Aaron Canavan won his 12th Island Championship with a sublime performance against Karl Le Fevre at the First Tower Institute on 16th March.
With a healthy audience in attendance, the first frame started off with a safety battle concluding with Karl putting Aaron in a spot of bother with a good safety shot. With a red near the bottom left hand pocket Aaron played an exquisite shot to pot the red, coming off the cushion with the cue ball before hitting the red, and landing plumb on the black. Aaron took that opportunity, by clearing the table with a 92 break to win the first frame.
In the second frame after potting a red but not gaining position Aaron snookered Karl behind the black. With the white ending up being touching ball on the black with the reds quite well split, Karl tried to get out of the snooker by thinly clipping one of the reds and to get the white up near the baulk area. However, whilst hitting the red, the contact was far to thick and he left Aaron in the reds. Buzzing from his earlier clearance, Aaron made a 109 break, winning the frame 123 – 0.
The onslaught continued in the third frame and, with an early chance again for Aaron, he made his second century of the match with a break of 110, winning the frame 116 – 13.
In the 4th frame, after a couple of missed chances by Karl, Aaron steadily took charge and with a 32 break, took the fourt frame 84 -11, to win the title with a whitewash win.
There was one more frame played as the players had agreed to play a best of nine. However as per the rules of the JBSA, the final has always been best of seven, hence Aaron winning 4-0. Aaron did however win the inconsequential 5th frame!!!
Aaron now plays the CI final against Adam Shorto on Friday 21st April, in Guernsey. Good luck Aaron!!!
Thanks to The first Tower Institute for holding the final and to Howard Smith for reffing and Byron Le Cornu on scoreboard duty!
