Monaghan’s McGuirk takes down 70-year-old legend to win World Darts Championship

"I was down, but I never gave up. It’s the same in life – never give up. I’ll be back next year."

Monaghan's Shane McGuirk landed the WDF World Darts Championship title on Sunday, defeating 70-year-old Paul Lim at Lakeside.

McGuirk won 6-3 against the Singaporean, in the competition's third year after taking over from the BDO as the sport's secondary World Championship.

Lim is known for hitting the first-ever nine-dart finish at a World Championship - against Ireland's Jack McKenna in 1990.

This was back when there was only one World Championship, before the split in darts. Lim's nine-darter was the only one ever to be hit at the BDO worlds.

He also came desperately close to banking another at the 2018 PDC World Championship, when he missed the double 12 against Gary Anderson.

Despite the loss to McGuirk, Lim remained upbeat: "I was down, but I never gave up. It’s the same in life – never give up. I’ll be back next year."

McGuirk magic

McGuirk averaged 90.31 to Lim's 83.76, with the winner taking home £50,000 and the runner-up getting £16,000.

A paint shop worker by trade, McGuirk raced into a four-set lead before Lim clawed it back to 5-3. 'The Arrow' then took it home, winning the final set 3-0.

The 29-year-old McGuirk became the second Irishman to win any of the world championships after Antrim's Neil Duff was victorious in the WDF in 2022.

Aughnamullen man McGuirk said: "This is something everyone dreams of. Everyone back home in Ireland, Monaghan. We all dream of this. To be champion of something. I'm absolutely speechless.

"I dug deep at the start and I think I got my lead that helped me go on and actually win this. Paul was incredible. He came back so well.

"We're a small county. I'm hoping this drives everybody on. We have lads beating me in the leagues. They can be here if they apply themselves. They can be here, and I fully support them to be here, especially our youths.

"We're hoping to get our youths going. I hope that this drives more youths into the system, because the youths are the future of Monaghan, like. We're running out of players, we're a small county."

Legendary Irish darts player, Brendan Dolan, has been keeping in touch with McGuirk, who credited the Fermanagh man with helping him to get over the line.

McGuirk added: "Brendan rang me this morning and he was telling me exactly what to do, especially for what the pace of the game might be. He told me how to settle myself, he told me how to do everything else, so helped me that way.

"I can't give the man enough credit. He was helping me there. If he needs help for his own World Championship, I'm there for him."