The World Cup of Darts quarter-finals delivered edge-of-your-seat drama as three United Kingdom nations—Scotland, England, and Northern Ireland—battled their way into the semi-finals. Scotland decisively overcame Ireland, while England survived an epic struggle against dark horses Wales, snatching victory in a nail-biting deciding leg. Not to be outdone, defending champions Northern Ireland also secured their spot with a sensational last-leg 144-finish against a tenacious Latvian side. Get ready for a UK darts showdown in the semi-finals!
Scotland Dominates Early, Secures Semi-Final Spot Against Ireland
The first quarter-final saw a strong performance from Scotland, represented by Gary Anderson and Cameron Menzies, as they faced off against Ireland’s William O’Connor and Mickey Mansell. The Scottish duo exploded out of the gates, quickly taking the first legs with impressive finishes of 80, 82, and a clinical 120. Ireland managed to get on the scoreboard with a 14-darter, but Scotland continued their momentum, extending their lead to 5-1 with legs in 14 and 13 darts. Before the break, Ireland secured a crucial leg, narrowing the gap to 5-2.
After the interval, O’Connor and Mansell showed resilience, fighting back with two 15-darters, including a brilliant 110-finish, to bring the score to a tight 5-4. However, the momentum shifted back as three subsequent legs went with the throw, notably an 11-darter from the Scots. In the twelfth leg, Ireland struggled to hit the 120 finish, allowing Menzies to step up and seal the victory for Scotland with a double 8, winning the match 8-5 and securing their place in the semi-finals.
Match Statistics:
- Scotland: Average 99.64 / Double Percentage 50%
- Ireland: Average 96.39 / Double Percentage 20.8%
England Edges Out Wales in a Thrilling Last-Leg Decider
The second quarter-final was an absolute blockbuster, pitting tournament favourites England (Luke Humphries and Luke Littler) against the formidable Welsh duo of Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton. England’s early struggles with double attempts proved costly, as Clayton and Kenny capitalised to take the first four legs, including a 14-darter and a 72-finish. A missed 120-finish by Clayton for a 5-0 lead allowed Humphries to finally get England on the board. The English pair then broke back with a superb 84-finish via the bullseye, bringing the score to 4-2. Just before the break, Littler missed three crucial darts at a double, enabling Clayton to secure Wales’s 5-2 lead with a double five.
The first leg after the break was pivotal. Wales had three darts to extend their lead to 6-2 but failed to convert. This gave England a lifeline, and they immediately broke back. What followed was a stunning run of legs in 11, 12, and 13 darts, which saw England take the lead for the first time in the match at 6-5. Three more legs went with the darts, setting up a heart-stopping fifteenth and deciding leg. Earlier in the match, Littler had produced a spectacular 170-finish in one of England’s legs. In the final leg, both teams reached a finish after nine darts. Kenny had a chance to snatch an upset for Wales but missed the single 14 on an 84-finish, preventing a shot at the bull. Littler, with ice in his veins, stepped up and hit double two to secure a dramatic 8-7 victory for England.
Match Statistics:
- England: Average 96.50 / Double Percentage 38.1%
- Wales: Average 93.58 / Double Percentage 30.4%
Defending Champions Northern Ireland Survive Latvian Scare with Sensational Finish
The third quarter-final featured defending champions Northern Ireland (Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney) against a spirited Latvian team (Madars Razma and Dmitrijs Žukovs). The match began evenly, with the first three legs going with the throw, including impressive finishes of 72 and 116 from Latvia. Melderis then delivered the first break of the match with a neat 74-finish, which Latvia consolidated with a 13-darter, giving them a surprising 4-1 lead. However, the Northern Irish pair managed to win the last two legs before the break, limiting the damage to 4-3.
After the restart, Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney, also known as ‘Superchin’, staged a comeback. They erased the deficit with two 17-darters and a magical 161-finish from Gurney, taking a 6-4 lead. In leg 11, Northern Ireland had a chance to reach match point, but Rock missed three darts at a double, allowing Latvia to hold their throw and narrow the score to 6-5. ‘Rocky’ then produced a brilliant 133-finish, putting Northern Ireland on match point. Yet, the tenacious Latvians refused to give up, with Razma hitting a 95-finish and Melderis an 80-finish to force a deciding leg at 7-7. Latvia started the fifteenth leg and were waiting on double 12 after 15 darts. However, they never got the chance to throw for the match. Josh Rock stepped to the oche and unleashed a phenomenal 144-finish, sealing an 8-7 victory for Northern Ireland and securing their place in the semi-finals.
Match Statistics:
- Northern Ireland: Average 96.00 / Double Percentage 53.5%
- Latvia: Average 92.78 / Double Percentage 77.8%
Source: Based on an article from Darts Actueel.
