In a heart-pounding finale that will be etched in darts history, Northern Ireland’s Josh Rock and Daryl Gurney clinched their nation’s first-ever World Cup of Darts title on June 15, 2025, in Frankfurt, Germany. The duo, competing together for the first time, battled through a nail-biting 10-9 victory over Wales’ formidable pair, Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton, in a last-leg decider that left the Eissporthalle arena buzzing with electricity. Tears flowed freely as the Northern Irish pair embraced, overwhelmed by the weight of their historic achievement and the £80,000 prize that came with it.
The journey to the final was a testament to the resilience and synergy of Rock and Gurney, who entered the tournament as the fourth seeds. Despite facing higher-ranked opponents in Price (11th in the PDC Order of Merit) and Clayton (5th), the Northern Irish duo showcased their complementary strengths. Rock, the 24-year-old prodigy, dazzled with his power scoring, averaging an astonishing 107.88 individually and smashing a record with nine 180s in the final. Gurney, the seasoned 39-year-old nicknamed “Superchin,” proved clutch on the doubles, hitting 8 out of 10 attempts, including the decisive double eight that sealed the victory. “Josh’s power scoring was amazing, and I was there to clean up the finishing,” Gurney said, his voice thick with pride. “I’ve never been so proud of this man and myself.”
The final was a rollercoaster of emotions. Northern Ireland surged to an early lead, breaking the Welsh throw to go 2-1 up, but a missed opportunity for a 4-1 advantage allowed Wales to claw back with a stunning 142 checkout by Clayton. The match seesawed, with Wales taking a 7-5 lead before Rock and Gurney roared back to 9-7. Heartbreak loomed as they squandered four match darts at 9-8, allowing Price and Clayton to force a decider. Yet, in the crucible of the final leg, Northern Ireland delivered an 11-dart masterclass, with Rock’s 171 leaving just 16 for Gurney to calmly dispatch. “When it went in, it’s one of the best feelings I’ve ever had,” Gurney reflected, admitting he feared the consequences of missing that double eight.
The road to glory was paved with dominant performances. On Saturday, Northern Ireland crushed South Africa 8-2, despite tensions sparked by opponent Devon Petersen’s antics, which Rock called “disrespectful.” Sunday saw them dispatch the Republic of Ireland 8-5 in the quarter-finals, with Gurney praising the match as “a great advert for Irish darts.” In the semi-finals, they obliterated host nation Germany 8-1, with Gurney averaging 105 against Martin Schindler and Ricardo Pietreczko, who had stunned pre-tournament favorites England earlier. “Josh was immense, the best player in the competition for me,” Gurney said, tipping his young partner as a future world champion.
For Rock, the victory was a breakthrough, marking his first senior major title and silencing doubters who had questioned his form. “Me and Daryl said when we team up for the World Cup, we’ll win it, and we did,” Rock said, his voice breaking. “We’ve made history for Northern Ireland, and we’re so proud as a team.” Commentators noted Rock’s 110 individual average and record-breaking 180s as a potential catalyst for future major finals, with Sky Sports’ Wayne Mardle dismissing rumors of Rock’s decline as “fake news.”
Wales, the 2020 and 2023 champions, fought valiantly, overcoming Hong Kong 8-4 and the Netherlands 8-5 in earlier rounds. Clayton graciously conceded, “We gave it our all, but congratulations to those two. They flew out the blocks in the last leg.” Price echoed the sentiment, admitting, “Josh’s scoring was unbelievable, and we couldn’t keep up.”
The victory sparked jubilation across Northern Ireland, with Gurney’s father, Tommy, calling it “unreal” and fans in Derry’s Tullyally neighborhood celebrating their “hometown hero.” Gurney hopes the triumph will inspire the next generation of Irish dart players, noting the financial barriers to PDC success. “If me and Josh can help push on darts, it would be brilliant,” he said. As Northern Ireland basks in its newfound darts glory, Rock and Gurney’s emotional embrace on stage symbolizes a nation’s pride and a partnership destined for more historic moments.
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