Daryl Gurney suffered double trouble as Northern Irish interest ended at the World Grand Prix in Leicester, the Derry man falling to a second round defeat to England’s Joe Cullen at the Mattioli Woods Arena.
In a match that saw the first four sets won against the throw, it was Cullen who held his nerve in the deciding fifth set to claim the 3-2 victory and progress to a Quarter-Final meeting with either World No.5 Dave Chisnall or Belgium’s Dmitri van den Bergh.
In the unique format, which sees players hit a double to start each leg as well as finishing on a double, it was around the edge of the board where Gurney struggled as he hit just eight of his 30 checkout attempts, while his starting of legs saw him finish 18-of-54, both of which were bettered by Cullen.
It had all started so well for Gurney, who knocked out three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen in the first round, as after failing to take out double-16 to open the first leg, instead accidentally creeping up into double-eight, Superchin would still break the throw by taking out 32 and he would hold his own to claim the opening set 3-1 despite needing ten darts to begin the third leg.
But Cullen would fight back by taking the second set against the throw, breaking Gurney in the deciding leg by hitting double-three to break straight back, but Gurney would take himself one set from victory as he secured a whitewash third set with an impressive 72 checkout in the third leg.
However, the fourth set started disastrously for the Derry man as he missed nine darts at a double and saw his throw broken in the first leg by Cullen, who hit double-ten, before he missed two darts to break back in the following leg and another four missed darts at double to start the third leg saw the Englishman close out the set in style by hitting back-to-back double-18s for a 72 checkout.
And it would be Cullen who would hold his nerve in the fifth and deciding set, already having the darts and converting that advantage by breaking Gurney in the second leg with a superb 89 checkout and hitting double-ten in the third leg to progress to the Quarter-Finals for the second consecutive year.