"I’m kind of flying under the radar again": Let narrative surround 15-year-old Lawrie says defending Lakeside champion Shane McGuirk

Shane McGuirk made it two wins from two at the 2025 WDF World Championship as he produced a stunning turnaround to defeat seeded opposition Stefan Schroder and book his place in the last 16.

The Irishman dropped the opening set but responded with nine straight legs in a dominant display that underlined his growing confidence on the Lakeside stage as the defending champion.

McGuirk admitted his opponent started strongly, but he never felt out of the contest. “He started off really well — that’s what he did against me — but I knew after the first set I wasn’t out of it,” he said. “Even though he was playing very well, I dug deep and said, win the next set and put the pressure back on him. Once I did that, the pressure actually did go on him.”

Drawing on the experience of last year’s run, McGuirk remained composed despite going behind, even though it was a new situation for him in this format. “I’ve never been 1–0 down in this format here, so I thought it’d hit me a bit harder, but it didn’t,” he explained. “I just knew it was only a hold-of-throw set really. I tipped along, did what I had to do, and grinded away.”

Once he settled, the momentum swung sharply in his favour. Strong scoring and clinical finishing powered him through the remainder of the match without dropping another leg. “When I got rolling, the scoring came to me and the finishing came at the end. Nine legs — I’m happy with that.”

Remarkably, McGuirk’s preparation for the match included a quick trip home for a wedding. “Yeah, it seems to work, doesn’t it?” he joked. “We had a great day at Niall and Laura’s wedding yesterday. Got to bed early, ready to go today. Had a bit of car trouble — must be a dodgy mechanic — but we got here in the end and we’re happy out.”

Attention on the night centred heavily on young star Mitchell Lawrie, whose 10-darter and 145 checkout lit up the evening. Asked whether he might have to beat the 15-year-old sensation to retain his title, McGuirk shrugged off discussions about the draw.

“I don’t know where the draw works out — I don’t even know who I play next,” he laughed. “I’m taking it game by game. If I ever play him, he’s a great player, and I’m definitely going to put the pressure on him. He’s in the headlines more than I am, so he probably has more pressure than I do. I’m kind of flying under the radar again.”

With his confidence building and his game sharpening with every round, the defending champion is feeling stronger by the day.

“Every game I win, I’m getting more confident — more powerful on the scoring — and I’m just going to keep enjoying it.”