Rosney’s Pro Darts dream comes true

By Thomas Conway

Stephen Rosney isn’t a man for ambiguity when it comes to his darts. The 30 year-old has never been afraid to set out his goals in straight-talking, unequivocal terms. He did so in this newspaper last May when speaking about Q-School, the annual qualification tournament which determines which players secure their tour cards to compete on the professional circuit. Rosney had attended Q-School before, but he had every intention of going again and coming home with that coveted card in his pocket.

“When I went there two years ago, my goal was really to see where I was at, to see what level I was at. And my level was pretty good, but I said to myself then and I’ve been saying it ever since, the next time I go I want to get my tour card,” he said at the time.

Last Sunday, Rosney delivered. Following a week of gruelling, intense throwing, the Nenagh native was finished in the top 5 in the Order of Merit, earning his first professional tour card, giving him a two year licence to compete alongside the best, at events all over the world.

Speaking on Monday morning, an elated Rosney admitted that this was the realisation of a long-held ambition, some twelve years in the making.

“This is what I dreamed of since the moment I first picked up a dart as an 18 year-old,” he said.

“I’m going to be mixing with the best in the world, and it’s going to be life-changing for me. I’m on the professional circuit now. I’m officially what you would consider a professional darts player. There are 128 professional darts throwers in the world, and I am now officially one of them.”

Q-School

Getting through Qualifying School was no easy feat. Rosney says that to emerge from it with a card, you need “a bit of luck.” Everyone enters with the same objective and the environment is high-pressure and cut-throat. There are different stages, but at the business end of the week the players compete in daily competitions, with the winners awarded the ultimate prize - a tour card.

However, throughout the course of the seven days players also accumulate ranking points, which enable them to be selected for a card as part of the Order of Merit. This was how Rosney qualified. Consistently impressive performances across the week earned him sufficient ranking points to be awarded a card.

Rosney, who is the Republic of Ireland men’s amateur team captain, wasn’t the only Irishman to emerge from Q-School in Milton Keynes with a card over the past few days. 38 year-old Carlow carpenter Niall Culleton and 30 year-old Monaghan man Shane McGuirk each secured their first cards after victories on Friday and Saturday respectively. All three will now embark on new lives as first-time professionals, joining a handful of other Irish players who are currently on the professional tour.

Unfortunately, Rosney’s fellow Tipperary man, Borrisokane’s Dylan Slevin, couldn’t retain his place on the Pro Tour, and will now drop down to the Challenge Tour and the Modus Super Series instead.

Hard work

Stephen Rosney is a humble man and doesn’t underestimate the scale or intensity of the challenge now facing him. But he is also hugely ambitious. He stresses that there is “a lot of work ahead,” and that there are “a lot of darts to throw,” but he admits that he is excited by what lies in store.

“Now it’s up to me to put in the hard work and make sure I go to these tournaments and compete at them,” he said.

“But my main objective for this year is to make sure I get to the Ally Pally at the end of the year.”

It’s more than a decade since a teenage Rosney walked into Figgerty’s Bar in Nenagh and threw his way to a quarter-final in his first competition. He thought the experience was “brilliant” and he wanted more. In the twelve years since he has climbed almost every rung of the ladder, playing in pub tournaments, national competitions and even representing his country.

Now he’s taking the next step. You get the sense that Rosney the professional won’t be that different from Rosney the amateur.

He’ll still be cool-headed and determined, focused and goal driven. A new world awaits for the Nenagh man.