The Citywest in Dublin is one of the country's most renowned hotels, with conference, leisure and golfing facilities.

But for the last week it has been a caldron of sweat, tungsten, plastic pint glasses, dodgy nicknames and over 12,000 darts revellers as the PDC World Darts Tour made its now annual stop in the Emerald Isle for the Sky Poker World Grand Prix.

Last night it came to a climax in Saggart with the final most of us would have hoped for once the draw was made, as Phil Taylor took on Raymond van Barneveld and those packed like sardines into the Citywest and those enjoying proceedings through Sky Sports were not disappointed.

Go into almost any pub around the country in the past week and you would have seen two fairly stout characters throwing at a 20-inch diameter bristle board, fixed to the wall over seven foot from their grasp, and ask the powers that be in the PDC and Citywest and they will assure you honestly that they could have easily sold out their 2,000 capacity three or four times over for each of the seven nights.

The darts community on these shores continues to grow at a serious rate of knots and it is not just the night out and the craic with the lads that the crowd are after, but by their order the Irish crowd have proved their knowledge of the game, no more so then when Phil Taylor had hit four perfect darts of a nine-darter last night, the fifth which went slightly wayward was greeted with a resounding sigh from the anticipating crowd.

There is no doubt that last night's final included the two form players of the week, and both eased their way to the final on Saturday night with whitewash victories and at 2-2 in last night's game it was finely poised.

Barneveld signalled his intent early, checking out with a 133 in the first set, and the Dutch maestro looked to be on his way to a 2-1 lead when he was a country mile in front, before Taylor hit a 180 to pressure Barneveld's 40.

He duly succumbed to the pressure and Taylor finished in true Taylor fashion to go 2-1 up.

Things were all square when Barney, who was sporting a fitting green shirt for the week, fought back but then Taylor turned on the gas again winning the fifth set 3-0 with some incredible shooting.

From there, Taylor went 5-2 up with more terrific darts. A 141 checkout by Taylor was bettered in the next leg by his opponent, who signed off with a 160 and it was a match which had almost everything including 18 180's.

The Grand Prix is unique in that players must start with a double and we even had Barney starting off on bullseye. But even at that, Taylor maintained his lead as he was just that bit more ruthless in finishing off the legs.

At 5-2, it goes without saying that the eighth set was a crucial one for the underdog and he could not have started it any better with a 12-darter in the first leg against the throw before going 2-0 up after holding his own throw.

Then to take the set and bring it back to 5-3 with the throw, Barney had to take out 25 with Taylor on 162. But he missed double eight before Taylor eventually completed a 97 checkout to bring it back to 2-2 in the most crucial set of the match.

Barneveld, who had earlier this year opted to take two months out of the game, looked rejuvenated throughout the week, and better for the break, but the lay-off and lack of match practice eventually told against the world number two.

Barney had his chances but failed to take them and it proved costly in the end. None more so in what turned out to be the final leg of the game as he had a chance at 113 to win the set but missed both stabs at a treble, before leaving Taylor to take out 20 to be crowned king yet again.

Taylor's delight was evident. Barneveld's disappointment was even more palpable.

After two decades at the top level, Taylor's appetite is still sky high and while Barneveld was clearly gutted with not taking his chances, he will undoubtedly reflect positively on getting to the final, all things considered.

Barneveld was understandably not on for hanging around for the after party but Taylor could not have spoken more highly of his fellow professional.

"Raymond came back tremendously and he speeded up a little bit and he started hitting 140's and 180's and his finishes,and even though I was 5-2 up, I thought 'Phil, he is going to come back at you, watch him,' but that's what Barney does.

Difficult

"Once he gets in front, he is very difficult to beat, but once he gets behind he is also very difficult to beat, he is a fantastic player."

Taylor also referred to Barneveld's break from the sport earlier this summer: "I am probably Barney's biggest fan. The one thing I thought was in my favour tonight was that Raymond hasn't been competitive in the past three or four months and it will take its toll. And even though I lost the first set I didn't panic. But two finals in one week, what can I say, he is brilliant."

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without Santa Claus and the World Darts Championship and although Hallowe'en is not yet beyond us, we can't help but begin to get excited about proceedings at the Alexander Palace and this week, in claiming his eighth Grand Prix, Taylor has set his marker for it and the events beforehand.

"Every tournament I play in now I want to win. I cant explain it, I just love it. I love being here, I love this, I love winning.

"It's a really good feeling and caps a great week for me. It's amazing what a difference it is from last year." he said.

It has been a turbulent year for Taylor, who took an early exit here 12-months ago, but he is now showing some of the best form of his life.

He continued: "I was in tears for an hour and considering quitting after I lost to Adrian Gray, and now I've won the tournament against the world number two."

Taylor was also quick to compliment the terrific Irish crowd and issued comments which will be loudly echoed around these parts when touting Ireland as a venue for the aforementioned World Championships.

"They have been fantastic and another thing I want to say is bring the World Championships here. They are fantastic. Everyone is on their seats, it is just fantastic."

It says a lot when such a minority sport can sell out more than 2,000 tickets a night, especially when you take in the crowds of some other sporting events here, such as League Of Ireland or the National League, and while the World Championship in an Irish venue is probably a little bit away yet, it is surely on the agenda.

Of course, for those not able to get their hands on a ticket this week, they would have been treated to the high-pitched tones of legendary commentator Sid Waddell, whose one liners just add to the theatre.

Indeed, it has to be a sign of the sports popularity when yours truly was exiting Time nightclub in Naas on Friday night to come across a patron holding a replica Dennis Preistley t-shirt aloft proudly before, to the dismay of the poor bouncers, a group of darts fans took into a chorus of Chase The Sun -- the now renowned darts anthem.

Get the arrows out, the darts are here to stay and bring on the day the best in the world are fighting it out on an Irish stage in front of a packed amphitheatre of Irish darts fans.

- Niall Cronin