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The Luke Littler show rolls into Dublin town

The signs went up a few months ago. No room at the inn, walk on, walk-ins.

Or more precisely, a new darts academy in Cabra, Dublin 7, only set up last September, has stopped taking new members.

The Luke Littler effect, 15 months since he burst onto the scene, shows no signs of slowing down.

"We've 56 registered in the academy, we’ve a waiting list of 30," says club director Liam Bolger.

"We were going to start a Youth Club and the manager of Finbarr's GAA said, 'what do you think of a darts academy?'

"So, we went with that, we thought we'd get a few at the start and we got 30, 40 then 50, all the kids are mad into it.

"At the moment it’s going great, and they all love it."

Liam Bolger (r) and the juniors dartists from D7 look on as Littler does his stuff

The D7 club is affiliated with the Junior Darts Corporation, which has over 90 partner academies, mostly in Britain and Ireland, while there are a number of independent junior clubs.

At this age, it's about the kids taking part and having fun, but that's not to say there isn't an up and coming Littler among them.

"There are players coming through and they're amazing, they are as good as the adults and they are 12 or 13," adds Bolger.

"We've three or four who only started playing darts in September and you can see they are going to be great."

Littler is in Dublin ahead of tonight’s Premier League action at the 3Arena in Dublin and was a surprise visitor on Wednesday to the club which is based in the Naomh Fíonnbarra GAA club.

"It’s crazy, obviously they were very happy to see me," Littler told RTÉ Sport after being mobbed by the youngsters upon arrival.

"It’s so good to see so many academies starting up, not only in England but over here in Ireland.

"I wouldn’t say it’s [my] responsibility; it’s a case that I’ve done really well, and the younger generation are looking up to me and want to be the next Luke Littler.

Luke Littler posed for pictures with the D7 club members

"I am aware of it but I've got games to win every week.

"I’m very aware of how many academies have started up and the younger generation but also the older people that have gotten back into darts because of me."

Crowned champion of the world for the first time last month when he beat Michael van Gerwen in the final aged just 17, the Warrington man is not afraid to say he has Phil Taylor’s record of 16 titles in his sights.

"It is catchable but it's if I want to go for 20-25 years, unless I just go and win it for 17 years and then I can retire," he said with a smile.

"I can’t see myself playing when I’m 40 or 50 years old. I think it will be, I won’t say a short career, but definitely a good career."

Luke Littler is hoping to better last year's quarter-final performance in Dublin

The 18-year-old is the defending Premier League champion, and he picked up his first win in Glasgow last weekend.

After losing in the quarter-final last year in Dublin, he’s hoping to end a run of four successive defeats to Gerwyn Price this evening on Night 3 and get more points on the board.

His plan to take down the Welshman?

"Yeah, just win. Play well hopefully. We know he’s capable of tonne-plus averages, high checkouts so hopefully I get that first win."

Elsewhere, world number one Luke Humphries takes on Stephen Bunting, Rob Cross faces Nathan Aspinall and Van Gerwen meets Chris Dobey.


2025 BetMGM Premier League Night Three -

3Arena, Dublin
Quarter-Finals

Luke Humphries v Stephen Bunting
Gerwyn Price v Luke Littler
Rob Cross v Nathan Aspinall
Michael van Gerwen v Chris Dobey

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