CULLEN BREAKS NEW GROUND! 💪 Joe Cullen is through to the Betfred World Matchplay semi-finals for the first time in his career! 👏 The Rockstar finishes with a flourish to wrap up an 16-11 victory over Daryl Gurney! 📺 bit.ly/WM23Live| #WMDarts QFs
Cullen holds off Gurney fightback to reach first World Matchplay semi-final
PDCThursday, 20 July 2023 at 22:38
The first man through to the semi-finals of the 2023 World Matchplay in Blackpool is Joe Cullen after a 16-11 victory over Daryl Gurney.
Daryl Gurney took on Joe Cullen in the first of this year's quarter-final ties and after two of the most fan-friendly walk-on songs, the Winter Gardens was pumped. 'The Rockstar' looked to have settled well enough, firing in a 180 before breaking throw in the opening leg on double 16.
The same target was again nailed in the second leg as Cullen cleaned up 52 for a two-leg lead.In truth, Gurney was offering little resistance to Cullen and the English soon moved four clear. Then, in the final leg before the break, 'Superchin' had his chance to get off the mark. Four darts at double 14 came and went however and Cullen punished. 5-0 at the first break.
Finally, in the first leg back after the interval, Gurney got himself on the board and crucially, broke the Cullen throw. More missed darts in leg 7 though, saw the Northern Irishman undo some of that work with Cullen regaining a five-leg advantage. Nevertheless, Gurney was certainly much improved and picked up the next two legs. Cullen took the final leg of the session on double 8 to head of stage 7-3 up.
Both players missed multiple darts for the first leg of the third session before finally, Gurney secured it, managing to pull back to 7-4. The match was getting scrappy, more missed doubles in the following leg, although this time Cullen took it. Then a brilliant 132 on the bullseye saw Gurney peg another leg back, before Cullen then one-upped his opponent with a sumptuous 142. After taking the last leg of the session to make it 9-6, we saw the first bit of emotion from a fired-up Gurney.
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That fire continued after the break as the Northern Irishman continued his charge towards regaining parity. Cullen though was by no means a spent force and seeing his opponent get back to within two at 10-8 seemed to have re-awoken him as 'the Rockstar' broke the throw to restore a three-leg lead. And when Cullen took the last leg of the session, despite all Gurney's hard work he was back to four behind at 12-8.
After Gurney had missed a handful at double in the 21st leg, Cullen threatened what would have been a heartbreaking 164. But once he missed the bull, a relieved Gurney returned to mop up. Pinning double 9 in the following leg, 'Superchin' was once again back to within two. Cullen immediately broke back once again though and after surviving a near-miss from Gurney at a 161, Cullen advanced to 14-10 clear.
Cullen started the 25th leg with five perfect darts. After he missed the big 17 on 49 however, Gurney was allowed a chance and he gratefully took it as he continued to scrap with all his worth. Thanks to double 4, Cullen then moved to the cusp of a first Matchplay semi-final. After Gurney wired double 16 to save the match, Cullen nailed tops and sealed the victory.
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