A match on paper that was seen as a 50/50 and closely fought was anything but as Round One continued at the World Matchplay with Joe Cullen coasting past Damon Heta 10-2 in a demolition job.
ADVERTISEMENT
Cullen lost the first leg but then went on a run of nine on the spin with a mix of unplayable darts and missed doubles from Heta proving to be the factor in a statement win from 'The Rockstar' with a 95 average.
Heta pinned the first maximum of the tie and a 110 checkout for a superb hold to start. Cullen missed 110 to hit back with a hold but Heta missed two darts to break and ‘The Rockstar’ replied on double eight.
This spelled a period of dominance for Cullen who surged into a 4-1 lead at the first interval sealing a break after 81 was missed by Heta to go 2-1 up and another one went the way of Cullen going into the break with 124 missed and he pinned 56.
On return, Cullen continued his charge holding through with an incredible 160 checkout. The barrage continued as Heta was punished for not taking out 135 and 120 was pinned by Cullen for 6-1.
He started his throw with a maximum with Heta replying with his hand aloft thinking where was that before. Cullen missed 110 slipping into single four and Heta was afforded a chance at 81 to break back but he missed two darts and ‘The Rockstar’ made it 7-1.
He cleaned up 70 to storm further clear at 8-1. Nine legs in the row sent it to 9-1 at the break. Heta stopped the rot with a 54 checkout to make it 9-2. But it was just a rot stopper as Cullen sealed the deal.
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
CULLEN HANDLES THE HEAT! 🎸🔥
Joe Cullen absolutely destroys World Cup winner Damon Heta, sealing a spot in the second round with a dominant 10-2 victory!
Up next 👉 James Wade v Martin Lukeman
#WMDarts | R1
📺 bit.ly/WM22HowToWatch