In-form Daryl Gurney hoping to thrill Belfast crowd

Daryl Gurney is hoping lighting strikes twice as he takes the stage against Rob Cross at the SSE Arena on Thursday as the UniBet Premier League rolls into Belfast.
Daryl GurneyDaryl Gurney
Daryl Gurney

Gurney faced the former world champion on his home debut last year and produced nine 180’s in beating Cross 7-5.

Superchin arrives in Belfast on the crest of a wave, seven points in his last four Premier League games has lifted him into the playoff places and he claimed his first European title at the weekend beating Ricky Evans 8-6 in the German Darts Championship final that victory lifting the Derry thrower up to No3 in the world ranking, he also beat Cross on route to lifting the trophy.

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“It’s a great feeling to be world number three heading into Belfast,” said Gurney.

“I was already over the moon to be returning to Belfast but now I can’t wait for it and to win my first European Tour event just a few days before it is the perfect start.”

“Heading into this year I knew I was defending a lot of money and I needed to get my act together so this is a welcome win.

“I was desperate to win a European Tour event so I could complete a ‘mini-Grand Slam’ of TV events, ProTours and now a Euro Tour.

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“Last year in Belfast was one of the most magical experiences of my life, so to get the chance to do it again is a dream come true, I know the place will be absolutely buzzing again.”

Gurney beat Raymond van Barneveld and Mensur Suljovic in the Rotterdam double header last week to move up to fourth in the Premier League table and is two points and two places behind Cross before their Belfast battle.

“I put a lot of pressure on myself and I was playing against the Barney Army so it’s always going to be a hard one playing against 14 thousand and one people, I was glad to get the result against Mensur because I knew he was in the top four and I knew if I could beat him I’d be in the top four.”

“I’m really glad with the result and I knew it didn’t matter as long as I got the win because I knew the draw wasn’t enough to get into the top four.

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“After leaving Berlin having beaten Michae (van Gerwen)l the main thing on my check list was to get three points from Rotterdam and if I could do that I’d give myself a fighting chance of top four instead of fighting around the bottom.

“I always put myself under the same pressure whether I’m playing in Newcastle or at home I’ll just get into that mode where I don’t want to be beat, the way I see it to be the best you have to beat the best and I’ll try my dammest to get a win if not a draw.”

Tickets for the Unibet Premier League night at The SSE Arena in Belfast are available by calling 028 9073 9074 or via www.ssearenabelfast.com.

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