Katie plays a key role in helping Ireland darts team to gold medal

TALLAGHT’S Katie Sheldon was on point as she played a pivotal part in helping Ireland to a first ever gold medal at the World Darts Federation (WDF) World Cup in Esbjerg, Denmark.

Battling alongside 40 teams from all around the world, the Irish team consisting of Katie Sheldon, captain Robyn Byrne, Caroline Breen, and Aoife McCormack, came out on top after eight excellent matches.

19-year-old Sheldon has added another global gold medal to her collection, having been crowned World Masters Under 18 Champion back in 2019.

“It was absolutely amazing to win the World Cup, it’s what we work so hard for travelling around the country qualifying for your team so to come home with gold is just fantastic,” Sheldon said.

“Coming home with a gold medal is what every sports person dreams of when they are going away for their selected sport so to have won one is something I’ll cherish.

“It was a very special day and there was definitely some tears of joy shared.

“I couldn’t ask for a better bunch of ladies to have won this with, we all played our part.

“We went as a team and we won as a team.”

On their way to the decider, Ireland bettered Norway, France, Mongolia, and Luxembourg to the top their group and set up a tantalising clash with tournament favourites Netherlands in the Last 16.

It was a tight game, but the Irish women came out on top on a scoreline of 9/7 to progress into the quarter final against a strong Australian team.

A 9/6 win against the team from Oz and victory over Sweden in the penultimate round put them into the final, where Ireland recoded a brilliant 9/7 triumph against a very strong Wales outfit.

Managed by Kevin Devaney from Galway, the victory marks the first time that an Irish team won a gold medal at a Women’s World Cup event.

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