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Cavan Darts Player Nearly Stuns World Champion
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Pearse Mackle, a 21-year-old darts player from Lavey, County Cavan, came tantalisingly close to a major upset against world number one Luke Littler. Competing in Netflix’s ‘Beat Luke Littler’ event, Mackle was just one dart away from securing a £501,000 prize.
The event, held in Manchester, offered contestants a single leg of 501 against Littler, with the competition ending if anyone managed to defeat the reigning world champion. Mackle, a University of Galway Commerce student, was among 24 contestants selected from thousands of applicants for this unique opportunity.
Despite his near miss, Mackle’s performance was one of the night’s highlights. He had previously represented Ireland at youth level and has been playing darts since the age of 12. His journey to the event included auditions and assessments by darts legends and sports pundits.
Joining Mackle was fellow Irish contestant Katie Sheldon, a 22-year-old from Dublin. Known as ‘The Dublin Diamond’, Sheldon balances her career as a wire assembler with regular darts practice and competitions.
Fallon Sherrock’s Historic Win
While Mackle narrowly missed out, it was Fallon Sherrock who eventually claimed the £501,000 jackpot. Sherrock, known as the ‘Queen of the Palace’, defeated Littler with a brilliant 14-dart leg, ending his unbeaten run after 14 challengers.
Sherrock’s victory added to her impressive history in darts, including being the first woman to win a match at the PDC World Darts Championship in 2019 and hitting a televised nine-darter in 2023.
Despite some criticism over her inclusion in the event, which was initially promoted for amateur players, Sherrock’s performance was undeniable. Netflix defended the selection process, stating that all participants went through the same auditions.
For Mackle, the experience was unforgettable, even if he was left contemplating what might have been.
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