Kay makes run to the semi's but denied place in final

PLYMOUTH teenager Keelan Kay did not produce his best performance when competing in JDC Tours 5 and 6 at Rileys, Solihull yesterday, but will be hoping that a run to the semi-finals in the opening tour event, is good enough to keep him in the top four of the Order of Merit.

He began JDC Tour 5 with a 3-0 victory over Ben Carr, aided by a checkout of 100, before he edged out Eleanor Cairns 3-2 in one of the most bizarre matches, he has probably ever competed in.

Kay went 2-0 down in 59 darts! But redeemed him self by taking three on the bounce, the last two in 16 and 18 respectively.

Another outshot of 100 enabled Kay to oust Ethan Haymes 3-0 before a more accomplished performance saw Keelan defeat Mitchell Leeming 3-1 in 16, 19 and 19.

He was denied a place in the final though when, despite levelling with a leg in 16, he bowed out 4-1 to James Beeton.

Keelan got off to a solid start in the opening round of JDC Tour 6 when he defeated Toby Gingell after being taken the full distance.

The Lord of the Board went 2-0 up in 17 and 19 and despite Gingell pulling back the deficit to 2-2, Kay progressed when taking the fifth leg in 20.

He then had to face Ben Carr for the second time on the day but sadly for Keelan’s Glamorgan Youth team mate, he was ousted 3-0 with Keelan’s best leg being claimed in 14.

A 3-0 victory over Cole Davey put Kay into the last 16 but he came up against an in-form Jack Male.

The Newcastle upon Tyne marksman won the opening leg in 18 when finishing at the first time of asking from 124 only for Keelan to win in 15 with a kill of 101.

But Male always looked in control and so it proved when he clinched the next two in 16 and 14 respectively to progress to the quarter-finals.

Keelan’s average over the two events was 74.32 and they were both won by the BDO World Youth champion Leighton Bennett when he defeated James Beeton in both finals, 5-0 and 5-3 respectively.