IRISH eyes were smiling at Lakeside on Sunday as both Shane McGuirk and Stephen Rosney romped through their games at the WDF World Championships.
Defending champion McGuirk (30) made light work of his second round clash with ninth seed Stefan Schroder of the Netherlands, as he won the final nine legs on the spin to complete an impressive 3-1 win.
Monaghan man McGuirk found himself behind on the Lakeside stage for the first time in his career when Schroder claimed the first set 3-2 on his throw.
McGuirk was soon level, however, as he took the next set 3-0 without giving his opponent a shot at a double.
An early break of throw in the third set allowed McGuirk to pile on the pressure, and Schroder couldn't find an answer to the Irishman's power scoring and impressive finishing.
McGuirk wrapped up that third set with back-to-back 16 dart legs, and didn't let up as he took the opening leg of the next set in just 15 darts.
He finished off the game with a superb 106 finish on double 20 to advance to the last 16 with the minimum of fuss.
It was an equally good day for Republic of Ireland captain Stephen Rosney as he overcame the experienced Scot, Jim McEwan, 3-0 on his Lakeside debut.
Nenagh man Rosney (30), who plays with the Offaly county team, came firing out of the traps as he won the opening two legs of the match in just 32 darts, and then withstood a comeback from comeback from McEwan to wrap up the first set on double top.
The second set went the very same way as the first as Rosney raced into a 2-0 lead with 16 and 18 dart legs, before McEwan pulled it back to 2-2 with legs of 18 and 15 darts.
But it was Rosney who prevailed again as he took that crucial second set with a brilliant 14 dart leg.
With the debut nerves well and truly banished, Rosney completed the dream start for him as he won the third set 3-0 to advance to the second round.
Meanwhile, teenage Scottish sensation Mitchell Lawrie gave his own statement of intent as he came through his first round game 3-0.
The 15-year-old, who recently broke Luke Littler's record of being the youngest ever player to win three men's WDF ranked titles when he won the Irish Classic in Killarney, was in sensational form against Japan's Tomoya Maruyama.
Averaging just over 90, Lawrie hit a brilliant 10 dart leg and two identical 145 finishes as he defeated Maruyama with a flourish.
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