Former world champion Bob Anderson defeated local favourite Anto McCracken to set up a quarter-final clash with Terry Jenkins at the Skybet World Grand Prix in Dublin.
The 'Limestone Cowboy' showed flashes of his best form - including a superb 149 checkout - as he followed up his victory over world number one Colin Lloyd in the previous round with a 3-1 success at the Citywest Hotel.
Rathcoole thrower McCracken, who was held up in traffic and only arrived at the venue 40 minutes before the game started, gave a good account of himself but never really threatened an upset.
'Every game is totally different,' said Anderson. 'I knew exactly what Colin was going to throw at me and I knew what I had to do to stop him.
'I've never played Anto before so he was a surprise package. I knew he could play better than he did the other night, and he did tonight.
'He was tough and the crowd, quite rightly, were right behind him - sometimes at the wrong moment. But the guy is a local hero and we're in Ireland, I wasn't expecting anything else, really.
'If I took out a good finish I didn't leap across the stage, I just tried to keep my cool.'
Peter 'One Dart' Manley inflicted a 3-1 defeat on Lionel Sams in the final game of the night.
The first two sets were shared before fifth seed Manley reeled off three legs to move ahead again.
Sams was unable to respond and three successful attempts at double top clinched a deserved victory for the Carlisle-based thrower.
'When I saw Lionel take out 136 against John Part, I knew it wasn't going to be easy,' said Manley, who will face Andy Smith in the last eight.
'I think I had that little bit more experience and was more comfortable on the doubles.'
Earlier tonight, lumberjack Smith overcame an out-of-sorts Wayne Mardle.
Smith - affectionately known as the 'Pie Man' - dominated from start to finish, dropping just three legs in a 3-0 success.
He breezed through the first set - reeling off three straight legs - and although Mardle stopped the rot with double nine, another impressive surge moved Smith within one set of victory.
The next four legs were shared before Smith checked out on 120 to clinch victory.
Smith said: 'I knew I had to put him under pressure early because he's the kind of player that if he gets ahead he can make you look silly.
'But there's a lot of pressure on the lads trying to qualify for the Premier League. They've got to do well this week to earn the points.
'Wayne wasn't at his best, we all know that, but the draw has opened up a bit for me now.'
Jenkins, meanwhile, edged a hard-fought encounter against qualifier Andy Callaby, who revealed afterwards that he felt unwell during the contest.
'Tucker', who still has a chance of qualifying for the Premier League, held his nerve to close out a 3-2 victory.
