Pipe Takes Dublin Tournament

JUSTIN PIPE won his first professional title with a 6-5 defeat of Phil Taylor in Sunday's Players Championship at the New Citywest Convention Centre in Dublin.

The 39-year-old from Taunton continued his push to break into the world's top 32 with a brilliant display to prepare in style for his PartyPoker.com World Grand Prix debut on Monday night with the £6,000 title.

He had already achieved one 'first' for the day when he reached his maiden PDC ProTour final, having reached the last four on three occasions already this year.

His run included 6-5 wins against Mark Dudbridge and Ronnie Baxter, a whitewash of Mick Todd and 6-4 victories in the quarter-finals against Steve Beaton and the semi-finals against Gary Anderson, Pipe's regular practice partner.

He then took on world number one Taylor in the decider, and hit back superbly from going 3-1 down to level with legs of 13 and 15 darts.

Taylor took the seventh with a 121 finish for a 12-darter, but Pipe levelled on double ten, and after the pair traded the next two to set up a decider he hit three ton-plus scores to be first to a finish.

Pipe initially missed the bull for a 124 checkout, but when Taylor missed double top for the win he returned to land double ten for a 13-dart winning leg.

"It's been a long time coming for me but I'm over the moon to have finally won an event," said Pipe. "It was tough to play Gary in the semis because we know each other so well, but to go on and beat Phil Taylor, 'The Man' in the final makes it even more special.

"All the top names are here this weekend, so it's brilliant to win with such a strong field.

"I lost my focus a little bit early on in the final, but I was determined to enjoy my first final and I relaxed, and the darts started to flow.

"I'd like to dedicate this to my wife Claire and children Chloe, Coby and C-Jay because they have to put up with me being away on the circuit, and if it wasn't for them I probably wouldn't be where I am today.

"It's a proud moment but I have to get myself ready for Monday night now. I hope the weekend hasn't taken too much out of me and I'm looking forward to playing John Henderson.

"I've been practising the double-start format with Gary Anderson but it's different when you get on stage with the lights and the TV cameras, but I can't wait!"

Taylor had won Saturday's Players Championship, and picked up £3,000 for reaching the final - plus half of the £3,200 nine-dart finish bonus he will share with Raymond van Barneveld after the pair landed perfect legs on Sunday.

Taylor's came in the second leg of his clash with Kevin McDine in round two, and he also defeated Terry Jenkins before facing van Barneveld in the last 16.

The Dutch ace then hit his nine-darter in the fourth leg to level at two-all before Taylor took victory with a 13-darter in the deciding leg, which he followed with defeats of Paul Nicholson and Wes Newton to reach the final.

Newton and Anderson both warmed up well for the PartyPoker.com World Grand Prix, which begins on Monday at the New Citywest Convention Centre, with runs to the semis, while Jamie Caven, Steve Beaton and Vincent van der Voort joined Nicholson in the last eight.

World Champion Adrian Lewis, though, lost in the first round for the second successive day, going down narrowly to Nigel Heydon, while reigning World Grand Prix champion James Wade also lost 6-5, in round two against Simon Whitlock.