Ireland storm into quarter-finals as O’Connor warns: “It’s so hot, someone might keel over”
PDCSaturday, 14 June 2025 at 18:33
Team Ireland are back in the World Cup of Darts quarter-finals for the first time since 2019. William O’Connor and Keane Barry delivered an emphatic 8-3 victory over Switzerland on Saturday afternoon in Frankfurt, setting up a tantalising island showdown with Northern Ireland.
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While O’Connor was clearly relieved, it was Barry who stole the show with a strong, composed performance they said to dartsnews.com.
“Keane got me through today – fair play to him,” O’Connor admitted post-match.
“I’m definitely happy to be in the quarter-finals again.”
It almost didn’t happen. On Friday, Ireland were on the brink of an early exit before a narrow leg difference sent them through from the group stage ahead of Gibraltar and China.
“We knew we were through,” O’Connor said.
Barry confessed otherwise: “I had no idea. I just showed up today hoping we were in, and luckily we were.”
Expressed his frustration with the heat on stage after the quarter-final: Ireland captain William O'Connor
Scorching Stage Conditions Under Fire
The veteran Irishman also voiced serious concern over the oppressive heat on stage.
“You’ve got no time to settle. It’s so hot out there, it’s nearly impossible to throw your best darts,” O’Connor said.
“It’s horrible. Maybe they need to change the venue or upgrade the air con, someone’s going to pass out at some point. I’m not exactly the biggest guy, but it’s unbearable.”
Barry echoed the sentiment but showed no signs of complaint:
“It’s roasting up there. The darts stick to your fingers or fly out too early. But it’s the same for everyone, so you just deal with it.”
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All-Ireland Clash on the Horizon
Sunday’s quarter-final against Northern Ireland promises to be one of the most emotionally charged matches of the tournament. Still, Barry remained unfazed:
“To be honest, it’s just another match. Josh and Daryl are quality players, but when you’re on that stage, all that matters is winning.”
O’Connor, however, took a broader view:
“Either way, a team from the island of Ireland will go through, that’s how we look at it.”
Belief and Ambition Still Strong
Ireland’s return to the last eight confirms their status among the sport’s elite, but both players know they’ll need to raise their game to go further.
“We’ve still got more to give,” O’Connor said.
“Keane played well today, I didn’t. Tomorrow needs to be better from me. In these tournaments, you need a bit of luck, but more importantly, you need to turn up.”
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For Barry, this marks his first time reaching the World Cup quarter-finals in Irish colours.
“It’s always an honour to wear the jersey and try to make the country proud. Yesterday I thought we were out—but here we are. We didn’t play our best today, but we got the job done.”
Equipment Tweaks Paying Off
Barry also revealed that he’s made minor adjustments to his setup in recent months:
“I tried something different at the start of the year—it felt great in practice but wasn’t quite right for the tour. So I went back to what I know. Now I’ve got new barrels with more grip at the front, but they’re the same weight and length. Nothing major. But they’re working okay, still room to improve, though.”
Samuel GillChief Content Officer
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.
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