Cork's O'Shea suffers narrow defeat at Ally Pally

Ireland's John O'Shea suffered an agonising 3-2 loss to Lithuania's Darius Labanauskas in their first-round match at the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace.

O'Shea, winner of the 2019 World Masters, won the opening two sets, having come from 2-0 down in both.

However, Labanauskas, a quarter-finalists in 2020, came roaring back to level the match at two sets apiece. In the decider, the Lithuanian took a 2-1 lead, initially missing three shots at a double to seal the leg.

Needing a checkout of 47 to prolong the match, O'Shea went high with two attempts at double top and a nervy Labanauskas, on his sixth match dart, finally secured the win to progress to the last 32 and a meeting with Ross Smith.

Elsewhere this afternoon, Antrim's Josh Rock progressed to the next round with a 3-0 win over England's Callan Rydz.

Willie O'Connor, who overcame Beau Greaves 3-0 in the first round, faces Germany's Gabriel Clemens in the evening session.