Like a chip off the old block, Ryan Harrington raced to a superb win in the third PDC Unicorn Youth Tour event.
Son of former World Matchplay Champion and now PDC Director Rod Harrington, the 20-year-old showed he had the family genes, beating Steve Haggerty 4-2 in the final at Wigan’s Robin Park.
“It is a great achievement for me,” he said. “But I have still got a very long way to go to match what my Dad achieved!”
He dominated an all Essex final against Haggerty, winning it in style with a two dart 94 finish to complete a 14 dart leg.
Harrington reached the semi-finals of the 2nd Youth event and this landmark win earns him £600 and a place at the World Youth Championship later this year.
The Unicorn Youth tour again proved hugely popular, with a full house of 128 youngsters taking part!
Unfortunately, Joe Cullen’s disappointing start to the year continued, as the Unicorn star missed chances and was beaten 3-2 in the 3rd Round by Jamie Green.
Unicorn’s under 21 World Champion Arron Monk was drawn on board one – the toughest possible board.
And it was certainly a case of ‘bad’ luck of the draw, because he was beaten 3-2 by Michael Smith, who started off as the favourite to win the third of the Youth Tour events.
But the St Helens man, who has already hit a 9-darter in the Youth Tournament and of course, won his first senior competition with that triumph in the UK Open, then went onto to suffer a shock 3-2 defeat in the 3rd Round to Marc Evans.
And that result just goes to show how open the 2010 Youth Tour is.
Another Unicorn youngster Sean White was also beaten in the 1st Round, going down 3-2 to Matt Gallett.
The next PDC Unicorn Youth Tour tournament takes place in Crawley later this month.
Results – Quarter-Finals:
Steve Haggerty 3-1 Marc Evans
David Pallett 3-1 Michael van Gerwen
Ryan Harrington 3-2 Pascal van Mourik
Paul Barham 3-1 Johnathan Mulley
Semi-Finals:
Steve Haggerty 4-2 David Pallett
Ryan Harrington 4-3 Paul Barham
Final:
Ryan Harrington 4-2 Steve Haggerty
By STUART PYKE
Photo courtesy PDC