The electric atmosphere at Belfast’s SSE Arena reached fever pitch on Thursday night during Night Four of the 2026 BetMGM Premier League Darts, as local hero Josh Rock delivered one of the most unforgettable moments in the competition’s history. The 24-year-old from Broughshane, County Antrim, etched his name into darts folklore by firing in a sensational nine-darter right on home soil, sending the passionate Northern Irish crowd into absolute delirium.
Rock, making his Premier League debut this season, had endured a tough start with no wins and a string of heavy defeats entering the night, sitting bottom of the table without a point to his name. Pressure was mounting, especially in front of family, friends, and a raucous home support eager to see their boy shine. Yet, in his quarter-final clash against the in-form Dutchman Gian van Veen, Rock produced magic in the eighth leg that transformed the evening.
The perfect leg unfolded with clinical precision: Rock opened with six flawless darts to leave 141—a classic nine-darter finish—and then nailed treble 20, treble 19, and double 12 to complete the masterpiece. Commentators described the arena as “fertile nine-dart soil in Belfast,” and the roar that followed was deafening. The crowd erupted in wild celebration, jumping to their feet as Rock raised his arms in triumph, soaking in the adulation from his adoring fans. It marked the 22nd (or 20th in some counts) nine-darter in Premier League history, but few have carried the emotional weight of this one—achieved in the player’s hometown on his debut campaign.
Despite the heroics, Rock couldn’t turn the match in his favor. Van Veen, unfazed by the spectacle, responded with composure and powered through with three ton-plus checkouts to secure a convincing 6-2 victory. The Dutchman advanced to the semi-finals, where he eventually fell to Stephen Bunting in the final. Bunting, the rank outsider on the night, claimed the nightly title with a brilliant display, overcoming tough opposition including Luke Humphries and Gerwyn Price en route.
For Rock, the defeat stung, but the nine-darter overshadowed everything. He later received a coveted set of 18-carat gold darts, valued at £30,000, as a prize for the perfect leg—a glittering reward for perfection under the brightest lights. Reflecting on the moment, Rock called it a “special feeling,” adding, “Being from Northern Ireland and hitting a nine-darter in front of Belfast is phenomenal.” He went further, admitting the achievement eclipsed the loss entirely: “My consistency in the Premier League is good but tonight, the 6-2 (defeat) I don’t even care. I’ve hit a nine-darter in front of my home crowd and enjoyed that even more.”
The feat has been hailed in some circles as potentially the “best nine-darter of all-time” due to the context—the electric home support, the debut-season pressure, and the sheer drama of turning a struggling night into an iconic one. Videos of the leg quickly went viral, capturing the pandemonium as the SSE Arena shook with cheers, chants, and pure joy. Rock himself described it as a “dream come true” to produce such perfection on home turf.
While the result keeps Rock rooted at the bottom of the standings for now, this moment provides a massive boost in confidence and a highlight that will define his debut season. The Premier League’s grueling format continues to test every player, but nights like this remind fans why darts thrives on unpredictability and raw emotion. For the Belfast crowd, and for Josh Rock, Thursday night was nothing short of legendary—a perfect leg that raised the roof and proved that, sometimes, one extraordinary moment can eclipse an entire match.
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