Dart of pain for Darby following ban

Local darts enthusiast Patrick Darby is facing a three-year ban following a decision by the Duleek & District Darts League (DDDL). The ban was handed out by the DDDL, according to a letter which the Dean Hill, Navan resident received. To compound the problem, Darby's team, Boyne Valley Inn, Slane were also told that they would have to replay their DDDL Premier League semi-final against O'Neill's, Duleek this week. That re-fixture was ordered, according to DDDL chairman Kevin Campbell, after the match card for the semi-final was not submitted to the registrar of the DDDL, also Kevin Campbell, but not the same person as the chairman. Boyne Valley Inn defeated O'Neill's in the semi-final by 5-4 on Monday, 12th April and earned a place in the final for the third year in-a-row having won the trophy for the last two seasons. Awaiting them in the decider was White Hart, Balbriggan who include Mick McGowan, rated in the top 50 in the world, in their team. According to Darby, who is the captain of the Boyne Valley Inn team, he was banned for "abusing the DDDL fixtures secretary by heckling." "I can't understand either the ban or the re-fixture, but there's nothing I can do about the matter as there is no appeal process in the DDDL rulebook, all decisions by the committee are final," Darby told the Meath Chronicle. As the DDDL are not affiliated to the national association, Darby cannot seek assistance from the national governing body either. "After the game against O'Neill's, their captain, Kevin Campbell wished us luck in the final and I replied by stating that it wouldn't be long until we had the cup back in the Boyne Valley Inn," added Darby who was a noted player with both Seneschalstown GAA club and Kentstown Rovers soccer club in the past. The other memebrs of the Boyne Valley team include Terry Bellew, Paul O'Rourke, John Clarke, Alan Hussey, Sean Carry, Adrian Doherty, John Lane and Alan Mitchell. According to the DDDL, the ban was appealed unsuccessfully and due notice was issued. "We have had players in the past who were banned for periods of between one and three years, so it's not the first time we have taken this action," DDDL chairman Kevin Campbell told the Meath Chronicle. The re-fixed semi-final which was due to take place on Monday night in the Hunter's Moon, Ashbourne was not played as Boyne Valley Inn did not fulfil the fixture. O'Neill's received a walkover into the final, but no date has been set for the decider.