RED DRAGONS GRIFFITHS TAKES SECOND PDC YOUTH TOUR TITLE
SHAUN GRIFFITHS defeated nine-dart hero Michael Smith 4-2 to win the second PDC Youth Tour event in Barnsley on Saturday.
Manchester^s Griffiths, 19, took the £600 title with a fine display at the Barnsley Metrodome, dropping only five legs in seven matches during the event.
His wins included 3-0 whitewashes of Nathan Booth, Gary Thorne and Sam Schofield as well as a 4-0 victory over Ryan Harrington - the son of former World Matchplay winner Rod Harrington - in the semi-finals.
He then took victory in the final with a 4-2 win over Smith, who shared the opening four legs which were all won on double top before a brilliant 11-darter from Griffiths saw him break for a 3-2 advantage.
Griffiths - nicknamed ^The Miracle^ - then checked out 64 in the next to claim the victory and his first PDC title.
St Helens^ Smith, who already has two years of experience on the PDC circuit, enhanced his reputation with a nine-dart finish - the first on the PDC Youth Tour - in a brilliant 3-0 win over Michael van Gerwen as he hit legs of 12, 13 and nine darts in their quarter-final.
Smith also edged out Under-21 World Champion Arron Monk in a tight semi-final, which went all the way to a deciding seventh leg.
Monk hit two 18s to be first to a double, but missed three darts for the match before Smith prevailed.
Monk had defeated highly-rated duo Ricky Evans and Adam Smith-Neale in the latter stages, while Harrington dropped only two legs on his way to the last four before being defeated by Griffiths.
The third PDC Youth Tour event will be staged in a fortnight at Wigan^s Robin Park Tennis Centre, with entries still being taken through the PDC Head Office on 08712 501 180 between office hours.
PDC Youth Tour Event 2
First Round
Paul Mitchell Bye
Sean White 3-0 Scott Pearson
Steve Haggerty 3-0 Daniel Ladley
Gareth Trow 3-1 Joshua Scales
Pascal van Mourik Bye
James Young 3-2 Aden Kirk
Bradley Williams 3-1 Dan Elcock
Greg Falcus 3-0 Kieran Dodd
Kirsty Haw Bye
Jack Hill Bye
Josh Jones 3-0 Nathan Pearce
Sam Schofield 3-0 Sam Rickhuss
Gary Thorne Bye
Paul Cooper 3-1 Jake Smith
Jonathan Mulley 3-2 Ryan Iceton
Shaun Griffiths 3-0 Nathan Booth
Richard North Bye
Scott Taylor Bye
Kurtis Atkins 3-2 Joe Cullen
Scott Johnson 3-0 Mikey van Tol
Tom Murray Bye
Chris Bent 3-0 Andrew Poynter
James Thompson 3-2 Jack Mayman
Ryan Hitchens 3-0 Robert Higginson
Anthony Caswell Bye
Jack Tweddell Bye
Liam Cooper 3-0 Matthew Howard
Kris Wharton 3-2 Ross Churchill
Jordan Smith Bye
Tommy Barton 3-0 Joe Broome
Ryan Harrington 3-0 Matthew Hall
Brandon Monk 3-1 Spencer Murphy
Adam Smith-Neale Bye
David Coyne Bye
Ryan Herrington 3-1 Dan Read
Marc Evans 3-1 Carl Draper
Scott Mulgrew Bye
Michael Bushby 3-2 Sam Hamilton
Curtis Bagley 3-0 Adam Hart
Arron Monk 3-2 Bryan Flew
Dean Reynolds Bye
Ricky Evans Bye
Michael Wood 3-2 Ash Khayat
Sam Cankett 3-1 Nick Kenny
Matthew Dicken Bye
Paul Barham 3-1 Jamie Landon
Greg Upton 3-1 Daniel van Mourik
Matt Gallett 3-0 Chris Millward
Josh McCarthy Bye
Lewis Venes Bye
Anthony West 3-2 Gareth Thomas
Michael van Gerwen 3-0 Ryan Hoggarth
Jamie Green Bye
Damien Smith 3-1 Dan Dean
Chris Aubrey 3-2 Simon Hicks
Darren Whittingham 3-2 Curtis Hammond
Sam Hill Bye
Luke Humphries Bye
Ross Robson 3-1 Daniel Stevens
Co Stompe Jnr 3-1 Gavin Howard
Michael Smith Bye
Lee Whitworth 3-0 Aaron Bans
Adam Hunt 3-0 Rees Hall
Brandon Walsh 3-0 Matthew Smith
Second Round
Sean White 3-0 Paul Mitchell
Steve Haggerty 3-1 Gareth Trow
James Young 3-1 Pascal van Mourik
Bradley Williams 3-1 Greg Falcus
Jack Hill 3-0 Kirsty Haw
Sam Schofield 3-2 Josh Jones
Gary Thorne 3-0 Paul Cooper
Shaun Griffiths 3-1 Jonathan Mulley
Richard North 3-1 Scott Taylor
Kurtis Atkins 3-2 Scott Johnson
Chris Bent 3-0 Tom Murray
Ryan Hitchens 3-1 James Thompson
Jack Tweddell 3-0 Anthony Caswell
Liam Cooper 3-1 Kris Wharton
Tommy Barton 3-2 Jordan Smith
Ryan Harrington 3-0 Brandon Monk
Adam Smith-Neale 3-2 David Coyne
Ryan Herrington 3-1 Marc Evans
Michael Bushby 3-2 Scott Mulgrew
Arron Monk 3-1 Curtis Bagley
Ricky Evans 3-0 Dean Reynolds
Michael Wood 3-1 Sam Cankett
Paul Barham 3-2 Matthew Dicken
Matt Gallett 3-1 Greg Upton
Lewis Venes 3-0 Josh McCarthy
Michael van Gerwen 3-0 Anthony West
Damian Smith 3-2 Jamie Green
Darren Whittingham 3-1 Chris Aubrey
Sam Hill 3-0 Luke Humphries
Co Stompe Jnr 3-1 Ross Robson
Michael Smith 3-0 Lee Whitworth
Adam Hunt 3-0 Brandon Walsh
Third Round
Steve Haggerty 3-2 Sean White
James Young 3-0 Bradley Williams
Sam Schofield 3-2 Jack Hill
Shaun Griffiths 3-0 Gary Thorne
Richard Horne 3-1 Kurtis Atkins
Ryan Hitchens 3-2 Chris Bent
Liam Cooper 3-1 Jack Tweddell
Ryan Harrington 3-0 Tommy Barton
Adam Smith-Neale 3-2 Ryan Herrington
Arron Monk 3-0 Michael Bushby
Ricky Evans 3-1 Michael Wood
Paul Barham 3-1 Matt Gallett
Michael van Gerwen 3-2 Lewis Venes
Darren Whittingham 3-1 Damian Smith
Co Stompe Jnr 3-0 Sam Hill
Michael Smith 3-0 Adam Hunt
Fourth Round
Steve Haggerty 3-1 James Young
Shaun Griffiths 3-0 Sam Schofield
Richard North 3-0 Ryan Hitchens
Ryan Harrington 3-0 Liam Cooper
Arron Monk 3-1 Adam Smith-Neale
Ricky Evans 3-1 Paul Barham
Michael van Gerwen 3-2 Darren Whittingham
Michael Smith 3-1 Co Stompe Jnr
Quarter-Finals
Shaun Griffiths 3-2 Steve Haggerty
Ryan Harrington 3-2 Richard North
Arron Monk 3-1 Ricky Evans
Michael Smith 3-0 Michael van Gerwen - Michael Smith hits nine-darter
Semi-Finals
Shaun Griffiths 4-0 Ryan Harrington
Michael Smith 4-3 Arron Monk
Final
Shaun Griffiths 4-2 Michael Smith