Cullen reveals career-defining moment that proved he belonged among darts elite

JOE CULLEN stunned Phil Taylor before discovering the hard way that beating a legend came with its own pressure.

The world No31 defeated the 16-time world champ in 2010 to earn a place in round four of the John McEvoy Gold Dart Classic in Killarney.

Cullen, 37, failed to build on the biggest win of his young career, crashing out to Colin Osborne in his following match.

But Cullen revealed Taylor stayed behind after their clash to watch his next game unfold.

He told the Tops and Tales Podcast: “I remember beating him. It was in Killarney.

“Then he sat and watched my next game and I got beat 6-2 by Colin Osborne.

“I think after I beat him, he was to blame for the loss, I think.

“I still remember elements of the game, not the scoring phase, but how I felt in the game.

“It was one of those surreal moments, not had it many times when you play somebody, and you can do anything.

“I can beat him now, and then all of a sudden the nerves kick in and whatever else.

“But I don't remember getting over the line, but I specifically remember him watching the next game and I got beat 6-2 by Colin Osborne.

“He'd commentated on me a couple of years before, he probably thought, this kid won't be beating me for a few years.

“Yeah, I think that's the only time I did beat him in a competition, beat him a couple of times in exhibitions, things like that, but they don't count.

“But yeah, it's a nice one to put on the resume early on in my career.”

The Rockstar refused to celebrate his stunning triumph over Taylor.

He added: “No, it was one of those you try to be a little bit more respectful because it's Phil Taylor.

“Whereas probably kids now wouldn't give a s***, would they? They'd just give it everything they had.”

Cullen admitted beating Taylor gave him the belief he belonged among the elite.

He said: “It proved to myself that I had the game to beat the best because he was by far the best back then.

“So yeah, I think it was a little bit of a penny dropping moment.”

Cullen had first crossed paths with Taylor as a teen on the reality darts show New Kids on the Oche `just two years prior.

The former Masters champ reached the final of the show, finishing runner-up to Arron Monk, and also shared the stage with former world champ Michael Smith.

He continued: “I probably only knew who he was, probably four years. To be fair, I don't have a darting idol.

“I was never a big fan of the sport. I would never rush home to watch it or anything like that. I just, obviously, when I got pretty good at it, I started following it a little bit more.

“It was still a big moment. Yeah, lucky looking back on it now as well, it was a big moment.

“Plus, it was sort of on TV. It was at the old Cronan Park where they used to have the Champions League of Darts, I think it was. So, it was still TV-ish.

“There were still cameras there, so it was still time to get nervous and things like that. So yeah, it was a good experience. I look back on it like fond memories.”

Words: Aaron Nijjar

Image: Taylor Lanning