'I was a bit too quick for myself' - Keane Barry's time out

New format, new team, Meath's Keane Barry can't wait to get going at the World Cup of Darts.

The former double world youth champion is set to make his Republic of Ireland debut in Frankfurt this evening alongside veteran Willie O'Connor, who partnered Steve Lennon all the way to the final in 2019.

Barry, ranked 41, overtook Lennon on the PDC's order of merit this season and says it's a "great honour" to represent his country.

The tournament itself carries a £400,000 prize pot and has undergone a radical change that incorporates a group stage and will consist solely of doubles games. In the past it was a mix of doubles and singles.

The four top-ranked nations, England, Netherlands, Wales and Scotland, based on the lowest cumulative order of merit ranking of the two competing players, are seeded and will enter at the second round.

The remaining 36 teams are split into 12 groups of three for the round-robin first round – including 12 seeded nations – from which each group winner will progress.

Ireland, seeded ninth, begin their campaign on Thursday evening against Thailand's Attapol Eupakaree and Yong Gaweenuntavong and will meet Croatia pair Boris Krcmar and Romeo Grbavac on Friday in Group E.

"With it being doubles the whole way through, I think we've a good chance if we click," Barry told RTÉ Sport.

The new format means Barry, renowned for his fast pace, will have to adjust to waiting three turns between visits.

"If I knew I was playing a slow player I'd just try to find my own rhythm and not get caught up in their game," he said.

"It's kind of the same with doubles when you have to wait three turns to throw.

"I'd be used to playing doubles in the league and it's not that long ago that I was playing doubles regularly so it's fresh