DECORATOR Brendan Dolan is hoping to brush off reigning Bodog.com World Grand Prix champion Phil Taylor when the pair meet in the first round of this year's tournament on Monday.
Fermanagh-based Dolan, the world number 37, has drawn Taylor in the first round of the World Grand Prix for the second successive year.
Having been defeated 2-0 in sets last time around, the painter and decorator is aiming not only to avoid a whitewash at the Citywest Hotel on Monday but to create a masterpiece by knocking out the nine-time champion.
"Ahead of the draw I was thinking it couldn't happen two years in a row to be drawn against Phil and then it did!" joked Dolan.
"But somebody has to play him and if you've got intentions of winning the competition then it's the best time to play him.
"The first round is the only time he's been beaten in the competition and that's happened three times, so hopefully last year's experience of playing against him will help me do the job this time.
"I got beaten 3-1 in both sets last year but I was on doubles when he was checking out so he didn't run all over me, although the scoreline was 2-0 in sets.
"It looks lopsided but we all have to get to that level, be clinical and take every opportunity that comes our way, especially against a man of his calibre."
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"I'm very confident, I've had a couple of quarter-finals recently and I've been practising well," Brendan Dolan |
"I would say the pressure's on Phil, not on me," he added. "I'm very confident, I've had a couple of quarter-finals recently and I've been practising well, and practising more than I've ever done before.
"I can feel that my 'bad' darts are getting better and my aim is to raise my bad game up to get to a level that's pretty good all the time, and then when you step it up a gear you're a lot more consistent."
Should Dolan progress in the World Grand Prix next week he would continue his challenge to break into the world's top 32, although the Belcoo ace is pleased with his development on the tough PDC circuit.
"My ambition was definitely to make the top 32 this year and it's been a lot tougher than I thought, but I'm heading in the right direction," he said.
"There's still a good difference between me at 37 and the 32nd placed player at the minute, about £20,000, but I know I'm closing the gap.
"The year has been pretty steady and consistent but I'm looking more at my performances when I get beaten. I can turn around and say that only five or six times have I thoroughly deserved to get beaten, in something like 40 tournaments, whereas that might have happened ten times last year, so I'm getting rid of my bad games.
"I'm a better player this year, certainly for experience alone. I'm getting more consistent now and I'm pretty happy with my game.
"I always had a good game but I didn't repeat it often enough, but I feel this year that most times I've been beaten someone has pulled off great shots to beat me or played very well."
Dolan works in decorating with his brothers John-Joe and Michael, who have given him time off to prepare for his World Grand Prix challenge.
"It's a full-time job but it's turned out to be three days a week at the moment!" said Dolan. "When we're playing at the weekends I'll go away on the Friday and get back home on the Monday so I end up just working Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
"But I work with my brothers and that's the reason I can get all the time I need off. They were darts players as well and all they want is to see me doing well, and they've been great.
"I practice with Aodhagan O'Neill and Felix McBrearty close to where I live and they've been really supportive. It's great that they're still willing to put in three or four hours practice with me even though they aren't in Dublin."
Dolan can also count on plenty of home support next week, with a coachload of family and friends heading down to Dublin for his clash with Taylor.
"There will be a bus coming down from Fermanagh to cheer me on and I'm looking forward to it," he revealed. "I love playing on stage but especially so in Dublin, in front of the Irish people.
"It's a great buzz to be able to stand up there as one of the elite in the game that I love playing."
Tickets for the Bodog.com World Grand Prix are still available on 00353 (0) 818 33 33 44 or from www.ticketgroup.ie, or in person at the Citywest Hotel Convention Centre ahead of each session.