14 Irish Darts Players Reach PDC UK Q-School Final Stage With Tour Card Hopes Still Alive

A total of 14 Irish darts players have reached the Final Stage of PDC UK Q-School and are in with a major chance of securing a PDC Tour Card.

All 14 players will bid to earn one of the coveted PDC Tour Cards over the next four days of darting action in Milton Keynes.

14 Irish Darts Players Reach Q-School Final Stage

At the beginning of PDC UK Q-School 2026, 27 Irish darts hopefuls headed to Milton Keynes with the same aim – earning a PDC Tour Card.

Now after the conclusion of the opening stage, 14 Irish players remain in with a chance of earning that coveted Tour Card and becoming a professional darts player on the PDC circuit.

Over 850 people entered Q-School this year, with just 27 PDC Tour Cards up for grabs across both the UK and European Q-School events.

All 27 Irish players are included in UK Q-School, with less than half being eliminated at the first stage. This means that Ireland has a strong chance of at least one player earning a Tour Card.

William O’Connor was the only Irish player not to fall down the PDC Order of Merit after the World Darts Championship, despite losing out to three-time world champion and former world number one Michael van Gerwen in the second round.

🇮🇪🎯 – Q School Finals Stage

Irish players who are in the hunt for a tour card over the next four days#darts pic.twitter.com/RObHqWmDsb

— Podge McG (@PGNWTLOI1D) January 8, 2026

‘The Magpie’ remains the top darts player from the Emerald Isle, with 14 more Irish hopefuls looking to emulate his success in becoming an ever-present on the PDC Pro Tour.

The 14 players in with a chance of earning their Tour Card in the Final Stage of UK Q-School have all earned the right to be here, throwing fantastic darts so far in Milton Keynes.

Former PDC Tour Card holders Steve Lennon and Dylan Slevin are among the 14 players hopeful of earning their Tour Card for the next two years.

Niall Culleton, Jack Faragher, Damien Grimes, Killian McCormack, Ronan McDonagh, Ultan McDyer, Shane McGuirk, William O’Toole, Patrick Quinn, Keith Rooney, Stephen Rosney and Ciaran Teehan are the other 12 Irish hopefuls looking to earn their PDC Tour Card between now and Sunday, January 11.

UK Qualifying School Day Three – Final Stage Automatic Qualifiers 📋

John Henderson 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
Graham Usher 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
Christopher Wickenden 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
Wayne Jones 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
Ultan McDyer 🇮🇪
Jack Faragher 🇮🇪
Lee Evans 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
Steve Haggerty 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
Keith Rooney 🇮🇪
Callum Goffin 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿
Derek Maclean 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
Chris Hurds 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
Martin…

— Live Darts (@livedarts) January 7, 2026

Which Irish Players Are Favourite To Earn PDC Tour Card?

Of the 14 Irish players who have made it to the Final Stage of PDC UK Q-School 2026, Dylan Slevin is the outright favourite with bookmakers to regain his Tour Card.

Former World Cup of Darts finalist Steve Lennon is second favourite from the Irish contingent, with both men fairly confident of holding their nerve and making a return to the PDC circuit at the first time of asking.

Only seven Irish darts players qualified automatically for the Final Stage after two days of Q-School action, but there will be another 12 players from the Emerald Isle joining Slevin and Lennon in hoping to earn their PDC Tour Card for the next two years.

Behind Slevin and Lennon, Shane McGuirk is the third most likely Irish player to earn a PDC Tour Card over the next four days of action in Milton Keynes, according to the latest bookmaker odds.

Yep absolutely Daniel, fingers crossed a few get cards. 128 players at the UK/Ire q-school phase 2. Played over 4 days with 2 cards given out each day and then the remaining at the end of the 4 days based on a ranking system from the 4 events

— Kevin Kehoe (@KevIRL) January 7, 2026

McGuirk was the 2024 WDF World Champion, so evidently has pedigree and is in with a huge chance of joining William O’Connor and Keane Barry on the PDC circuit.

Another Irishman in Ciaran Teehan is amongst the favourites to earn a Tour Card at UK Q-School this year too. Teehan previously played on the PDC and was tipped for success by Wayne Mardle at one stage, so clearly has exceptional ability on the oche. He will be hopeful of making a return to the PDC.

The rest of the Irish contingent are less fancied according to the bookmakers odds. That being said, they have all made it to the Final Stage already so can’t be ruled out of going all the way and earning their PDC Tour Card from 2026 UK Q-School this weekend.