MONAGHAN’S SHANE MCGUIRK has won the Lakeside World Darts Championship.
McGuirk defeated Paul Lim 6-3 in Sunday night’s final in Surrey, becoming the first senior darts world champion from the Republic of Ireland.
𝗛𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄 🏹🏆
— Live Darts (@livedarts) December 8, 2024
Shane McGuirk becomes the first player from the Republic of Ireland to win a World Championship title 🇮🇪#WDFDarts pic.twitter.com/oNqJ9vQoj7
The first Republic of Ireland World Champion 🏆
— Target Darts (@TargetDarts) December 8, 2024
Ladies and Gentleman, Shane Mc Guirk 👏 #TeamTarget pic.twitter.com/8HnNw9rr28
The 29-year-old, known as The Arrow, was unseeded coming into the tournament but remarkably didn’t drop a set through five rounds until the decider at Frimley Green.
He roared into a four-set lead against Lim, who was the first player to produce a nine-dart finish at the World Championships in 1990, but the 70-year-old Singaporean hit back to leave it 5-3.
McGuirk held his nerve to win the ninth and final set 3-0, securing the title and a £50,000 cheque after throwing nine 180s and averaging 90.31.
He answered Ireland's call 🇮🇪
— WDF Darts (@DartsWDF) December 8, 2024
Shane McGuirk mastered the Paul Lim challenge at Lakeside, winning 6-3 to become Ireland's first senior darts world champion 🎯
🎥: @BLAZETVUK pic.twitter.com/UsmYk95oIg
“I can’t believe what’s just after happening,” the Aughnamullen native told Blaze TV.
“I just kept thinking to myself, ‘You have the lead, you have the start you needed, just keep going and eventually it will come’. Lucky enough it did come for me at the end.
“I can’t believe it. I’m world champion.”
Well done. Unfortunately a 90.31 average wouldn’t allow much progress in the PDC event, but a win is a win. It will give him a chance to gauge his performances in the grand slam event. On another note, it’s bizarre that Paul Lim is still winning a few bob for throwing darts. The man seems to be knocking around for eternity.
@Paul Linehan: serious achievement for Paul Lim to get to a final. Definitely a bit out of the blue. I think it was a surprise that he qualified for the tournament in the first place. Not many sports would have people ranging from teens to 70s and being competitive!
@Paul Linehan: in fairness he threw mid 90s all tournament and it’s consistence that wud make him a few pound in pdc lots of lads throw 100plus when on form but not everyday.plus 50g is massive money for an average event ud need alot of luck and great darts to get qf in pdc for same money
Well done dame missed it all taught the darts was on during xmas
@Shanie: It is. That was like the conference league of darts. That’s not knocking the lad’s achievement. I wouldn’t mind being at that level. Round the board is about my level.
@David Staed: Yes remember watching it on the beeb years ago viking adams part etc
@Shanie: Exactly. That tournament didn’t stand a chance when the PDC under Barry Hearn and sky started promoting their product and very successfully in fairness. It’s actually becoming a bit of a Christmas tradition at this stage.