Rooney’s pro dream

sport - at least for now.

‘By winning the Northern Ireland Open, that means that I qualify for the World Masters next November and I have to come into that competition hot to do well in it.

‘So it could be the start of something big - whether I like it or not. I’m a busy man - I’m heavily involved in projects in Dublin with Irish Distillers, but I can be thankful for that. Darts isn’t my 9 to 5 and I’m fortunate enough in that respect.

‘I don’t really get time to play darts, but I hope my talent will get me through certain competitions.’

Rooney does represent Carranstown Lodge in the Duleek & District League on Friday nights and also plays for The Patriots in Dublin on Tuesdays, but it’s the shortage of time for practice which has hampered his prospects of making that step up to the level where he could make a career out of the sport.

It was way back in 2001 when Taylor took the then 20-year-old Rooney under his wing after seeing him reach the World Youths Final, and those were exciting times for the youngster.

He recalled: ‘As a young kid it was fantastic to be the very first protege of Phil Taylor. I lived with him for 18 months and there was loads of hype and I had a big spread in The Sun.

‘I got away from all that because it got me hunkered down, there was so much hype, but I would like to turn professional because there’s phenomenal money in it, especially when you get to the last 32 of competitions.

‘I’m a late developer and I believe my best days are ahead of me.’