair are seeded to meet in a mouthwatering semi-final on Friday night, and they both moved to within a victory of that with typically dominant displays on Tuesday night on the outskirts of Dublin.
Van Gerwen lost just a single leg against Darren Webster, the only leg he has lost in the first two rounds, and he will next face 2013 runner-up Dave Chisnall.
World Grand Prix Day Three - as it happened
Chizzy blasted his way past Raymond van Barneveld for the loss of just two legs in the opening match of the night and he will hope for a repeat of his quarter-final victory against MvG five years ago.
Anderson, the current UK Open, World Matchplay and Champions League champion, went one better than Chisnall, losing just a single leg in a 3-0 victory over Dutch debutant Jeffrey de Zwaan, who failed to reach the heights of his Matchplay run that was also halted by Anderson.
Up next for the Scot is the defending champion Daryl Gurney who survived a huge scare, and some booing from the crowd, to finally see off Ron Meulenkamp, who had rallied from two sets down to force a deciding set before eventually faltering.
Michael van Gerwen 3-0 Darren Webster
The world No 1 continued to put last year's first-round exit to John Henderson firmly in the rearview mirror and maintain his position as the red-hot favourite for a fourth Grand Prix crown.
A dominant display against the Demolition Man featured an average just under 92, five maximums and a 41 per cent record on his finishing doubles - the only downside, a first dropped leg of the week.
But Webster was punished for missing a dart at double in the opening leg that also featured Van Gerwen failing to get off the mark in his opening seven darts.
Mighty Mike pounced to take out 104 and also missed out on a brilliant 170 on his way to the first set before finding the bullseye for a showboating 70 check-out and a fifth leg in succession.
Webster got on the board in the sixth leg of the match but there was no stopping Van Gerwen who took out the next four legs to wrap up a comprehensive 3-0 win and a date with Chisnall.
Gary Anderson 3-0 Jeffrey de Zwaan
There was to be no repeat of the thrilling World Matchplay semi-final between Anderson and De Zwaan as the Dutchman managed just a single leg.
Anderson started fast and continued to go through the gears, pushing his average up set by set as De Zwaan - beaten 17-12 in that memorable Blackpool final - struggled to get off the mark.
Anderson blitzed the opening set, reeling off three legs in succession thanks to a 100 per cent record on his doubles.
The Black Cobra finally got on the board in the fifth leg of the match, but Anderson closed out the set, cleaning up 90 thanks to a bullseye finish.
Three more legs followed in the blink of an eye with Anderson completing his win with a brilliant 130 finish.
WORLD GRAND PRIX - DRAW, RESULTS & SCHEDULE
Dave Chisnall 3-0 Raymond van Barneveld
Chizzy produced a superb display to end Barney's hopes of a first major TV title since the 2014 Premier League, with a 3-0 hammering of the Dutchman.
Barney's troubles began early on as he blew six darts at a double in the opening leg of the contest and Chisnall punished by cleaning up 57. Barney got himself on the board, but only after more missed darts at double, however it was Chisnall who powered to the set, missing just a single dart at double.
With Van Barneveld out of sorts, the eighth seed returned to clean up 25 to increase his lead. Barney's struggles continued and, having missed nine darts at double in the opening set, he soon found himself 2-0 down in the second.
Chances were few and far between for Barney, a two-time runner-up in Dublin, but having saved himself with a brilliant 164 in the first round he was unable to do so again; the closest he came was a missed dart at bullseye for a 135 finish.
He did manage to get a second leg on the board but Chisnall reeled off the next four in succession for a remarkably straightforward win and a third career quarter-final at the Grand Prix.
Beaton stuns Cross at Grand Prix
Daryl Gurney 3-2 Ron Meulenkamp
Gurney's path to the last eight looked to be set when he coasted into a dominant position, averaging almost 100 and allowing his opponent just a single dart at a double.
But with Superchin 2-0 up in sets and two legs away from the quarter-final, the defending champion lost his way just as Meulenkamp found his.
The Dutchman was a man inspired, thanks to a brilliant 106 finish he levelled the third set and then took the lead in the set with a brilliant 13-dart leg that maintained a 100 per cent record of three out of three on the doubles.
Meulenkamp missed three darts for the set but, with Gurney missing three of his own for the leg, he was back to punish the fifth seed and close within one of Gurney.
A fourth maximum of the match helped Meulenkamp into a 2-0 lead in the fourth set and then a missed dart at tops for the set allowed Gurney to stop a run of five successive legs for the Dutchman.
It delayed the inevitable as Meulenkamp took the set to force the decider but Gurney found the form of the opening two sets to sweep all three legs of the fifth, closing out the match with the same 72 finish that he started the match.
Coverage of the World Grand Prix continues on Wednesday with the remaining four second-round matches - join us from the Citywest Hotel on Sky Sports Action from 7pm.
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