DONEGAL darts star Derek Gallagher admitted he was "emotional" after winning the INDO Inter Counties B Singles Championships in Killarney at the weekend.
Derek played sensational darts all night to come through eight games - and a field of up to 300 players - to be crowned the new Inter Counties B champion.
He said the win was a defining moment in his long career playing darts since he was a teenager.
Derek told Darts In Ireland: "I feel emotional after winning such a big event. I've been playing darts since I was 15 so to achieve this now is great.
"I made some games hard work for myself and then in other games I sort of coasted through. I was pleased that I was able to pull whatever was needed out of the hat when it was needed."
No game was that was more obvious than in Derek's semi-final clash with Meath's Jimmy Murray.
The experienced Murray had Derek on the ropes after taking a 2-0 lead, and had darts to go 3-0 up in a race to four legs, before Derek took out a stunning 106 checkout to get him back into a game he went on to win 4-3.
Derek said: "What a player Jimmy is. That 106 checkout for me was definitely the turning point in that game, as Jimmy had the chance to go 3-nil up and that changed the whole complexion of the game and I never looked back after that."
In the final, Derek came up against Alan Cronin of Limerick, a player he was familiar with having played him in the semi-finals of the Inter Counties doubles last year.
Derek said: "I know Alan quiet well and knew what a good he was. We played a cracking game in that doubles semi-final last year so I knew what to expect from him.
"I don't think either of us played our best game in the final but at that stage it was all just about getting through it and winning it and thankfully that's what I did."
Derek has praised the incredible standard of darts in Donegal, which he says has brought his game on, while his brother Shaun also made it to the semi-finals of the singles.
He added: "Darts in Donegal at the moment is absolutely amazing, there are so many great players.
"It's not just the players that are on the county teams either, there are a lot of great players in the background in Donegal that don't even travel."
And he has reserved special praise for his nephew, Dean Gallagher, who has just recently qualified to play at the Modus Super Series.
Derek said: "Dean is really pushing us on, even as a family, with my brother Shaun also making the semi-finals here.
"I'm so happy for Dean that he has made it on to Modus and I hope he smashes it up as he is an unreal dart player too."
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