This Is Guernsey

By Aaron Scoones

James Kirk, left, took champion Jess de la Haye to a last-frame decider in the Junior Island Championship final. (Picture by Andrew Le Poidevin, 0534767)

JESS DE LA HAYE retained the Junior Island Pool Championship against James Kirk after one of the best finals in years. Taking place at Happy Landings on Sunday, there were no shocks as the two rivals and great friends made their way to the top.

De la Haye had to come from behind to win on the final frame. ‘They were both, without doubt, awesome,’ said Kirk’s father and chairman of the Guernsey World Pool Association, Trevor.

‘It was the finest, nail-biting final seen in Guernsey at any level for a very long time.’ De la Haye reached the final when he got the better of Sam Hale in the semi-final while Kirk took care of Jay Ferbrache.

In the final, Kirk took an early 3-0 lead but the reigning junior and senior island champion, de la Haye, was not about to lie down.

He clawed one back, but Kirk again stamped his authority to claim the next two frames.

Kirk continued to rule the roost in the seventh, but an uncharacteristic error of judgement gave his opponent the frame.

That spurred de la Haye onto a roll as he grabbed the following two frames to make the score 5-4.

They then traded the next few frames to leave the proceedings 8-6 to Kirk.

But by the end of the 16th frame, de la Haye had levelled the match to force a decider.

He broke off but did not capitalise as his opponent stepped up and took a few before playing safe, leaving him nothing but a return safety.

They traded a few shots, both knowing that one slip and that would be it.

With four yellows still on the table, de la Haye missed his shot and left Kirk with a difficult Chinese snooker just three or four inches from the bottom cushion looking back at his last red which was only a couple of inches away directly up table.

Kirk lined up his shot, which was an angled cut into the far baulk-corner pocket.

With referee Darren Le Page checking he did not foul as he took the shot over the yellow ball of his opponent, Kirk played a magnificent controlled shot, which saw his white come off the side rail and end plumb centre in the table ready to take the easy black into the bottom pocket.

The red went the full table length towards the centre of its intended far corner pocket, only to fall just millimetres short of going in.

De la Haye came back to the table fully aware he could and dare not miss as he put away his remaining yellows and then the black.

Article posted on 22nd May, 2008 - 2.29pm