John Harkin Eight Week Competition

Eoghan Hegarty is the eighth and final player trough the 2026 John Harkin Cup playoffs following an excellent display of darts from the Glen youth thrower, he defeated fellow youth player Kealan McGuire in the final 4-3, Kealan took the first leg on double four before Eoghan won the next two with a 16 dart leg and a double ten out. Kealan had a 19 dart leg to level and then a 68 checkout to go 3-2 up. Eoghan threw two big legs to finish on double five and a 45 checkout to win.

In the semis Eoghan came from 2-0 down against Adrian and won with things down to the wire in the deciding leg with Eoghan hitting a 180, one of six in total hit overall on the night. Kealan beat Adam Cunningham 4-2 in the other semi with Kealan also hitting a 180. Eoghan had a 14 dart leg and 180 in his quarter final win, while a shout out to Declan Ellis who hit his first completive 180 in his opening match of the night which was an impressive 3-1 win over James Bracken.

So with all that Kelan’s run to the final has got him a shield spot and with Paidi having to unfortunately withdraw it was John McGilloway who got the final spot. We also have the 8 youth qualifiers confirmed as well.

Final

Eoghan Hegarty 4 Kealan McGuire 3 (16 dart leg Eoghan, 19 dart leg Kealan)

Semi Finals

Eoghan Hegarty 4 Adrian Byrne 3 (180 Eoghan)

Kealan McGuire 4 Adam Cunningham 2 (180 Kealan)

Quarter Finals

Eoghan Hegarty 3 Declan Ellis 0 (14 dart leg and 180 Eoghan)

Adrian Byrne 3 Conal Keeney 1

Kealan McGuire 3 Daniel Cunningham 0

Adam Cunningham 3 Gary Gillespie 0

First Round

Eoghan Hegarty 3 Charlie McLaughlin 0

Declan Ellis 3 James Bracken 1 (180 Declan)

Adrian Byrne 3 Christopher Byrne 0 (180 Adrian)

Conal Keeney 3 Lorcan McGinley 0

Kealan McGuire 3 John McGilloway 1 (180 Kealan)

Daniel Cunningham 3 Darragh McGinley 0

Gary Gillespie 3 Luke Gillespie 2

RED = Youths (U23) 

James Byrne is player number seven trough to the finals night leaving us with just one week to go for one more player, having lost in the final two weeks ago to Des, James got over the line with a 4-1 win over Eoghan Hegarty who on his first appearance had an excellent night of darts, he went 1-0 up in the final but he could not replicate his semi-final performance meaning James booked his place in the finals night hitting double one in the final leg which was a fitting ending as numerous matches ended on double one from the start of the night! In the semis Eoghan threw a great match to defeat John McHugh 4-2 while James beat Adrian Byrne who hit 3 180s on the night also 4-2. It might have been a different outcome as James was 2-0 down to Charlie McLaughlin in the opening round with Charlie throwing two good opening legs hitting a 171 and 19 dart leg to go 2-0 up but he could not keep up the big scoring and James punished, Keelan was unlucky with a 170 attempt in the quarters. 16 players entered in a fascinating evening of darts!

Final

James Byrne 4 Eoghan Hegarty 2

Semi Finals

James Byrne 4 Adrian Byrne 2 (180 Adrian)

Eoghan Hegarty 4 John McHugh 2

Quarter Finals

James Byrne 3 Keelan McGuire 0

Adrian Byrne 3 Luke Gillespie 1 (180 Adrian)

Eoghan Hegarty 3 John McGilloway 0

John McHugh 3 Francis McGinley 0

First Round

James Byrne 3 Charlie McLaughlin 2 (171 and 19 leg Charlie)

Keelan McGuire 3 Milano Mascenik 0

Adrian Byrne 3 Declan Ellis 0 (180 Adrian)

Luke Gillespie 3 Eddie Cunnea 2

Eoghan Hegarty 3 Peter Mascenik 1

John McGilloway 3 Adam Cunningham 1

John McHugh 3 Darragh McGinley 0

Francis McGinley 3 Christopher Byrne 2

Micheal Curran became the sixth player to reach the John Harkin playoffs following a 4-1 win over Conor McKiverigan (who was appearing in his second final of this campaign) and like Des the previous week he only dropped one leg on the night, Conor got off to a flier in the opening leg but failed to hit the double and Curran punished him on tops, Conor made it 1-1 with a 19 dart leg but after that Curran upped his game, finishing double five in leg three, tops in leg four and he took out 78 to clinch the match. In the semis Michael beat James Bracken and Conor beat Adrian both games were 4-0. We had 17 players on the night with places to get to the shield playoffs also hotting up.

Final

Micheal Curran 4 Conor McKiverigan 1

Semi Finals

Micheal Curran 4 James Bracken 0 (100 c/o and 14 dart leg Micheal)

Conor McKiverigan 4 Adrian Byrne 0

Quarter Finals

Micheal Curran 3 John McHugh 0

James Bracken 3 James Byrne 2 (180 Bracken)

Conor McKiverigan 3 Paidi Cunningham 0

Adrian Byrne 3 Charlie McLaughlin 0

Second Round

Micheal Curran 3 Eddie Cunnea 0

John McHugh 3 Darragh McGinley 0

James Bracken 3 Eoin McIntyre

James Byrne 3 Ryan Mackey 1

Conor McKiverigan 3 Peter Mascenik 1

Paidi Cunningham 3 Christopher Byrne 0

Adrian Byrne 3 Declan Ellis 1

Charlie McLaughlin 3 Francis McGinley 1

First Round

James Byrne 3 Conal Keeney 1 (109 c/o James)

If there's any errors or stats missing from the table please let me know and I will update it for next week.

Des McGettigan is player five through to finals night following an impressive night of darts where he only lost one leg, James took the first leg on double 10, then Des made it 1-1 with the help of two 140s and took out double 16, double 16 was the finish again in leg three. In leg four with James on a double Des took out 85 on the bull before wrapping it up hitting double 7 in the final leg. In the semis Lorcan McGinley got some good shield ranking points by making it to the last four, James hit the only 180 of the night in that match, Eoin McIntire on his first night in was impressive in his quarter final win over James Bracken but Des was too strong for him in the semi. Numbers were low this week due to a number of factors but regardless it was another enjoyable night of darts.

Final

Des McGettigan 4 James Byrne 1

Semi Finals

James Byrne 4 Lorcan McGinley 0 (180 James)

Des McGettigan 4 Eoin McIntire 1

Quarter Finals

James Byrne 3 Conor McKiverigan 2

Lorcan McGinley 3 David Gillespie 2

Des McGettigan 3 Paidi Cunningham 0

Eoin McIntire 3 James Bracken 2

First Round

James Byrne 3 Christopher Byrne 0 (100 c/o James)

Conor McKiverigan 3 Darragh McGinley 1

Des McGettigan 3 Adrian Byrne 0

James Bracken 3 Charlie McLaughlin 0

If there's any errors or stats missing from the table please let me know and I will update it for next week.

Kenneth Kennedy is the week four winner of the John Harkin following a 4-1 win over Declan Quinn on night where he was deadly on the finishing from start to finish dropping just two legs in his five matches, Declan took the opening leg with a 90 checkout, Ken then took out 58, 60, double 8 and a 16 dart final leg on double 16 to take the match he also had a 150 check out in the quarter final against Paidi Cunningham.

Former league player Francis Curran made it to the semi-final on his first appearance in this year’s event, while Adrian Hamilton also made his first appearance.

There were four 180s and checkouts of 153 and 115 by James Byrne and a 150 from Kenneth. 19 players entered on the night with some great games throughout.

Final

Kenneth Kennedy 4 Declan Quinn 1 (16 dart leg Ken)

Semi Finals

Kenneth Kennedy 4 James Byrne 1 (180 James)

Declan Quinn 4 Francis Curran 0 (16 dart leg Declan)

Quarter Finals

Kenneth Kennedy 3 James Bracken 0

James Byrne 3 Gary Gillespie 2 (17 dart leg James)

Declan Quinn 3 Adrian Byrne 1 (180 Adrian)

Francis Curran 3 Adrian Hamilton 0

Second Round

Kenneth Kennedy 3 Paidi Cunningham 0 (150 c/o Kenneth)

James Bracken 3 Josh Donnelly 1 (80 c/o Josh)

James Byrne 3 Declan Ellis 0 (153 and 115 c/o James)

Gary Gillespie 3 Charlie McLaughlin 0

Declan Quinn 3 Michael Curran 1

Adrian Byrne 3 Mark Donnelly 0

Francis Curran 3 Christopher Byrne 1

Adrian Hamilton 3 Conor McKiverigan 1

First Round

Adrian Hamilton 3 Seamus Curran 1 (180 Adrian)

Kenneth Kennedy 3 Gary Doherty 0 (180 and 2 x 18 dart legs Ken)

Paidi Cunningham 3 Darragh McGinley 0 (80 c/o Paidi)

If there's any errors or stats missing from the table please let me know and I will update it for next week.

Cartha Boyle is the third player trough to finals night after a 4-2 win over Des McGettigan in a great finals with all legs 17 darts or less with Cartha doing a 13 dart leg in the opening match and 15 in the second. Conor McKiverigan had a 14 dart leg in round one, while there were 180s from Des (2), Cartha, Adrian and James Byrne. There were 16 players on the night.

Final

Cartha Boyle 4 Des McGettigan 0 (13, 15, 16, 17 darts Cartha, 16 and 17 Des)

Semi Finals

Cartha Boyle 4 James Byrne 0 (180 Cartha)

Des McGettigan 4 Adrian Byrne 0 (180 Des)

Quarter Finals

Cartha Boyle 3 Philip Doherty 1

James Byrne 3 Conor McKiverigan 1 (180 James)

Des McGettigan 3 Michael Curran 2 (180 Des)

Adrian Byrne 3 John McGilloway 0

First Round

Cartha Boyle 3 Darragh Gallagher 0

Philip Doherty 3 Lorcan McGinley 1

James Byrne 3 Christopher Byrne 1

Conor McKiverigan 3 Paidi Cunningham 1 (14 darts Conor)

Des McGettigan 3 Gary Gillespie 0

Michael Curran 3 Darragh McGinley 0

Adrian Byrne 3 Eddie Cunnea 1 (180 Adrian)

John McGilloway 3 Charlie McLaughlin 1