THE growth of Youth darts is blossoming right across Ireland right now, and nowhere is that more evident than in Monaghan.
Thanks to the diligence and determination of Monaghan darts stalwart, Garry McQuillan, the county now boasts of two strong Youth teams that will be aiming for success at the INDO Inter-Counties championships in Galway in ten days time.
It's just a little over 15 months ago that Garry got Youth darts up and running in his county in the hope of unearthing the next breed of talent to serve Monaghan over the coming years.
His search has certainly proven fruitful, with dozens of youngsters now getting involved in darts in the county, with Garry confident they can go on to have great careers in the game.
That much was evident with the Monaghan Youths A team winning an invitational competition in Cavan last weekend.
Garry says that augurs well for the team ahead of the Youth Inter-Counties championships, and is delighted to have two teams going to it this year.
He told Darts In Ireland: "The team played very well at their first ever Inter-Counties last year so we said with it going so well that we would aim for two teams this year as we have so many young players interested now.
"We will aim for three teams next year all going well. If it keeps going strong and getting better we will keep ploughing on with it."
Garry says it's great to see so many new faces getting involved in darts.
He added: "For years you would be seeing the same faces at all the competitions but now every time you go to an event you see new players getting involved. That's great and it's definitely bringing the standard up and the game on."
He's confident that his Monaghan Youth teams can "compete with the best" when the INDO Youth Inter-Counties championships is held the weekend after next.
"The team event is obviously a bit different from singles games but if our players play their darts they can put it up to any of the teams."
And Garry predicts that many of these Youth players will be on the Monaghan men's teams in the upcoming years.
"If these lads stick at it, I can definitely see some of them within two or three years competing to make it on the Monaghan men's teams."
Meanwhile, leading Monaghan Youths player Josh Smith says it's great to see how much the game has grown in the county over recent times.
Josh, who has been involved with Youth darts since it started in the county, stated: "There's been a big rise in the numbers we have been getting since the start and we have a lot of very good darts players showing up now."
He has praised Garry McQuillan and his fellow Monaghan darts player, Marty Burke, for helping to bring the Youth game on in the county.
"Only for Garry and Marty we wouldn't even have Youth darts going at all in Monaghan. They put in a lot of work and a lot of effort and we are all thankful for it."
Two players making a name for themselves amongst the Monaghan Youths are Clodagh McQuillan and Aoife West.
Both Clodagh and Aoife say they hope their involvement can help more girls in the county take up the game.
And they hope that a Ladies team - which Monaghan has never had - can some day be set up in the county.
Aoife said: "We are the only two girls at the moment so it would be great to get more involved."
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