Sheldon secures her place in World Matchplay

TALLAGHT’S Katie Sheldon has been on fire on the international darts front over the past fortnight.

Only a week after playing a pivotal role in Ireland’s Six Nations Championship success alongside compatriots Robyn Byrne and Caroline Breen in Scotland, the reigning INDO All Ireland champion secured her place in next month’s Betfred Women’s World Matchplay, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.

Indeed two semi-final finishes in the last four events of the PDC Women’s Series held in Barnsley at the weekend, means Sheldon will now be one of eight players to line out at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool on July 24.

There she will face off against second seed, Fallon Sherrock in her opening match, and while that may pose a tough challenge, Sheldon has every reason to feel confident having already beaten the English women in the semi finals of Event Eight in the PDC Series earlier in the season.

It meant she was ranked 11th heading into last weekend’s four event competition in Barnsley, with only the top eight advancingto the World Matchplay.

She quickly set about working her way up the leader board, reaching the semi finals of Event Nine following victories over Courtney Hine, Japan’s Yukie Sakaguchi, England’s Evonne Taylor and Lerena Rietbergen of the Netherlands.

It set her up for another clash with World Number One, Lisa Ashton who edged her out in the final of Event Eight.

And it proved another close affair this time around with the English woman clinching it 5-4 after Sheldon had missed a couple of doubles to take another major scalp.

That run had propelled her up to seventh place in the rankings, but a Last 16 defeat at the hands of Taylor in Event 10 followed by another loss to Ashton in the second round of Event 11, meant Sheldon required a decent run in the next stage of the series to copper-fasten her World Matchplay berth.

And she certainly did not shy away from the challenge, producing some of her best darts to win her opening four matches against English pair Louise Layhe and Donna Gleeed, Japan’s Nanako Shimizo and Rhian Griffiths from Wales all on 4-0 scorelines.

That was followed by a 4-1 quarter final victory over another English competitor Marie O’Brien after which Sheldon came up against none other than Ashton once more.

Again the Dubliner went extremely close to taking down ‘The Lancashire Rose’, eventually losing out 5-4 having had six darts to take the match and reach another final.

Still the Tallaght woman was delighted with her late sure which featured a 95-average against Gleed – the highest average recorded over the entire weekend.

“I’m absolutely buzzing” Sheldon told The Echo. “Although I lost in two semi finals, the whole weekend was based around qualifying for the Matchplay and I’m just so proud of myself for getting the job done and qualifying to play on such an iconic stage.”