02-05-2025
Darting Gallaghers are Supersonic stars of the oche
ALL the talk this summer will be about the reunion of the Gallagher brothers when Oasis take Croke Park by storm.
But another Gallagher duo are already doing just that in the darts world as they put their home county of Donegal firmly on the map.
Last weekend, Donegal darts stalwart Derek Gallagher came through a field of up to 300 players to win the INDO Inter Counties B Singles championships.
Derek hails from a strong darts family in Bridgend in Donegal, with his older brother Shaun making it to the last four in the same competition.
However, it is his nephew Dean who is really starting to hit the Champagne Supernova heights of late.
It was only last November that Dean hit a nine dart finish at an Amateur Darts Circuit (ADC) regional qualifier in Ballymena, while last month he came through another series of those qualifiers by beating former WDF World Champion, Neil Duff, in the final to claim a spot at the Modus Super Series in the UK.
In between that, Dean also made it to the final rounds at PDC Q school in January, and was a member of the Donegal team that retained their INDO Inter Counties A Championship in February.
It's no surprise, then, that Dean is now regarded as one of the hottest prospects in Ireland.
But his uncle Derek is not too bad at chucking the tungsten either.
Last November, Derek showed what he was about when he made it all way to the semi-finals of the ranked WDF Irish Classic, only losing out in a last leg to decider to eventual winner Stefan Schroder of the Netherlands.
If you'd any idea of just what it takes to make it to the final four of a competition like that, then you'd be well aware of just what a brilliant player Derek is.
Which is why he came into the INDO Inter Counties B singles last weekend as one of the big favourites to win it.
Favourite or not, you still have to get up there and do the business, and Derek showed he was well capable of doing that by opening up in his first match with an 87 average.
He still had to win through another six games before playing on the big stage in the final against Limerick's Alan Cronin at 2am last Friday night.
With both players feeling the effects of a long and draining night, it was Derek who kept is head in that final to win the championship.
So keep your Beady Eye on these Gallagher boys - as they're by no means finished yet!
