Maria bids for WDF ranking points on Isle of Man

PLYMOUTH’S top lady darts player will be hoping for maximum ranking points over the next four days as she participates in the Isle of Man International Festival of Darts at Villa Marina, Douglas.

Maria O’Brien will be competing in four events and will start her quest tonight when she will be in the line-up for the Ladies’ Classic singles.

Her first opponent will be London’s Leanne Topper but the draw has not been kind to the Business Development Manager with 10-times World champion Trina Gulliver and the current Women’s World Masters title holder Lorraine Winstanley both drawn on the same board.

RANKING points will be much sought after by Maria O'Brien when she competes in the Isle of Man Festival of darts over the next four days.

The Ladies’ Masters singles will be contested for on Friday and Maria’s first opponent will be Brenda Dyer from the Isle of Wight, whose experience stretches back to the World Masters of 2003.

Should she win that, then Maria would have to negotiate a tricky encounter against the 27-year-old world ranked No.3 Aileen de Graaf, in order to progress to the board final.

The Isle of Man PokerStarsOpen will be held on Saturday and Maria has been given a bye in the round of 128.

She will play the winner of Susan Wilson v Amanda Cox but in order to win her board, and if results run to form, Maria will have to face either Sharon Prins or Anca Zijlstra.

Maria will round off the four-day festival on Sunday when, with her partner Deta Hedman, the pair will contest the ladies’ doubles.