Ireland Prevail in Hard-Fought World Cup of Darts Opener

Ireland’s William O’Connor and Keane Barry emerged victorious in their opening match of the 2024 World Cup of Darts, defeating the Lithuanian duo of Darius Labanauskas and Mindaugas Barauskas by a 4-2 scoreline.

The Irish pair had to overcome an early deficit, as Lithuania took the initial lead. However, O’Connor and Barry fought back strongly to secure the win for their country. “The heat was unbelievable! The heat was more of a battle than anything else honestly,” a visibly sweating O’Connor shared with Online Darts after the match.

Reflecting on the Challenge

Reflecting on the challenge posed by their opponents, Barry, the world number 51, acknowledged, “They both played well there. They started out really strong.” However, the Irish duo was able to find their best game in the latter stages of the encounter, as Barry noted, “We obviously fought back well and began to find our best game in the second half of the match.”

The Challenging Conditions

The World Cup of Darts is renowned for its intense playing conditions, and O’Connor, a veteran of the event since its inception in 2010, attested to the ongoing struggle. “Last year was bad, and the year before. The World Cup in general is just so hot,” he stated.

Ireland’s Optimism

Despite the testing environment, Ireland remains optimistic about their chances in the tournament. Barry, who has been playing at a high level in recent months, asserted, “We’re a great team and I think we can definitely do damage this year.” O’Connor echoed the sentiment, stating, “If he plays his A game and I play my A game, we’ll prove a challenge for anyone.”

Ireland reached the final of the World Cup of Darts in 2019, ultimately losing to Scotland, but they will be looking to go one step further this year as they continue their campaign.

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