Heartbreak for Joe Cullen again as Luke Humphries prevails in mesmerising World Darts Championship classic

After an utterly epic night of darts, Luke Humphries and Joe Cullen was a bit of an afterthought on paper, but proved to be the main event at the World Darts Championship in one of the best matches seen on the Ally Pally stage in some time.

Joe Cullen has reached three Last 16’s at the PDC World Darts Championship and has yet to get over the line and that continues in more heartbreak for the Bradford ace as Humphries recovered from two sets down and two legs down in the tie-break set to win 4-3 including an epic ending which saw both miss hatfuls of darts to win a pivotal leg.

Cullen won it and was throwing for the match, but Humphries kept his charge alive as the pre-tournament favourite moved into the Quarter-Finals again.

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To start the tie, it was all Cullen as he took a high quality first set in a deciding leg after Humphries had squandered two darts at double to seal it and that mountain for the latter became even bigger as Cullen swept the second set and he started to believe.

But that was quelled as Humphries thumped in a 112 average to halve the deficit and then made it successive sets edging the fourth in a decider. Cullen went to the brink though as Humphries missed six darts to wrap it up. But Humphries came back to answer with three legs in a row to make it 3-3.

Cullen was throwing for the match in the next set but he couldn’t find a treble and Humphries was throwing for a tie-break. Humphries was put under pressure to hit 72 with a last gasp 180 and he couldn’t. Cullen missed two at 93 though for the match and Humphries sent it all the way.

Cullen found his range again with a 116 checkout on double 20 to go one away but he needed to break. Humphries had a go at 100 to remain in the tie and pinned it with Cullen waiting to pounce.

Cullen didn’t wilt leaving 87 after nine and he set up double eight to go towards the brink again. Humphries again though hit 86 on double 16 to tie it up at 4-4. Cullen started to sweat as Humphries started to motor and he missed 121 to break and ‘The Rockstar’ missed 107 allowing ‘Cool Hand’ back for a last gap double two to go one away. He hit a 180 and 134 to leave 89 as he looked to seal the win.

Cullen left himself 132 with a 171 and Humphries missed a match dart. But the former hit two bulls for the 132 and missed double 16 to send it all the way. Humphries bust his score though but Cullen couldn’t hold it together. Neither could ‘Cool Hand Luke’ as he missed three more match darts.

Cullen then busted in more darting drama akin to winning a leg in the pub and Humphries missed yet more darts. The former finally hit double four to force sudden death. Both went for it in an epic final leg.

Humphries started with five perfect darts but it was Cullen who was first to a finish at 121. He didn’t get a chance though and Humphries left 100 and pinned double 10 last dart to seal it.