Defending champion michael van gerwen edged Price After an exciting decision in the last game to win Night 4 of the Cazoo Premier League Dublin and move it to the table.
Winning in front of the home crowd on the second night in Cardiff, ‘Iceman’ Price had impressively smashed the world champion. Michael Smith 6-1 in the semi-finals with an average of over 102.
Losing to newcomer Chris Dobey on Night One in Belfast, Van Gerwen postponed Jonny Clayton’s fight to close with a 6-3 win and reach the second final of this year’s tournament so far.
After Price knocked down a top 100 check to level 2-2, it didn’t cause the Dutchman to pay for some rebel darts, which appeared to be four straights and close to victory with a 5-2 lead.
However, Van Gerwen wasn’t quite done yet as he landed the next counter shot and then tied at 5-5 after Welsh missed his chance to secure the match.
Still, no man could clear his fault-ridden decision-making foot, and when Price failed to double down on ‘Madhouse’, it was up to Van Gerwen to eventually pull out the eight.
“It’s been a long night for both of us,” three-time world champion Van Gerwen told Sky Sports.
“Gerwyn was playing exceptionally in the first two rounds and I was struggling all day, I had to keep fighting. It’s not always easy.
“More importantly, I won tonight, it gives you confidence and comfort, there is more perspective from then on.
“I know I could do much better, but it’s pretty good to win and be at the top of the table without your best performance.”
The evening’s opening game at 3Arena featured a replay of the 2022 World Championship final, but Smith was defeated. Peter Wrightremaining meaningless so far in the tournament.
Taking the world crown for the second time at Alexandra Palace, Wright built on an early break and took a 4-2 lead for ‘Bully Boy’, who had just won the event in Glasgow last week, recovering and clinching his last leg. Final.
Price beat Glasgow runner-up Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-4 to reach a maximum of five points, while 2021 Premier League champions Clayton beat Nathan Aspinall, who missed 23 darts in the double, by the same score.
In the other quarter-finals, Van Gerwen scored a comfortable 6-3 win over Dobey with 148 points and played with an average of 98.95.