Luke Humphries dominates in Dublin to claim third consecutive Premier League triumph
Catch up on all the night's Premier League action:
Final
Humphries 6-2 Smith
Humphries started right back with a 180 in Smith's leg. He also won Smith's leg right away by throwing out 98. Double 12 was thrown out after 12 darts. Despite Smith also throwing his first 180, the second leg went out in 13 darts via double 16 for Humphries.
He opened with a 180 for the third time in a row and now threw another after it. 141 was left, but that ninth darter did not come.
In 11 darts, 52 eventually went out and so it was 3-0 at lightning speed. Humphries threw 123 average in the first three legs.
Smith had a chance for the break from 124, but missed double 11. Humphries also failed to get 108 out, but Smith again missed two arrows. Humphries now threw double 16 to make it 4-0.
Humphries unstoppable
In the fifth leg too, Humphries was the boss. He missed three darts on double 8 so Smith had to throw out 113 and he did: 4-1.
Humphries made it 5-1 by throwing out 80 to quickly reach match point. Humphries missed the bullseye on 132 to make it 5-2 as Smith threw out 125.
He followed it up with a 180 to work towards a break. Humphries threw another 180 and put a lot of pressure on Smith's 86. That did not go out and so Humphries got a second matchdart.
He was allowed to come back for 32 and threw double 8 for a 6-2 win.
He threw above 100 average in the Premier League for the eighth time in nine matches.
Semi-finals
Price 5-6 Smith
Price threw the first 180 of the match, but Smith had a finish first. A high one though, namely 132, but it did not go out. The bullseye failed to hit and 80 did go out for Price via double 5, creating an immediate break.
Price cashed in on the break by throwing 56 out in two arrows. Smith did throw 180 in his leg, but ran into trouble. Price failed to throw 132 out and so had to throw 65 out. That succeeded in two arrows and so the Englishman got on the board: 2-1.
Smith also threw 180 in the fourth leg and had the initiative in Price's leg. He left 59 and threw that out for the rebreak: 2-2.
A 177 and 180 put Price well back and allowed him to take the break again and did so by throwing 44: 3-2.
Smith got one arrow on the rebreak, but missed tops. Price also failed to throw 58 out and so Smith still threw the break via double 5: 3-3.
Decisive leg
The Englishman, helped by a 180, took the lead for the first time by hitting double 10. He also got an arrow on the break, but failed to throw 121 out via bullseye. Price did throw out 59 to get back on level terms: 4-4.
Price also got one arrow for a break from 72, but missed tops. Double 3 did go out for Smith to make it 5-4.
Price started his leg with a 180 and he left 115. That went out and so there was a decisive 11th leg. Price was first on a finish. 121 was over and on bullseye came a matchdart, but it went wrong. Smith had 104 left and did throw it out, winning 6-5.
Humphries 6-4 Aspinall
Aspinall had 44 left in the first leg and threw that out via double 16. Humphries threw a good second leg and was out in 14 arrows. 76 went in via triple 20 and double 8.
In the second leg, Humphries threw the first 180 of the match and immediately threw it again, leaving 141. The nine darter did not come, but the ten darter did via double 18 and thus the break: 2-1.
He again opened with 180 and threw it again later that leg. 94 was over, but that didn't go out. Aspinall was still far away and so double 8 now went out for a 3-1 lead.
Humphries threw 180, but Aspinall was allowed to finish first in the fifth leg. 76 went out and so it was 3-2. Aspinall had the first chance to break via 87, but missed the bullseye. Humphries had 104 left and threw that out to keep the break: 4-2.
Humphries had a chance for the break on 110, but missed double 18. Aspinall threw out 40 via double 5 and stayed in the match: 4-3.
Aspinall can go long
Humphries missed three darts on 40 and so Aspinall had the chance for the break via 80 and now hit it. Via tops it became 4-4.
The sixth 180 was again thrown by Humphries, giving him the chance for the break. 60 went out via double 10 to make it 5-4. Humphries won the match by throwing 52 out via double 16 and this time threw almost 105 average.
Quarter-finals
Humphries 6-1 Wright
Humphries also threw the first 180 in the first leg, which he started himself. He finally got to throw on tops and hit it for a 1-0 lead.
Wright had 201 standing and Humphries 170, but a neat 177 score allowed Wright to go to double 12. Humphries failed to throw out 170, after which Wright levelled the score. Humphries then started his leg with his second 180. He also threw his third in that leg and left Wright far behind. 32 went out via double 8 to make it 2-1.
Humphries got the first chance for the break at 130 and grabbed it right away. Via two times triple 20 and double 5 it was 3-1. The Englishman threw 140 three times in the fifth leg and left 81 after nine arrows. That eventually went out in 11 arrows, as triple 19 and double 12 were also found: 4-1.
No chance for Wright
Wright left 100 in his leg, but missed two doubles to throw out. He threw out 120 in very handsome fashion. Twice bullseye was thrown. So it was soon match point for Humphries. The first matchdart went wrong, but he could come back for double 4. That went wrong, but double 2 did not, making it 6-1 for Humphries. The Englishman had an average of 106.
Aspinall 6-5 Cross
Aspinall opened with a maximum score in his own leg. He eventually won that leg too by throwing out 40 via double 5. Cross had a chance from 68 to make it 1-1, but missed double 16. 114 did go out with the first break arrow and the break came early: 2-0.
Aspinall was to make it 3-0 on 40 but did not throw out. Cross left 70 and threw that out in two arrows: 2-1. So did the rebreak soon. Cross had a chance to cash in on the break via 152, but he only missed double 16. Aspinall also failed to throw 58 out and so Cross came back for double 8 and threw it too: 2-2.
He was also under pressure in his own leg, as Cross waited for 36, so 122 had to go out and it did via two times triple 18 and double 7. A handsome finish: 3-2. Cross easily made it 3-3 via double 16.
Aspinall wins the 11th leg again
In the seventh leg, Aspinall threw his second and second 180 of the match. He also threw the third in the same leg, leaving 81 after nine arrows. That went out via bullseye and so it was 4-3.
Cross opened the eighth leg with 177. He finally left tops and threw that out for the 4-4. Via double 16, Aspinall came back again and it was 5-4. Cross had to win his leg to stay in the match and did so by throwing double 6. This led to an eleventh and deciding leg. Aspinall often won that 11th leg, throwing 180 right away and leaving 98 after nine arrows. Cross left 136 after nine arrows. Aspinall missed double 19 and then accidentally left double 1. He threw that out and beat Cross 6-5.
Van Gerwen 5-6 Price
Price had no trouble with Van Gerwen in the first leg. The Dutchman was still on 170 when Price was allowed to dock for 74. That went out via double 10. Van Gerwen threw the first 180 of the match in the second leg. Van Gerwen left 80 but did not throw out. Price had 70 left and did throw out tops: 2-0.
The break was even and he followed with a 180. Van Gerwen also started with a 180. Price was on 96 after nine arrows and threw out after 11 darts for 3-0. Van Gerwen got on the board by throwing out 65. Price equalised by throwing 180. Price made it 4-1 via tops. Van Gerwen left 100 but did not throw out and so Price had another chance for a break via 85. Bullseye didn't go out and 60 did for Van Gerwen: 4-2.
By heels
Van Gerwen started with 180 in Price's leg, but did not get on a finish first. Price left 170 but could not find the triple. Van Gerwen did throw 132 out via a nifty bullseye to make it 4-3 and take the rebreak. He also started his own leg with 180. Price threw another 180, but Van Gerwen got to 4-4 via double 8.
Price threw 180 again in his leg and left 120. That also went out for a 5-4 lead. Van Gerwen started six darts without a triple, but was lucky that Price only found one. Price threw 180 and took control. Price had 78 left and got a matchdart, but missed double 10.
Van Gerwen had 60 left and threw in the 5-5. Price threw well and found five triples in that final leg. 74 was for the match, but missed tops for the match. Van Gerwen failed to throw out 160 and so Price had three chances and now did find double 10: 6-5.
Littler 4-6 Smith
Littler had an immediate chance for the break via 164, but he only missed the bullseye. Smith did throw 45 out via double 10 to make it 1-0. The same double 10 made it 1-1.
Littler started with six perfect darts in Smith's leg, allowing him to go in for a nine darter. The seventh dart did not go into triple 20 and so the chance was gone. Smith missed bullseye to throw out 124 and keep his leg, but Littler also failed to throw out 86. Smith also failed to throw out 25 and so Littler was allowed to come back for 7 and threw the break via double 2. Littler left 132 in his own leg and threw the bullseye twice but missed double 16. 32 went out inside double 4 on the turn and so it was 3-1.
Smith had no trouble in his own leg and threw in 3-2 via tops. Littler failed to finish 128 and so Smith had a chance for the break via 122 and he took it. The bullseye was thrown and so it was 3-3.
Littler weakened
Smith threw 180 in the seventh leg and left 87. That didn't go out, but he was allowed to come back for it. Via double 4, he grabbed the lead for the second time in the match: 4-3.
Smith also threw 180 in the eighth leg, but Littler threw out 72 for the 4-4. Tops made it 5-4 for Smith, putting him on match point. Smith had three matchdarts in the tenth leg and finished with double 4: 6-4.