MOTHERWELL snooker star Michael Columb, 19, is the inaugural winner of the Scottish Under-19 Invitational Championship after beating Robert Carlisle (Locarno Club) 5-4 in the nine-frame final at the World of Snooker in Chesser.
Columb fought back when trailing 4-2 to Capital star Carlisle to emerge the winner of a nerve-shredding marathon that lasted more than three hours.
Guest of honour Dr Frank Rushbrook CBE, 93, praised both players, saying: "The final frame could ha
ve gone either way but what excitement and drama from these two excellent young snooker stars.
"Robert Carlisle is two years younger than Michael and I am sure we will see his name on the trophy in the future."
Columb had the highest break of the final with a 60 in frame seven.
The marvellous facilities at Chesser were given free to the organisers of this top-class event and others this season by Bert Demarco and his family, who own the magnificent sports complex at Chesser.
Among others thanked at the close of the under-19 final were Paul Marinello of the Locarno Club and Bonnyrigg Snooker Club's Michael Leslie, who did so much to promote this event for the top under-19 snooker players in Scotland.
They were given a further boost with the news that this event could now be classed as a ranking event in the future.
Frame scores (Carlisle first): 68-62, 16-66, 56-30, 62-19, 53-58, 60-9, 45-66, 37-68, 36-54.
The full article contains 259 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
