Brendan Dolan pulled off one of the biggest shocks in World Matchplay history on Sunday night in Blackpool by sending defending champion Michael van Gerwen home at the World Matchplay.
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Dolan was deadly on the two- and three-dart finishes. Thus, "The History Maker" threw out 82, 46, 75, 76 and twice 62, among others, to win his legs.
It eventually led to a 10-7 victory for the Northern Irishman. ''To beat Michael van Gerwen on a big stage, I’m over the moon," Dolan responded after his match.
Dolan referred to his victory over Van Gerwen as one of the highlights of his career. ''Michael was unbelievable in Poland last weekend. I know he’s suffering after his operation and he’s trying to recover, and it wasn’t the Michael we have come to expect tonight," Dolan said. “Obviously the highlight of my career was the nine-darter and beating James Wade in the World Grand Prix semi-finals, but this win is definitely right up there.”
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He contributes to DartsNews.com, where he covers professional darts through news, match reports, analysis, and live coverage across the PDC calendar and major tournaments.
A key part of his work is on-site reporting from leading events. Kieran has covered the PDC World Darts Championship in person, reporting daily from the venue and providing first-hand insight from the tournament. During his coverage, he has conducted interviews with leading players including Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, and Gerwyn Price.
He is also one of the leading voices of the English-language Dartsnews Podcast, contributing regular analysis and discussion on developments across the professional darts circuit.
In his reporting, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles when new, verified information becomes available.
Really pleased with the way I played tonight against @MvG180
Still plenty to work on.
Looking forward to round 2.
Thanks to everyone for the support.
#WorldMatchplay