"There should be just that level of respect for the players when they're playing": Irish rising talent leaps to Luke Littler's defence amid boos and jeers
PDC
Katie Sheldon has watched darts grow rapidly in popularity across Ireland. The 22-year-old Irish player believes Luke Littler deserves much of the credit, with his performances inspiring a new generation of young players. At the same time, Sheldon is unhappy with the way the two-time world champion is often treated by the crowd.
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Known as “The Dublin Diamond”, Sheldon is one of the biggest talents in Irish women’s darts. She currently combines her darts career with a job assembling cables, but hopes to make a bigger mark on the professional circuit over the next few years.
The Irishwoman has already produced several notable performances. She became girls’ world champion at the WDF World Masters and won the WDF World Cup twice as part of a team. She has also competed in the PDC Women’s Series and the Women’s World Matchplay in Blackpool.
Sheldon targets first PDC title
Speaking to Sky Sports, Sheldon says she has clear goals for the coming years. In particular, she wants to achieve more success on the Women’s Series, where the world’s best female players regularly face one another.
"I keep saying that one goal of mine is to pick up a PDC title, so a Women's Series. And along with that, it's trying to qualify for the Women's World Matchplay," she said.
The Irishwoman recently had the chance to reach a wider audience on the Netflix show Beat Luke Littler. Several contestants were invited to try to beat the world champion in a single leg, with a £501,000 top prize. Sheldon was unable to defeat Littler. Fallon Sherrock eventually claimed the prize.
“Beau Greaves has made us all better”
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Sheldon greatly admires Beau Greaves, who once again dominated the PDC Women’s Series in impressive fashion this season. The Englishwoman won no fewer than 17 of the 24 tournaments.
Greaves also made history in April, becoming the first woman to win a PDC ranking event. At Players Championship 11 in Milton Keynes, she defeated former world champions Rob Cross, Gary Anderson and Michael Smith, among others.
The Englishwoman has since climbed to 75th in the PDC Order of Merit, bringing her closer to the world’s top 64. Sheldon believes Greaves’s presence has significantly raised the standard of women’s darts. "She's really a great talent, and she's pushed us all. I think her being there has actually brought the standard up."
At the same time, the Irishwoman fears the Women’s Series could lose a key player. Female players who hold a Tour Card and rank among the world’s top 64 are no longer allowed to compete in the Women’s Series. "Her being there has been a massive help to all of the women to progress their game, but I think it would be a sad loss to the Women's Series when she's gone."
Katie Sheldon has competed in the Women’s World Matchplay
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“There used to be only a few kids”
Alongside the growth of women’s darts, Sheldon has also seen the sport take off in Ireland. She says interest has risen sharply, especially among young people.
She credits Littler’s success with much of that growth. "I think Luke has given everyone that interest. I think a lot of people have started picking up darts, but mainly youths.
Sheldon remembers how small the youth competitions were when she started out. "When I played youth darts in youth academies, there wasn't that many of us, a couple of lads, but the numbers are just through the roof now."
She points to a recent event at a darts academy in Dublin as an example. "We have a Dublin academy, and I think at the team event, there was 183 kids there at the weekend, just playing darts for their local teams and clubs, which is amazing for the sport. It's great to see the growth, and I think a lot of that is down to what Luke's done."
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Sheldon criticises jeers and boos aimed at Littler
Although Littler is hugely popular around the world, the Englishman also regularly faces hostile reactions from the crowd during matches.
The world number one has been booed particularly at tournaments in the Netherlands and Germany. Littler has previously suggested he may consider skipping certain events if the behaviour continues.
Sheldon understands his frustration. "When he first came on the scene, everyone was bigging him up and it was great, but then you're turning up to tournaments and people are booing him."
The Irishwoman believes some spectators do not fully appreciate how special the current generation of darts players is. "People probably don't know what they're witnessing at the minute. The standard of darts is just crazy.
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Sheldon says chanting and singing are part of the sport, but believes supporters must respect certain boundaries. "I think if you are a fan, you should be going there to enjoy it. Don't get me wrong, everyone loves singing the songs, but I think there should be just that level of respect for the players when they're playing because at the end of the day, this is their livelihood as well."
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She also points out that professional darts is the players’ livelihood. "They want to be trying to perform the best for the fans, and they probably can't do that with all the boos."
Sheldon therefore feels it is a shame that Littler, who she believes has done so much for the popularity of darts, has to deal with such reactions. "It's one of those things he has to deal with, which is kind of sad to see."
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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- And why should he listen to you?Deduce635807-11-2026
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- Probably i will receive a lot of backlash and hate for this reaction, but well, so be it. I am more than sick and tired of those lies of you Barry Hearn. How dare you defend yourself over the back of Fallon’s son! He has a disability and not an illness, so let me correct that for you! I know because I have the exact same disability. I have tried to reach out to Fallon in the past, and offered her to help her and her son, because I was struggling with the same problems, and I understood the boy. I wanted him to have finally someone who understood him. However she told me that she did not want my help, and I have respected Fallon’s choice. I have never asked Fallon for money. They don’t need money in that case. I only ever wanted the best for Fallon and Rory, but I have to be honest about the situation. Fallon should tell the true story and not be forced to tell lies. I don’t hate Fallon, and I don’t begrudge or envy a single penny that she gets, but this situation/case is just not fair. I hate the lies and the dishonesty and injustice. I don’t want Fallon to be hated because there is an unfair disadvantage created. Don’t proclaim your false lies over the back of Rory! I only stand for integrity and justice. I am precisely the one who always sticks up for Fallon. And you don't, you don't give a damn about them. You were never there for them, and now you only want to save your own position! You are just trying to talk your way out of your own bad behavior at the expense of someone with a disability. And to Fallon, I don’t know if this may ever reach you, and you read it, but I want you to know I love you and I love your son Rory very much, I am sorry how things developed and went. I hope you and Harriet are still friends. I am sorry if I were too persistent to you, or you experienced it that way, but it was never my intention. Please understand I have autism as well. As Barry Hearn would say, I am only just a human being too, and I also make mistakes and misjudge things sometimes. I promise you I did everything out of the deepest love and care for you and Rory. If I were you, I should just keep all the money, only please never be dishonest or tell lies anymore for Barry Hearn, or anyone else. I hope you have the best life, and I wish nothing more than the best for you. I have always loved the two of you. Farewell.Hiddo05-11-2026