McGeeney effort caps top event

THUMBS UP FOR OLDHAM . . . Bobby George with local darts player Rachel Mawdsley (left) and Angi Taylor at the Night of Champions. PICTURES by TIM BRADLEY.

2 More Image(s) In Gallery

Local player Mark McGeeney (white shirt) enjoyed himself against 2014 PDC world champion Michael van Gerwen,who is seen posing with a fan (top, right).
Darts is definitely alive and kicking in Oldham.

Already the home of current national Super League champion town team, almomst 600 arrows fanatics packed the Queen Elizabeth Hall for a superbly organised and brilliantly received Oldham Night of Champions event.

Hosted by Sky Sports commentator John Gwynne, the event was a roaring success, with the organisers promising similar showpieces in the future.

Stellar names from the world of professional darts graced the oche - led by the most popular of them all at present, “Mighty” Mike van Gerwen — the Dutch superstar and 2014 PDC world champion.

Van Gerwen’s name probably shifted a substantial number of the tickets, but there were plenty of other big names on show too, including mini-tournament winner Mark Webster — a previous BDO world champion — Vincent van der Voort, Simon Whitlock, John Henderson and popular Stockport pair Darryl Fitton and Tony O'Shea.

Making up the tournament quarter-final line-up on the night was Oldham ace Mark McGeeney.

The town team star has enjoyed a breakthrough year on the BDO circuit and is gearing up to make his debut on the World Championship’s famous Lakeside stage early in the New Year.

McGeeney was drawn against crowd hero Van Gerwen in the last eight stage, and though he lost 4-3 in legs, he gave a great account of himself in his first-ever meeting with the Dutch superstar.

McGeeney said afterwards: "It was a great atmosphere up there, I loved every minute of it.

“The crowd was great and to be playing the best player in the world was quite unbelievable really.

“I know I lost, but I was over the moon with my performance.”

Webster beat Fitton, Henderson saw off Van der Voort and O’Shea defeated Whitlock in the last-eight, before Webster and O’Shea booked final places by getting the better of Van Gerwen and Henderson respectively in the semi-finals.

Webster beat O’Shea 4-3 in the final to win the Night of Champions trophy, on a brilliant evening that also featured “King of Bling” Bobby George and a one-leg shoot-out between Van Gerwen and the winner of the recent Moston Open tournament — Oldham town team prospect Dave Airey.