Defending champion Clayton clinical in Cullen win, Wade dumps out Price as first Premier League Darts semi-final set up
PDC
The first semi-final on the opening night of Premier League Darts action is confirmed as Jonny Clayton will face James Wade in Cardiff.
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Clayton, the defending champion was in clinical form as he saw off Joe Cullen 6-2 with a 103 average sending out a message to the rest of the field early on.
He had the crowd behind him and settled down straight away with back-to-back 180’s before hitting double four after Cullen wired a 170 en route to a race to six.
Cullen hit his first 180 of the match but missed multiple darts to draw level as nerves got the better of him and Clayton went 2-0 up. He hit an 81 checkout to go 3-0 up from there.
A 180 began Cullen’s throw for Clayton but he spurned a chance at 136 for a 4-0 lead. This allowed Cullen to get off the mark.
He added another leg with a 102 checkout to make it 4-2 with a hold of throw. A 50 checkout saw Cullen go to the brink though as Clayton was 5-2 up.
Cullen missed three darts to hold throw and Clayton took aim at 94 for the win, he missed two at double 20 for the match but one, double one wasn’t on the side of Cullen and ‘The Ferret’ returned for double 10 to move through.
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While Wade silenced the crowd on hand in Cardiff as he took out Gerwyn Price who was out of sorts in a 6-3 defeat to 'The Machine'.
Wade does as he does best hitting three ton plus checkouts and it means a barren return to the tournament for Price who had to miss last year due to COVID-19.
Price had trouble closing out the first leg and Wade picked his pocket and lifted his hands aloft in an ironic celebration as he broke throw.
Wade held from there missing a 118 checkout but Price couldn’t get a dart at 74 so ‘The Machine’ returned for a 2-0 lead.
Price got his first leg on the board with a 57 checkout as Wade threw for a 3-1 lead. A 100 checkout using two double 20’s saw Wade produce.
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Wade went 4-2 up from there as he hit double 10 to go two away from a tie with Clayton. Price missed 116 for a hold of throw but Wade missed 107 on double 18 for a break allowing ‘The Iceman’ back to make it 4-3.
Wade didn’t allow Price a shot at 170 and went one away with a 124 checkout. Price missed three to hold on double five and Wade took it with a 104 checkout.
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- Probably i will receive a lot of backlash and hate for this reaction, but well, so be it. I am more than sick and tired of those lies of you Barry Hearn. How dare you defend yourself over the back of Fallon’s son! He has a disability and not an illness, so let me correct that for you! I know because I have the exact same disability. I have tried to reach out to Fallon in the past, and offered her to help her and her son, because I was struggling with the same problems, and I understood the boy. I wanted him to have finally someone who understood him. However she told me that she did not want my help, and I have respected Fallon’s choice. I have never asked Fallon for money. They don’t need money in that case. I only ever wanted the best for Fallon and Rory, but I have to be honest about the situation. Fallon should tell the true story and not be forced to tell lies. I don’t hate Fallon, and I don’t begrudge or envy a single penny that she gets, but this situation/case is just not fair. I hate the lies and the dishonesty and injustice. I don’t want Fallon to be hated because there is an unfair disadvantage created. Don’t proclaim your false lies over the back of Rory! I only stand for integrity and justice. I am precisely the one who always sticks up for Fallon. And you don't, you don't give a damn about them. You were never there for them, and now you only want to save your own position! You are just trying to talk your way out of your own bad behavior at the expense of someone with a disability. And to Fallon, I don’t know if this may ever reach you, and you read it, but I want you to know I love you and I love your son Rory very much, I am sorry how things developed and went. I hope you and Harriet are still friends. I am sorry if I were too persistent to you, or you experienced it that way, but it was never my intention. Please understand I have autism as well. As Barry Hearn would say, I am only just a human being too, and I also make mistakes and misjudge things sometimes. I promise you I did everything out of the deepest love and care for you and Rory. If I were you, I should just keep all the money, only please never be dishonest or tell lies anymore for Barry Hearn, or anyone else. I hope you have the best life, and I wish nothing more than the best for you. I have always loved the two of you. Farewell.Hiddo05-11-2026
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