The Iceman's Irish Delight: Price Storms to Night 3 Glory in Dublin
- Darts Central
- Feb 20
- 6 min read
Updated: Mar 12
The Premier League rolled into the 3Arena in Dublin for its only visit to the Republic of Ireland. Before the darts action even began, the sold-out Irish crowd created an incredible atmosphere. Luke Humphries was leading the way at the top of the standings, while Luke Littler was looking to make it back-to-back night wins.
Quarter-Final 1: Luke Humphries 6-4 Stephen Bunting
The first quarter-final saw table leader and World No. 1 Luke Humphries face bottom-placed Stephen Bunting, still without a point this season.
Humphries opened strong, racing to a 3-1 lead with two breaks of throw. The players exchanged holds in the following four legs, with Humphries leading 5-3. He had the chance to seal the match with an 84 checkout but missed the single 14, denying himself a match dart and allowing Bunting to capitalise.
Bunting kept his composure and reduced the deficit to 5-4 with a double 8. However, Bunting struggled to break Humphries’ throw, with his early break in the second leg being his only real opportunity. Humphries clinched the match 6-4 with a 15-darter, advancing to the semi-finals for the third consecutive week.
Match Stats:
Humphries: 103.51 average, 2x 180s, Checkout %: 40% (6/15)
Bunting: 100.49 average, 2x 180s, Checkout %: 40% (4/10)
Humphries earned two more points, while Bunting remains without a point after three weeks. He’ll face Littler in Exeter next week, desperate for a win.
Quarter-Final 2: Gerwyn Price 6-4 Luke Littler
In the second quarter-final, Gerwyn Price, a recent Players Championship winner, faced Luke Littler, who claimed Night 2 in Glasgow.
The match began quickly with both players exchanging 180s, drawing the score level at 1-1 after two legs. Price then seized control, winning three consecutive legs, including two breaks of throw, to lead 4-1. Despite missing darts at double, Price’s relentless scoring gave him enough chances to win legs, while Littler’s treble-less visits proved costly.
Littler fought back, hitting a 109 checkout after Price missed two darts at double top for 5-1. Littler’s strong comeback continued, reducing the score to 4-3 with an 11-darter. However, Price responded with a clinical 11-dart checkout for a 5-3 lead, as Littler missed a dart at tops for a 137 finish to tie it 4-4.
Littler stayed in the match, holding throw to make it 5-4, but Price responded with back-to-back 180s and a 12-dart leg with a 78 checkout to seal a 6-4 win.
Littler, visibly frustrated with his performance, was shown throwing his darts case to the floor as he left the stage.
Match Stats:
Price: 102.64 average, 5x 180s, Checkout %: 30% (6/20)
Littler: 99.78 average, 5x 180s, Checkout %: 40% (4/10)
Price claimed his fifth consecutive win over Littler, extending his head-to-head lead to 6-4, establishing his recent dominance against the reigning World Champion.
Quarter-Final 3: Nathan Aspinall 6-3 Rob Cross
Aspinall entered the match without a point, while Cross had earned just one win so far. Cross started strong, leaving 81 after nine darts in the opening leg, but missed several doubles, allowing Aspinall to take the leg in 20 darts.
Cross continued to struggle with his doubles, and Aspinall capitalised, surging to a 4-0 lead despite not being at his best. Cross eventually got on the board at 4-1, but Aspinall responded with a clinical 13-darter to lead 5-1.
Cross fought back, but his struggles at double continued, missing five darts to make it 5-4. Aspinall finally sealed the win 6-3 with a 65 checkout after missing four match darts at double top in the previous leg. The win earned him his first points of the campaign and was sheer relief for Aspinall.
Match Stats:
Aspinall: 85.53 average, 4x 180s, Checkout %: 30% (6/20)
Cross: 90.42 average, 2x 180s, Checkout %: 13.64% (3/22)
With this win, Aspinall moved onto two points, the same as Cross, leaving Bunting the player at the bottom of the table with 0 points after three weeks.
Quarter-Final 4: Michael van Gerwen 6-4 Chris Dobey
The final quarter-final featured Michael van Gerwen and recent Players Championship 3 winner Chris Dobey. While van Gerwen had dominated their previous encounters, including a 6-1 win in the World Championship semi-final, Dobey had previously thrashed MvG 6-0 in their last Premier League meeting.
After a tight start, van Gerwen broke away to a 4-1 lead, including taking out combination checkouts of 121 and 72. Dobey responded with a brilliant 154 checkout but missed three darts at double to reduce the deficit to 4-3. Van Gerwen extended his lead to 5-2 with a clinical 56 checkout.
Dobey showed resilience, hitting three 180s and raising the pressure on MvG. He took full advantage of his opportunities, reducing the score to 5-4. However, van Gerwen held firm, hitting a 90 checkout on the bullseye to close out the match 6-4 in an excellent 12-darter before erupting in celebration.
Match Stats:
MvG: 98.96 average, 1x 180, Checkout %: 54.55% (6/11)
Dobey: 96.99 average, 5x 180s, Checkout %: 25% (4/16)
This victory marked van Gerwen’s third consecutive quarter-final win, bringing his points tally to 6.
Semi-Final 1: Gerwyn Price 6-3 Luke Humphries
In a repeat of last week’s semi-final, Humphries was aiming for his third consecutive final, while Price sought his first of the campaign.
Humphries took an early 2-0 lead, but Price responded with a sensational 170 checkout in the third leg, followed by three consecutive legs, including two more ton-plus combination checkouts (116 and 120).
Humphries briefly pulled it back to 4-3, but Price regained control with an 88 checkout after Humphries missed a dart at the bull to level at 4-4 off a 129 checkout.
Price sealed the match with a clinical 25 checkout after missing a dart at bullseye, marking the only missed double in an otherwise flawless performance of combination finishing, which ultimately won him the game.
Match Stats:
Price: 96.26 average, 1x 180, Checkout %: 85.71% (6/7)
Humphries: 93.56 average, 3x 180s, Checkout %: 50% (3/6)
Price broke a five-match losing streak to Humphries with this victory.
Semi-Final 2: Nathan Aspinall 6-3 Michael van Gerwen
Aspinall, fresh off his first win of the campaign over Rob Cross, started strongly against van Gerwen, taking an early 2-0 lead, including a crucial break of throw.
The iconic “Mr. Brightside” walk-on clearly fired him up, and his throwing action looked much smoother than in his previous Premier League appearances this season. Van Gerwen fought back in the third leg, but Aspinall extended his lead to 4-1 after van Gerwen missed four darts at double.
The match saw four consecutive breaks of throw, but Aspinall closed it out with an impressive 14-darter for a 6-3 win after already squandering two darts at double for a 6-2 victory.
The Asp was dominant in the scoring phase, where van Gerwen simply couldn’t keep up with him, and that allowed him enough chances to seal the victory. Aspinall’s victory secured his place in the final.
Match Stats:
Aspinall: 99.22 average, 4x 180s, Checkout %: 40% (6/15)
MvG: 93.21 average, 1x 180, Checkout %: 33.33% (3/9)
🏆 The Final: Gerwyn Price 6-3 Nathan Aspinall
Price and Aspinall met for the second consecutive week, with their Glasgow encounter fresh in the memory. Last week, Price edged a nervy 6-4 battle, with missed doubles the tail of the tape for both in the match.
The first six legs of the final were evenly matched, with Price producing a spectacular 120 checkout in the third leg. The score was locked at 3-3, and it was clear that one player needed to step up. Price did just that, breaking throw with a clinical double 10 after both players had missed a dart at double for the 4-3 advantage.
From there, Price surged ahead, and Aspinall struggled to match his scoring. Price fired in an 11-darter and closed the match with a 13-darter, claiming a 6-3 victory.
The Dublin crowd roared as Price celebrated in his iconic green Irish-style jersey, sealing the victory and 5 points onto his league standings as well as claiming the £10,000 winner’s bonus.
Match Stats:
Price: 100.57 average, 4x 180s, Checkout %: 50% (6/12)
Aspinall: 90.83 average, 6x 180s, Checkout %: 37.5% (3/8)
Updated Premier League Table After Night 3
After Night 3, Luke Humphries maintains his lead at the top with 10 points, while Gerwyn Price's victory pushes him into 2nd place with 7 points. Michael van Gerwen remains in 3rd, and Nathan Aspinall’s final appearance brings him up to 5th. Stephen Bunting is still yet to register a point, while Chris Dobey and Rob Cross find themselves in 6th and 7th on 3 and 2 points respectively.
Position | Name | Points |
1st | Luke Humphries | 10 |
2nd | Gerwyn Price | 7 |
3rd | Michael van Gerwen | 6 |
4th | Luke Littler | 5 |
5th | Nathan Aspinall | 3 |
6th | Chris Dobey | 3 |
7th | Rob Cross | 2 |
8th | Stephen Bunting | 0 |
Night Four Fixtures—Thursday, February 27
Westpoint Arena, Exeter
Quarter-Finals:
Michael van Gerwen v Rob Cross
Gerwyn Price v Luke Humphries
Chris Dobey v Nathan Aspinall
Stephen Bunting v Luke Littler
Final Thoughts
Price’s victory in Dublin highlighted both his remarkable darts and his undeniable on-stage presence. His green Irish-style jersey, coupled with his dazzling finishing and crowd interaction, made him an instant crowd favourite.
Aspinall also delivered a strong performance, reinforcing the belief that he justifies his place in the Premier League. With both players showcasing such consistency and entertainment value, they seem poised for more success in the coming weeks.
The Dublin crowd created one of the most electric atmospheres of the season, truly elevating the experience. As the Premier League heads to Exeter next week, the battle for points intensifies, with the pressure mounting on all players.
Upcoming Tournaments:
Premier League Night 4—February 27th in Exeter, live on Sky Sports
UK Open—February 28th-March 2nd in Butlins Minehead, live on ITV4
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