Luke Littler stormed off stage in a rare display of frustration at Premier League Darts in Dublin, throwing his darts case down the stairs after losing to Gerwyn Price.
The teenage sensation's outburst was captured by Sky Sports cameras following his first-round exit on night three of this year's competition.
Littler had appeared visibly frustrated throughout the evening match against Price, who went on to win the night's competition.
The world No 2's uncharacteristic reaction came after a disappointing 6-4 defeat, despite averaging close to a ton during the match.
Luke Littler stormed off stage in a rare display of frustration at Premier League Darts in Dublin, throwing his darts case down the stairs after losing to Gerwyn Price
PA
Littler had found himself trailing 4-1 in legs during the crucial match against Price.
Despite mounting a mini-resurgence reminiscent of his comeback against Rob Cross last week, the teenage star couldn't replicate those heroics.
The match showcased Littler's continued high-level performance, maintaining an average near 100 despite the defeat.
Price's victory proved to be just the start of his successful evening, as he went on to defeat both Luke Humphries and Nathan Aspinall en route to claiming the night's overall victory.
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Tensions with the Dublin crowd became evident when Littler sarcastically told spectators to calm down after they reacted to his pause while attempting an outshot.
Following the match, Littler took to Instagram to address his 1.8 million followers with a measured response.
"Not the way I wanted to follow up the win last week but loads more darts to play starting with Premier League and UK Open next week," he posted, adding: "Appreciate everyone who came out to support tonight."
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Price offered a contrasting perspective on the Dublin crowd's behaviour, noting it was a welcome change from his usual experience.
"For me it was amazing but I guess to the likes of Luke Littler today probably say different," said the Welshman.
"I get that everywhere I go for the last six years. I'm sure Luke and the rest of the boys will have plenty of support throughout the rest of the Premier League," Price added.
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He expressed optimism about continued crowd support, stating: "Even in England, they've been brilliant for me the last 12 to 18 months."
Price's victory in Dublin has positioned him second in the Premier League standings with seven points after three nights of action.
Luke Humphries leads the table with 10 points, while Michael van Gerwen sits third with six points.
Littler holds fourth place with five points, as the play-off spots remain tightly contested.
Luke Littler lost to Gerwyn Price in Dublin on Thursday night
PA
Nathan Aspinall and Chris Dobey are just outside the qualifying positions with three points each, while Rob Cross has two points.
Stephen Bunting remains the only player yet to score a point in this year's competition.
The Premier League Darts continues next Thursday in Exeter.
