Irish pair Willie O’Connor and Keane Barry breezed through their opening assignments at the PDC World Championship on Friday.
Limerick man O’Connor averaged 102.3 in a 3-0 win over Krzysztof Kciuk of Poland to earn a shot at three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen in round two.
Later, Meath native Barry looked impressively assured as he beat Australian Tim Pusey 3-0. Barry will next face German No 1 Martin Schindler.
In the day’s earlier session Beau Greaves narrowly missed out on a first win at the tournament after a 3-2 defeat by Daryl Gurney.
The 21-year-old from Doncaster, making her second appearance on the Alexandra Palace stage, hit a remarkable 10-dart leg to level the match against the 22nd seed.
But Northern Ireland World Cup winner Gurney pulled off the biggest checkout of the match, a 144, to break in the deciding set before wrapping up victory despite only winning 10 legs to Greaves’ 11.
“For me, she’s the best woman dart player on the planet,” Gurney said on Sky Sports.
“If there’s going to be a dart player that can win the World Championships or any majors, that’s the player you want to look to. Even from a man’s point of view, that woman has got some cajones.
“Obviously everybody says that she was the favourite coming into the game, but sometimes I showed my class, I showed my composure, and I got over the finish line.”
Josh Rock (L) had too much for Gemma Hayter
In the afternoon session Josh Rock survived a minor scare before overcoming Gemma Hayter 3-1.
The Northern Irishman, touted by many as a tip for the title, cruised into a two-set lead before Hayter seized the third and pushed him to the limit as she pressed for parity in the fourth.
Rock, a 2025 World Cup winner alongside Gurney, missed 10 darts at doubles in a below-par first set but appeared to have shrugged off his early nerves as he cruised through the second.
But Hayter, who qualified by finishing fifth on the 2025 Women’s Series order of merit, stepped up to seize the third set and battled to a deciding leg in the fourth before Rock belatedly got the job done with an 81 checkout.
American showman Lenny Gates joined Rock in round two after chiselling out a 3-2 win over another Northern Irishman, Mickey Mansell.
Ryan Meikle had no trouble dispatching Argentina’s Jesus Salate 3-0, while Dutchman Kevin Doets came from a set down to defeat Matthew Dennant 3-1.
Meanwhile, Johnny Clayton has received a bye into the third round after opponent Dom Taylor was disqualified for failing a drugs test.
The Darts Regulation Authority said: “On December 19, the DRA was notified of an adverse analytical finding in respect of the player Dom Taylor resulting from a test conducted on December 14.
“As a result of this and in line with relevant DRA processes, Dom Taylor has been suspended from participating in any DRA regulated events with immediate effect.
“This matter will now be the subject of a disciplinary process in line with the relevant DRA anti-doping rules.”