National title for Cuestars
A PRESENT Cuestars member will next month face a former Cuestars member in the EASB under-14 final.
Shane Castle (Chandler’s Ford SC) will meet south-coast rival Adam Bobat (Fareham SC) in the final at the World Snooker Academy, Sheffield, on May 22.
Astonishingly, three of the four semi-finalists in Leeds turn out for Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club A in the Winchester City & District Snooker League.
However, three into two doesn’t go.
And it was Jordan Winbourne who agonisingly missed out after a 4-1 defeat by Castle.
Castle’s coach Dave Mumford said: “The little lad was different class, just different class.
“To have three semi-finalists and two finalists from our area is awesome.”
EASB chairman Clive Brown said: “Adam, Jordan and Shane have proven themselves to be at the very top of the junior game in southern England over the past couple of seasons. Now they have demonstrated they are the best young juniors in the country. The final looks like a tough one to call.”
Castle, a semi-finalist last year, defeated Jorge Tomas (Lincoln) 4-0 with breaks of 55 and 52. And the 12-year-old added runs of 62, 55, 37 and 38 to beat Keiran Dwyer (Gloucester) 4-0.
But Mumford admitted Castle “was up against it” in the semi-final clash with Winbourne.
“He was one nil down and brought it back to one each with an 82,” he said. “In the third frame, which was crucial for him, Jordan opened up with a 40 and then Shane cleared with a 60.
“You had to be there!
“Jordan played well, to be fair to him. Shane had a little bit of run when he needed it. Shane’s really been up for this and he really wants it.”
Winbourne, 14, in the last-four for the first time, overcame last year’s beaten finalist Darryl Hill (Isle of Man) 4-2 and Luke Smith (West Midlands) 4-2 with breaks of 72, 41 and 40.
Hill beat Winbourne 4-1 at the same stage last season.
It’s the third year running all three local lads have reached the last-16. They progressed through the Southern qualifier in Swindon last November.
Castle against Bobat is a repeat of the Pontin’s Junior Star of the Future Under-12 final in 2007. Bobat won 2-1. Winbourne lost in the last-four.
Picture by Kevin Legg