Dave and Dicie (I will be honest and say i wasnt sure how well advised it is taking advice from Dicie
, but i do trust Dave ) pointed me in the general direction of the forum a while ago, and dicie gave me info on the players sponsorship scheme, and how to go about getting involved in it. So a small bit about myself first, and then down to the business of some serious darts updates.Some highlights of my youth career
Captained european youth team playing england on the lakeside stage at 14 .
Finalist x2 europe cup singles.
Semi finalist doubles europe cup x1 europe cup doubles finalist x1 .
Europe cup singles semis x1 .
Europe cup team event semis x1 .
World cup doubles final x1 world cup singles semis x2.
World master quarters x1.
Iv also picked up many titles with the irish national org and many open events. I was around the youth scene in Ireland for so long i was known as Peter Pan by some (I think you can all guess who gave me that name)
I also picked up my first full international cap for ireland mens senior team at the age of 12. Being the youngest player ever to play for my country. Something i think that will struggle to be beaten. A great honour.
Iv always wanted darts to be my career/job, and at present im on the right track. I competed, no thats the wrong word, i entered the tour card qualifiers in 2011, and thou my results didnt show it, i played well. 1 particular game Prakash Jiwa managed to hammer me, thou in all 6 legs i was sitting on a double. His finishing was world class. But, it gave me something to aim for, and for 12 months i knew in my heart and head i would be ready for tour card qualifiers 2012.
The competition was fierce in Barnsley for tour cards, when youve got names like Dean winstanley, Chris mason, Les Wallace, Andy Jenkins all trying to lift one of these, it was never going to be easy. But it went ok, the highlight along with lifting a tour card was i suppose my win over Dean winstanley, 6-4. That win gave me great confidence that i was on the right track.
My first pro tour weekend was last week. Everything leading up to this was going well, iv been juggling my full time college work, Darts, fitness and keeping my No1 supporter and girlfriend happy
(Jessie) but it is all worth it, as this is my dream. So we arrive in the K2 for the 1st 2 UK open events.
Saturday i arrive early, and get my practice routine going, awaiting the draw. Iv never been a fan of rushing to see who im going to play, so the draw was done, and i kept practicing whilst others went and seen who they faced. It wasnt long before word got back to me that i was to face Dave Chisnall. (hmmm, no easy draws in the pdc, but this was going to be tough)
The game itself went fairly well, i was playing solid enough and holding my throw when under big pressure from Dave. I managed to hold on and win 6-5. A big name for my first full weekend as a pro tour card holder.
Next i faced Prakash jiwa (again
) and this game didnt go to plan, but still was a fairly good scoring game, with prakash being once again lethal when it came to big out shots. A hand shake and i wished him the best of luck, which seemed to work as he kicked on to the quarter finals and is safely thru to the tv stages of the uk open. Sunday came, and the same routine as ever, up early, breakfast, and then to the venue. Bottle of lucozade, and the same practice routine as the day before. Again the draw goes up and i face Paul Barham, ranked No2 in the youth system from last yrs PDC youth tour and also played at the ally pally. I managed to take control of this game early doors and ran out 6-1 winner, an impressive win against Paul, who is an out standing player.
I then face Johnny Haines, and he gave me a good going over. he was extremely impressive. But i was still happy with finding myself with £200 towards qualifying for the UK open.
I would like ot thank everyone at home for the well wishes, it really does mean alot because the tour can be a lonely place once you are beaten.
I hope to do regular updates for the forum, and hopefully get more involved as everyone seems spot on, i also want to thank the markers from last week, amazing, 6 or 7 hours marking and i didnt notice 1 mistake, thanks again for that.
All the best
Paddy
. But im sure in time it will come 
