RAY McInally majestically retained his York John Smith's Men's League Individual champion crown.

The Poacher ace beat Chris Thompson in the final after a superb semi-final win with 16 then 12 darts against his Poacher colleague Lee Brundrett.

Sun Inn's Thompson threw seven consecutive treble 20 darts, just falling short of the magical nine darter, but gamed with a tremendous 13 darts, then killed off Dave Mason's semi-final challenge by checking 2-0 with 16 darts.

McInally struck first in the final with 18 darts, when Thompson missed a chance to finish, then tore off a fabulous 180 for 14 darts.

Thompson took the next in 21 darts but McInally steadied to slot a splendid 16-dart title-clincher.

However, Thompson partnered Tony Cooper to lift the pairs' title.

Nineteen and 24 dart 701s took them past Cygnet's Mason and Keith Turner, while Green Tree's Gary Wensley-Pete Green progressed with a narrow 2-0 score against champions Mick Willsden-Chas Ramsden (Shepherd 'A').

Green included a maximum to no avail in a tight opening game and Thompson averaged 43 per dart in a 22-dart match winner.

Sun swept to a 5-2 success to win the team championship from division two's Osbaldwick Sports.

The latter were given a tremendous start with 17 darts from John Holden and 20 darts by Jack Hodgson to take a 2-1 lead, Cooper intervening. Cooper-Thompson secured the win after good wins by Mick Reagan, Tony Gregory then Ian Cryle.

Barry Noble (Dringhouses) earned the player of the season award by the tightest of margins.

The York Atlas Auto Services League mixed pairs competition final at Crescent WMC next Friday is a repeat of last season's all-Tap and Spile affair.

John and Wendy Smith overcame the Woolpack duo, Dave Cormack and Mags Handy, while Mick Nixon and Michelle Britton beat Allan and Lynsey Galley by the same 2-0 scoreline.

In the pairs competition semi-finals, Paul Cooper and Galley (Bay Horse 'A') had a walkover into the final, while Martin Waddington and Martyn Turner (Clifton 'A') pulled off the decider against Tap's Nixon-Smith.

The division three-four individual final will be contested by Dean Saxton (Yearsley) and Joe Bedford (Huntington 'B'). Saxton beat Yearsley colleague Alan Stevens, while Bedford hit the tons against Nick Katsarelis (Hospital SC) to book his place.

Howden's Geoff Kitson meets Mick Harris (Acomb) in the division two final. Kitson disposed of Bob Greenwood (Cygnet) 2-0 and Crescent 'B' team's Arthur Scott had no answer to Harris who included a 17 darter.

The division one final sees two of York's top exponents in opposition. Mick Nixon meets title holder John Pickering (Mitre), after stunning darts from both.

Nixon's path saw him knockout his pairs' partner John Smith with merciless 16 and 17-dart legs, while Pickering beat Rich Corner (Bay Horse 'A') with two games, including a 17-darter.

Players taking part in the Embassy Champions Bullseye Gameshow at Burnholme WMC on Monday (8pm) are Michelle Britton, Tracey Farmeary, Dawn Exton, Roz Kerr, Maureen Tindall, Margaret Bell, Diane Moreland, Carole Layne, Sue Lowery, Sue Smith and Wendy Smith.

The winners of the Evening Press competition to play world champions Tony David and Trina Gulliver on the night are Angie Hields, of Mancroft, Haxby, and Lee Mason, of White Rose Avenue, New Earswick.

The correct answer was arthritic haemophilia, the condition from which 34-year-old David suffers.

The roadshow will be hosted by top television darts commentator Tony Green.

Updated: 12:05 Friday, March 08, 2002