Limerick's William O'Connor bows out of PDC World Darts Championships

LIMERICK’S William O’Connor bowed out of the PDC World Darts Championship at the last 32 stage of the event at London’s Alexandra Palace on Saturday evening.

Despite impressively taking the opening set, Cappamore man O’Connor suffered a 4-1 defeat to England’s Ryan Searle at the ‘Ally Pally.’

O’Connor’s defeat put an end to his excellent run at the prestigious event which boasts a total prizefund of stg£2.5million and a first prize of stg£500,000.

Thirty two-year-old O’Connor never managed to show the level of form he had displayed in his two opening round wins over Yordi Meeuwisse, of the Netherlands, and 26 seed, James Wilson, of England.

World Championship debutant Searle had shocked PDC World Championship seventh seed Mensur Suljovic, of Austria, 3-1 in the previous round.

Reaching the third round ensures carpenter O’Connor will pocket stg£25,000 in prizemoney from the tournament.

This year the Limerick arrowsmith has already toppled the likes of multiple world champion, Michael van Gerwen, knocking him out of the Dutch Darts Championship in front of his own fans, as well as reigning PDC World champion Rob Cross in the European Matchplay final where he also overcame both Kim Huybrechts and Mensur Suljovic

O'Connor, nicknamed 'The Magpie' was a latecomer to darts, only starting to play the game in his late teens.