Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
PDC WORLD DARTS CHAMPIONSHIP SHERROCK AIMS TO BE OVER THE MOON
Fallon out to hit back at cruel jibes over an unfortunate medical condition
But after an adverse reaction to medication for a kidney disease which left her face swollen – leading to witless social media abuse – she is just relieved to be over her “moon face” hell.
Only 48 hours after Mikuru Suzuki fell agonisingly short of striking a blow for the sisterhood against James Richardson, it is Sherrock’s turn as standard-bearer for the fairer sex at Alexandra Palace.
She takes on Ted Evetts at the William Hill PDC world championship believing it is only a matter of time before a woman chalks up a breakthrough win against the men at the tournament.
Sherrock comes from Milton Keynes, the land of concrete cows, and she now finds herself cast as the arrows’ dairy maid of honour.
Outside the weather may be freezing, but inside the crowds will get behind a working mum from the city where the statues are Friesian.
Her road to Ally Pally, however, has been pot-holed and frightening.
Six months after the birth of her now five-year-old son, Rory, illness threatened to curtail her darts career – and the heartache damaged her confidence.
Sherrock, 25, said: “After I had my little boy, I contracted a kidney disease – my immune system was weak and I have been suffering from it for four years. I felt really upset about it and it was a worrying time.
“I didn’t really know much about it at the beginning and when I went on different medication there were side effects, and I had to play on TV.
“I got loads of criticism because the side effects gave me a ‘moon face’ – a reaction to the medication.
“If I saw negative comments on social media, I learned not to read them.
You have to be a strong person to deal with that aspect. I’m not going to dwell on what people have said and won’t let it affect my life.
“My confidence is now a lot better than it was because I understand the condition better, I’m a lot healthier and it’s all sorted.
“I’ve still got the issue with my kidneys but it’s stable. I have to drink lots of water to flush the kidneys out, so I will drink plenty of water on stage.”
Sherrock is relishing the discomfort world No.95 Evetts, from Southam, will feel this evening.
Bricklayer Richardson let slip a two-set lead against Suzuki, Japan’s reigning ladies world champ.
The battle between geezer and geisha was close, and Sherrock hopes her first-round tie with Evetts could be history in the making.
She said: “People will put pressure on Ted. No one wants to be the first man to lose to a woman at the world championship. He will probably get a lot of stick if he does.
“But Ted is a nice bloke. I don’t think he would let it faze him anyway.
“But it would mean everything to me if I could beat him. I tried so hard to qualify for this, and if I can make it a first for the women at Ally Pally, I would be so happy.
“Right now I am very excited. Driving up the hill to the venue it really hit home that I have qualified to play at the world championship.
“The stage is so big – I prefer it to the Lakeside. Looking out from the stage, when there was nobody in the arena, was amazing.
“When the place is full, and hopefully the crowd are getting behind me, that’s when reality will kick in.”