Michael Flynn is hoping that his win over Michael van Gerwen can help inspire securing a place on the professional darts circuit as the social care worker detailed the remarkable circumstances behind the best result of his career.
The Limerick man was a late call-up to face the three-times world champion and caused a stunning upset, winning 6-4 in Monday's first round Players Championship 3 in Rosmalen in the Netherlands.
'The Flying Flynn’ was at home feeding his infant daughter when a phone call alerted him to the chance to compete in the event due to a withdrawal.
Speaking to RTÉ Radio 1, the amateur player said: "I was feeding my daughter at about 11am and my phone rang, it was my manager Greg. He said ‘you're after getting called into the Pro Tour, what are the chances you can get to the Netherlands as you're playing tomorrow?’"
"It was hectic from there.
"I spoke to my manager at work. She was so nice about it. She understood what was after happening and she was able to give me the time off to be able to do this. And the lads at work just kind of filled in for me and got my jobs done and whatever had to be done.
"The baby was in her high chair so my wife took over. I was on the phone for about 20 minutes. Greg and I were looking up flights and trying to see was it possible to make it to Dublin for a flight because there was none out of Shannon that would have suited.
"We found a flight at 5:50pm so we headed for that. I packed the bags and got on the road as soon as I could."
The draw for the Players Championship only takes place on the night of the event, so it was unclear who he would take on.
It transpired to be ‘MVG’, who was playing in his hometown event in front of an expected crowd.
"He is considered one of the greatest players ever, if not the best of all time," Flynn explained. "And he played in the World Championship final at Christmas and got beaten by Luke Littler.
"So he's a big deal. I looked at the draw and I'll be honest, I just kind of started laughing and I text my wife and I was like, ‘did you see the draw’?
"She just said that it's brilliant and that these are the fellows I need to be playing. She told me to go out and beat him and just do my best.
"I started pretty strongly and I took the first leg which would help you settle in. Then it was kind of tit for tat for about three or four legs and I got a break then ended up leading 5-2, I believe.
"He started to come back at me then but I knew if it got down to the last leg, which would be a shootout, that I knew I had the throw because I had won the bull, so I knew I was throwing first and I had the advantage.
"I was trying to tell myself ‘don't panic, you have the advantage the whole way through the game. Just don’t give it up’.
"Maybe he felt more pressure or whatever. I don't know, but whatever happened just worked out well for me."
He was beaten 6-4 by Poland’s Tytus Kanik in the next round but will play in more familiar surroundings in the next month.
"I have the All-Irelands next weekend. I'll try and become an All-Ireland singles champion in that and hopefully win the team event with Limerick and become All-Ireland champions of the team.
"And after that, I head to Germany, to Hildesheim, on St Patrick's Day weekend to compete in the Challenge Tour, which would be my own grade tournament.
"I'll try and get the results from that, which will put me back on the Pro Tour with the professionals during the year.
"The confidence to know that I can compete with the best is huge."
