LAST UPDATE | 21 Dec 2022
ANTRIM’S JOSH ROCK wasted no time as he breezed into the third round of the PDC World Darts Championship with a 3-0 whitewash win over Callan Rydz.
Rock, who only qualified for the PDC Tour earlier this year but has been tipped as a live contender for this year’s title, racked up a quick win over 23rd seed Rydz on Wednesday afternoon.
He will now face Nathan Aspinall after the Christmas break at the Alexandra Palace.
“I’m happy with the win but Callan didn’t play his game, and I still haven’t played my game yet at this stage,” the 21-year-old told Sky Sports afterwards.
“I know there’s more to come from Josh Rock.”
Earlier, John O’Shea suffered a heart-breaking 3-2 loss in his first round match having won the first two sets against Lithuanian Darius Labanauskas.
The Cork man, who won the World Masters in 2019, put up a determined fight, winning the first two sets having trailed 2-0 in each.
Yet Labanauskas then found his rhythm, going on to win the next three sets and take the contest 3-2. He progresses to the second round at Alexandra Palace where he will play Ross Smith.
There it is!! His SIXTH match dart 😰
— Sky Sports Darts (@SkySportsDarts) December 21, 2022
Darius Labanauskas is through to the second round where he will face Ross Smith! ⏳ pic.twitter.com/cjjBILIwdq
O Donohoe has balls of steel. Cometh the hour, cometh the man.
Galway seemed to have more quality but that Mayo hunger and never say die got them over the line again.
Great match to start the league
@Noel Lynn: again? Do they get over the lone a lot?
Maybe if Mayo had brought Enoch Burke in to the forward line they might have benefitted from his ability to create havoc and take a score. As it was, Galway gifted Mayo the draw by giving the ball away when in possession in the last play. We don’t mind throwing them a few crumbs now and again.
@Brendan Daniel Naughton: Galway defence is poor.Needs serious restructuring if we’re to get to an All Ireland final.
Cillian’s score was with his left foot, not fisted.
The author’s omission of the awarding of Galways last free is poor. The player slipped but good auld Joe Mc Q seen a foul. He does try God love him.
@Noel Lynn: was standing right beside it took his legs
@Noel Lynn: still blaming referees for previous defeats and current draws I see…drop that attitude and mayo might just win an all ireland in the next decade
@Noel Lynn: The free O’Donoghue won of Glynn was a pure con altogether, so I wouldn’t worry too much about any miscarriage of justice
@Colman Kelly: u see what I wanna see. Very clear on tv, no trip, he slipped
@Noel Lynn: you said it…you see what you wanna see. You didn’t want to see it was a foul
@Noel Lynn: Mayo drew?
Great game for the first round of the league. Mayo need a few more scoring forwards to reward all their great play.
@Richie Murphy: agreed and need more direct play. That over and back shite is costing the 50%more scores
@Noel Lynn: totally agree as a mayo man I would worry bout that come championship Galway were way better breaking through our defence with runners something mayo found hard to do
The black card needs to be amended to take into account the stoppages. This craic of laying on the floor for 3 minutes every free to kill time is ruining the flow of the game.
What was the point of bringing on aiden o shea on?
@itzme: to give him a run I assume?
Will never tire of seeing Mayo
putting Galway back in their box!
@James Flynn: they didn’t though and they never have put us back in our box or any box . #bottlers
@Finnster: ha knew I’d tempt you out Finnster!
Bottlers? you’d know Galway
hurlers record?
They invented the word
@James Flynn: 26062 days and counting lad
The GAA and the draw….