IRELAND'S top ranked youth boys player, Charlie McDermott, says he's loving the pressure of trying to maintain his spot at the top.
The Leitrim hotshot is aiming to make the Ireland Boys team for this year's Europe Cup and World Cup tournaments - and wants to do so as captain.
To do that, Charlie will have to maintain his place as number one in the INDO Boys rankings, with three events left to play.
Confident Charlie, who has won the Irish Gold Cup and Irish Masters titles over the past year, reckons he has what it takes to do it.
Speaking to Darts In Ireland about the race for the Ireland Boys team, Charlie said: "I'm loving the pressure of that, it's next level. It makes me play better if I'm honest. Just playing big names week in, week out. It's improving my game a lot.
"You have to earn your own spot. I've been lucky this year to get a couple of good runs, winning the Masters title and got to another final in Killarney where I lost to Sean McKeon, so the ranking points I have now are nearly enough as it is.
"It would be massive for me to make the Ireland team. If I can finish number one in the rankings and be Irish captain, that would be different level for me.
"I'm feeling very confident going into the rest of 2025."
It helps that Charlie is now amongst a strong batch of Leitrim youth players that he says is getting stronger all the time.
He said they are very hopeful of making a good run at the INDO Youth inter-county championships in Galway in March.
Charlie added: "The youth players coming through in Leitrim now are all stepping up. The likes of Sam Harkness, Darragh McCormack and Jamie McGovern are all playing well and pulling out big results when needed.
"We can easily get a good cup run in the inter-county youths and if not then we will go out to win the shield, we are well capable, we have a very strong team this year."
Add comment
Comments