Shane’s third major title in 2012

The 14-year-old was in a philosophical mood after a 5-2 victory over Gateshead’s Elliot Slessor in the European Junior Open final at the South West Snooker Academy, Gloucester.

“If I got in first I’d probably win the frame,” explained the Marchwood potter. “It just went my way.”

Castle collected the MIUS (Mount International Ultrasound Services) Cup and a cheque for £1,000 for winning the under-18 tournament sanctioned by the European Billiards & Snooker Association.

The 2012 English Under-14 and Under-16 champion saw his 2-0 lead pegged back by his England teammate Slessor.

But a 107, his 24th competitive century, made it 4-2 and a re-spotted black in the seventh frame took him over the line.

Janie Watkins – spokesman for On Q Promotions, Castle’s sponsor and management company – said: “He wasn’t going full throttle until the final.

“Although Elliot’s played brilliant all event, he couldn’t hang on to Shane’s shirt tails. It’s a great achievement because it was an extremely high-quality field.”

Castle reckons knocking in centuries on pro-standard tables is no problem because he practises on a Riley Aristocrat at Cue T’s Snooker Lounge, Marchwood.

Earlier, the talented teenager dropped just three frames out of 18 to top his six-man group.

He then dispatched Cheung Ka Wai (Hong Kong) and Kieran Dwyer (Gloucester) both 3-0 in the first two knockout rounds to set up a quarter-final clash against Ross Muir.

Castle, who beat the Scottish international en route to the European Under-21 final in Bulgaria in March, won 4-2 with breaks of 87 and 58.

And he added runs of 63 and 61 in a 4-2 semi-final victory over James Cahill (Blackpool), the nephew of seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry.

Fareham’s Adam Bobat, 16, compiled a 101 against Hong Kong’s Chang Yu Kiu and finished third in his group before a 3-0 last-32 defeat by Cahill.

Hedge End’s Jordan Winbourne, 16, also qualified third in his group but lost 3-0 to Slessor in the first knockout round.

Shane Castle: 3-1Ryan Rowlands (Wales), 3-0 Grigorii Kudriavtcev (Russia), 3-1 Brandon Winstone (Bristol), 3-1 Oliver Hilborne (Bristol), 3-0 Haydon Pinhey (Plymouth). Breaks: 81, 72, 60, 57, 56, 51, 50.

Jordan Winbourne: 0-3 Ross Muir (Scotland), 3-0 Rhydian Stringer (Wales), 0-3 Fung Chun Hin (Hong Kong), 3-1 Michael Rogers (Taunton), 3-0 Lee McArthur (Torquay), 3-0 Simon Lichtenberg (Germany). Breaks: 71, 53.

Adam Bobat: 1-3 Shachur Ruberg (Israel), 3-0 Chang Yu Kiu (Hong Kong), 3-0 Danny Hawkins (Bristol), 3-0 Connor Rollo (Notts), 2-3 Nico Elton (Sheffield). Breaks: 101, 59, 56.