DERRY’S Daryl Gurney is now in the last eight of the Premier League darts with a clash against five times world champion Raymond van Barneveld tonight, Thursday, April 12.
Gerwyn Price and Mensur Suljovic were eliminated last week after ‘Judgement Night’
A point against World number two Peter Wright in Liverpool last week has moved Daryl Gurney up to sixth in the table, a point off Simon Whitlock in fourth.
‘Superchin’ faces five time world champion Raymond van Barneveld at the FlyDSA Arena in Sheffield in the first match on stage, the pair fought out a 6-6 draw on the opening night of the competition in Dublin.
Despite the pressure of playing against the best players in the world every Thursday and having to travel to ranking events at the weekend Gurney is taking his debut Premier League season in his stride.
“It’s all the same it doesn’t matter if I’m travelling on a Thursday or a Friday, I know it is one day’s extra darts but I’m more than happy to do it because if I was going to complain.
“I know there is possibly another 50 players behind me that would definitely take me slot,” said Gurney.
‘Superchin’ feels that finishing rather than scoring wins games.
His highest average so far in the Premier League is 101.96 against Michael Smith a game he lost 7-4.
Last week against Snakebite the Superchin hit 50 per cent of his doubles.
“If somebody leaves a double on their own throw and somebody takes out between 110 and 120 you’ve lost the game 7-5 with one break of throw, it’s all up for grabs and all it takes is one mistake to lose a game on win a game,” added Gurney.
Van Barneveld has competed in every Premier league bar the first one in 2005 and won it at the ninth attempt in 2014 by beating fellow Dutchman Michael van Gerwen 10-6 in the final.
Barney is a point and place behind Gurney in the table but arrives in Sheffield on the back of two defeats including a 7-0 whitewash by Michael Smith last week.
The Dutchman plays twice in Sheffield after Gurney he’ll face Wright in the final game and he is hopeful of making the playing offs.
“Daryl really found his way into the competition, he’s playing well at the moment and will be tough to beat,” said van Barneveld.
“Everyone still has a chance to make the playoffs, it’s a fresh start and I will have to beat my opponents to pass them, but I believe I still have the game to do so.”
Barney and Gurney have met five times, Gurney has one win, three defeats and a draw.
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