GWENT darts star Nick Kenny breathed new life into his season with “probably the best win” of his career at the Isle of Man Open.

Kenny enjoyed an early birthday present as he beat three-time former BDO world champion Martin Adams 4-3 in the last 16, before bowing out in the semi-finals against Dolgellau’s Martin Phillips.

North Walian Phillips went on the win the final in Douglas 5-4, although opponent Andy Fordham squandered six darts to secure the trophy.

Kenny’s first ever defeat of Adams, the man known as ‘Wolfie’, came in just his third BDO outing since his world championship debut in January.

After winning three matches in the Dutch Open, he suffered a 4-3 last-32 loss to Daniel Day at the Scottish Open.

And he got his campaign in the Manx capital off to an inauspicious start with a first-round exit in the Isle of Man Classic.

However, Kenny, who has moved from Cwmbran to Ebbw Vale, ousted Scottish Open winner Cameron Menzies in the last 32 of the open event to set up a showdown with Adams.

“I won the first leg with a 13-darter but he took out 121 and 161 with me on double top and 25,” said Kenny.

“For him to go out like that was quite annoying as I was probably averaging 114 but losing 2-1.

“It was a bit of a blur after that but I know I came back to lead 3-2, he levelled at 3-3, and then I hit a 13-darter to win the match 4-3.”

He added: “It was probably the best win of my career.

“It was an absolutely amazing game and I played really well, and it wasn’t as if he didn’t play well.

“I’d lost to Martin on two previous occasions, including the 2014 World Masters when I should have beaten him, so it was good to finally do it.”

Kenny, who turned 24 on Monday, then beat fellow Welshman Scott Dockerty in the quarters 4-1 but couldn’t find another gear to get the better of Phillips.

With a healthy amount of ranking points in the bag already this term, Kenny is looking forward to several trips around Europe in the coming weeks.

The Hal Open and Hal Masters take place in the Netherlands this weekend, then it is up to Bradford for the BDO British Internationals (March 24-26), before events in Germany, Belgium and Denmark in April.

And it wasn’t just Kenny who enjoyed a magic moment during the Isle of Man Darts Festival.

In the last 16 of the mixed trebles, his girlfriend, Kimberley Walker, threw a match-clinching checkout of 76 to defeat the trio led by two-time Lakeside champion Scott Waites.