Barry's brave bid falls just short

Seventeen-year-old Keane Barry from Duleek produced a brave performance on his World Darts Championship debut last night before losing out to Dutch veteran Vincent Van der Voort in Alexandra Palace.
The 0-3 loss to Van der Voort is a harsh and unfair reflection of just how well Barry played as he pushed the former World Championship semi-finalists all the way in the first two sets before falling away in the third.
The opening seven legs of the lightning fast contest went with the throw with Van der Voort taking the first leg and every second subsequent leg to claim the first set 3-2.
In the second set Barry threw first and once again held his nerve to take the lead in the set, but after Van der Voort levelled it up the Dutch veteran, who made his World Championship debut five months before Barry was born, produced the first break in throw.
Barry, who hit three 180s in a stunning 10-minute spell, hit back immediately with a break to level the second set 2-2, but a third successive break in throw saw Van der Voort take a decisive 2-0 lead in the first to three sets match.
Facing an uphill climb Barry failed to win another leg, but he did have chances to in the final set before missing vital doubles and losing the third set 3-0.
Frustrated with aspects of his performance, Barry enjoyed his experience in Ally Pally.
"It was a brilliant atmosphere and to see everyone from home and the crowd was absolutely amazing,' said the Duleek player.
"It was a dream come through to even be up there on that stage. 
"Inside I'm disappointed, it's gut-wrenching but that's part and parcel of it. He was more clinical at the right times," concluded Barry.
Mitchell Clegg is the youngest player to have competed in the tournament at just 16 years and 37 days. Max Hopp, who was 16 years and 117 days old when he competed in 2012/2013, was the second youngest with Barry displacing van Gerwen as the third youngest to ever play at the championships.
Monday night's defeat doesn't spell the end of Barry's Alexandra Palace experience as he has also won through to the JDC's Scott Farms International Junior World Championship final, where he will take on Adam Gawlas on Saturday evening.