DOLAN WANTED TO WALK OFF STAGE IN TORTURE MATCH

BRENDAN DOLAN admitted he wanted to walk off stage during his clash with Cor Dekker after a torturous battle in Munich.

The History Maker edged through 6-5 in round one of the German Darts Grand Prix, surviving a scare after missing several match darts in a scrappy encounter.

World No.44 Dolan endured a difficult spell last year, qualifying for just two European Tour events and failing to reach a major quarter-final.

Dolan revealed the pressure may have played a part in his below-par display.

He said: “It was torture. It was torture for Cor as well because he didn’t play what he could either.

“Both of us really messed it up. I had a great section of the crowd there boosting me on.

“Possibly I would have wanted to walk off here and not play the rest of the game.

“They kept cheering me on and only with that there I just plodded through and eventually crossed the line.

“I don’t think I deserved it. I have the win and by that display I can only improve.

“It’s just my form in general over the last 18 months I have been really, really poor.

“Even trying to get to these I am not doing it. It’s probably because I didn’t qualify for the last two during the week that meant more emphasis on this game.

“Maybe that made me more tense. I was tense up on here I have to admit. I was feeling not fluent.”

Dolan returns to action on Saturday evening at the Kulturhalle Zenith and will face home favourite Martin Schindler.

Image by Taylor Lanning.