THERE'S nothing like a bit of confidence to give a darts player the boost they need to kick on in their career.
Limerick's Michael Flynn certainly had that recently when he had a superb run of results at the opening weekend of the PDC Challenge Tour.
The 2024 Ireland international now lies in 11th place on the Challenge Tour Order of Merit - which could gain him coveted invites to the PDC Players Championship events - but he is setting his sights much higher.
His impressive run on the Challenge Tour came just a week after Flynn made it to the final stages of PDC Q School, but was one of eight Irish players ultimately left disappointed after failing to secure a tour card.
Speaking to Darts In Ireland, Flynn says the experience of playing in such high stakes games will stand to him in the long run.
He said: "My plan going over to Q School was just to get a few good wins each day and build up enough points to make it to the final stages.
"Luckily enough on the second day I made it as far as the last eight to automatically qualify for the final stages, so that was great as I didn't having to go into the third and final qualifying day having the pressure of needing to get points.
"I felt confident going into those final four days and saw no reason why I couldn't have a good run and get a tour card.
"It didn't work out that way in the end but I was happy enough with my form."
Just a week after Q school, Flynn was back in Milton Keynes to compete in the first five PDC Challenge Tour events.
He certainly showed he was in good form, making it as far as the last 16 in Event 2, and picking up in some wins in each of the first four events.
However he saved his best for last by making it to the semi-finals of Event 5, before bowing out to Holland's Danny Jansen, despite averaging higher than his opponent in the match.
Flynn admits there is one area of his game that needs improvement if he's to push on and win one of these events outright.
He said: "My doubles were letting me down at times in crucial moments.
"Certainly against Danny Jansen he showed his extra bit of experience as he didn't seem to miss anything and that's what you have to do to win these type of games.
"My heavy scoring kept me in games a lot of the time, but the doubles do need improvement.
"I also feel like I need a little bit more match practice at that level, where you need to be sharp and taking your chances almost every time they come. You can't afford to be missing them."
Despite that, Flynn sees no reason why he can't go even higher than his current 11th spot in the Challenge Tour ranking table.
He is at least eyeing up a top 16 spot come the end of the year, which would gain him automatic entry into the final stages of next year's Q School, but believes he can go even better than that.
The top two players in the Challenge Tour at the end of 2025 will win a PDC Tour Card for next year, and that's something that Flynn is aspiring to.
"It will be very difficult to make those top two spots but I don't see why I wouldn't at least give it a try and commit myself to it," he said.
"If I can get off to a good start at the next Challenge Tour events in March then hopefully I can keep making it into the latter stages of them."
The chance to play in the PDC Players Championships by maintaining a high ranking on the Challenge Tour is also very much to the top of Flynn's thinking.
He said: "I've already been speaking to my manager about that and would be delighted to get invites to play on the Players Championship.
"Making it onto the PDC Pro Tour is a big aim for most players, which is why we were disappointed amongst the Irish players this year that none of us made it through Q School.
"But the standard in Ireland now is really high. The ranking INDO events are hard to win as there are so many good players.
"I took a break from them last year as I just had a new baby at home, but will be aiming to get back up the Irish rankings this year too and back onto the Ireland team if possible."
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