Shane McGuirk and Niall Culleton Go Head-To-Head In Winmau World Masters Preliminary Rounds Group Stage

Shane McGuirk and Niall Culleton will go head-to-head in Group BE in the 2026 Winmau World Masters Preliminary Rounds.

The pair of Irish darts stars are set to compete in their first PDC event in Milton Keynes since securing their Tour Cards at Q-School earlier this month.

Shane McGuirk and Niall Culleton Go H2H At Winmau World Masters

Two of Ireland’s latest PDC players will have to go head-to-head in the 2026 Winmau World Masters Preliminary Rounds Group Stage on Wednesday afternoon.

The Winmau World Masters prelims take place on January 28, with the televised tournament proper beginning on Thursday, January 29.

There are eight places up for grabs in the World Masters line-up, with five Irish players confirmed in the line-up in the preliminary rounds.

William O’Connor and Keane Barry are already in the Last 64 of the prelims after being seeded due to their PDC Order of Merit ranking, with Ireland’s three other darts stars forced to compete in the Group Stage before even reaching the knockout stages of the prelims.

Just under 10 minutes until the World Masters Preliminary Rounds get underway!

Ireland have 5 in action, including the 3 new tour card holders and Keane Barry and William O’Connor.

8 spots up for grabs. pic.twitter.com/uN5blwNanf

— Irish Darts Updates (@updates_irish) January 28, 2026

Of the three Irish players in the Group Stage, two have been drawn together in the same group. This means one Irish player is set to be eliminated at the first hurdle at least.

Shane McGuirk and Niall Culleton both secured PDC Tour Cards at UK Q-School earlier this month, and have now been drawn in the same group at the World Masters prelims in Milton Keynes.

Culleton and McGuirk are in Group BE alongside Belgian qualifier Stefaan Henderyck, with just one of the three players from the group progressing into the Last 64 of the Preliminary Rounds.

On paper McGuirk is the favourite to progress from Group PE given his pedigree from winning the WDF World Championship in 2024, but fellow Irishman Culleton will also fancy his chances.

This means at best, there will be four Irish players into the Last 64 knockout stages of the 2026 Winmau World Masters Preliminary Rounds with just eight spots up for grabs in the televised tournament alongside Luke Littler, Luke Humphries and co.

https://twitter.com/updates_irish/status/2016482581760405744

Stephen Rosney Faces Kim Huybrechts In Preliminary Rounds Group Stage

Another Irish player in the Winmau World Masters Preliminary Rounds Group Stage is Stephen Rosney.

Like Niall Culleton and Shane McGuirk, Rosney isn’t seeded and therefore must qualify for the Last 64 knockout stage of the Preliminary Rounds by winning his group.

Rosney was one of three Irish players to earn PDC Tour Cards at UK Q-School earlier this month, and will be confident of surprising a few and making his way into the Winmau World Masters televised line-up by claiming one of the eight spots up for grabs.

Ireland have one more!

With a run to the last 16 today, Stephen Rosney secures his tour card. ✅

Unfortunately Steve Lennon comes up a few legs short. pic.twitter.com/ZH4fEs3h9m

— Irish Darts Updates (@updates_irish) January 11, 2026

If he is to do so, he must first win Group AA, which sees him paired with Belgian player Kim Huchbrechts. Rosney and Huybrechts are in a group of two with no third player, meaning it is a straight one-game shootout to see who progresses into the Last 64 prelim knockouts.

Should Rosney get past the former Premier League star and former World Darts Championship quarter-finalist, he will join William O’Connor and Keane Barry in the Last 64 of the Preliminary Rounds.

After the Group Stage, 64 players will remain in the prelims battling it out for just eight spots in the televised Winmau World Masters line-up.

Rosney has every chance of progressing if he brings his A-game to the oche on Wednesday afternoon, and will be hopeful of a successful debut at the World Masters in Milton Keynes this week.