Comeback kid Donovan secures Bronze Championship

HE’S the comeback kid of Somers Town!

Snooker starlet John Donovan was twice forced to battle back from 1-0 down to clinch the Cuestars Under-21 Bronze Tour Championship.

The 13-year-old Londoner overcame rankings winner Owen Jenkins (Havant) 2-1 in the last-four of the end-of-season finale at Jesters Snooker Club, Swindon.

Taking up the story, he said: “I thought I’d lost it because he won the first frame and was 20 points up in the second. But I came back and then won the third frame.”

And he again fought back from 1-0 down to prevail 2-1 against Thomas Sharp (Portsmouth) in the final.

Sharp had defeated Dylan Smith (Tunbridge Wells) 2-1 in his semi-final. Smith was the only player to beat Donovan in the group stages.

Jenkins recorded the day’s highest break of 48 in his 2-1 quarter-final victory over Freddie Turner (Andover).

Remarkably, Donovan has won all three Cuestars events he has entered this season. He also collected the winner’s trophies in Havant and Coulsdon.

On Saturday, he is in Leeds for the last-16 knockout stage of the English Under-14 Championship

It is hoped that the teenager, who is based at the Kings Cross Hurricane Room, will spread his wings next season and compete on the EASB Regional Junior Tour South.

His World Snooker coach John Woods said: “We’ll see how he does at the under-14s. Then, over the summer, he’s going to put a lot of practice in.”

For more information about event sponsor Jesters SC, visit www.jesterssnooker.co.uk.

BREAKS

Owen Jenkins: 48, 32, 26, 22, 22.
Thomas Sharp: 23.
Dylan Smith: 21, 20, 20.
John Donovan: 21.

BRONZE RESULTS

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Owen Jenkins (Waterlooville Sports Bar); 2nd, Harry Wyatt (Chandlers Ford SC); joint 3rd, George Laxton (Waterlooville Sports Bar), Will Kempson (Salisbury SC) and Jake Sharp (Waterlooville Sports Bar).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Thomas Sharp (Waterlooville Sports Bar); 2nd, Katie Griffin (Jesters, Swindon); 3rd, Freddie Turner (Salisbury SC); 4th, Thomas McEvoy (Salisbury SC); 5th, Jaydon Elliott (147, Swindon).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Dylan Smith (Victoria SC, Tunbridge Wells); 2nd, John Donovan (Hurricane Room Kings Cross); joint 3rd, Taylor Elliott (147, Swindon), William Thomson (Chandlers Ford SC) and Eddie Mason (Salisbury SC).

QUARTER-FINALS: Jenkins 2-1 Turner, Donovan 2-0 Griffin, T Sharp 2-0 Laxton, Smith 2-0 Wyatt.

SEMI-FINALS: Donovan 2-1 Jenkins, T Sharp 2-1 Smith.

FINAL: Donovan 2-1 T Sharp.

Picture by Tim Dunkley

Robert Milkins and John Donovan

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Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)