LEDBURY darts ace Terry Jenkins saw his Sky Poker World Grand Prix title tilt end at the hands of on-song Phil Taylor in Dublin.
The Herefordshire thrower was white-washed 5-0 at the tournament’s semi-final stage as ‘The Power’ set up a final showdown with Raymond van Barneveld.
Jenkins claimed his place in the semi-final, which was a repeat of the 2006 final, with a 4-2 defeat of world champion John Part.
However, Taylor lost only four legs in the game, but took six in a row to seal the victory in a stunning final two sets, which averaged over 115 for his last surge to victory.
Jenkins shared the opening two legs, but missed three darts to break Taylor’s throw in the third as the world number one edged 2-1 up — and then produced a brilliant 167 checkout to take the set.
Jenkins — who had reached the final of the last two World Grand Prix — paid for missing three darts to win the second set’s opener, with Taylor taking out double four to lead.
He then took the next two legs to secure the set without reply, and led in the third before Jenkins took advantage of a missed dart at double 16 to level — after Taylor kicked off the leg with seven perfect darts of 160, 180 and a treble 20, with a potential nine-darter going begging on treble 17.
Taylor responded with a clinical 136 checkout for a 12-darter, and sealed the set in 13 darts against the throw. Jenkins lifted his own game, hitting back-to-back 180s in the fourth set’s opener, which he took in 14 darts, and then taking out 110 to lead 2-0.
However, he would never get a chance at hitting a double for the set as Taylor launched an astonishing barrage in the double-start format.
A 14-darter saved the set, he hit a maximum in a 13-darter to level and then took out 121 for a 12-darter to move 4-0 up in the game.
Further maximums followed in the next two legs as Taylor moved to the brink of victory in 14 and 12 darts, before a superb 13-darter sealed the triumph.
Taylor said: “We both clicked into gear at the same time and the last three sets were superb to play in.
“Terry never gives up and he didn’t right to the end, despite the scoreline.”
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