Refreshed Shorto claims a magnificent seventh crown

Adam Shorto claimed his seventh Guernsey crown, albeit in a very different way to the previous six, having progressed through a loaded top-half of the draw with his absence from league snooker in the 2021-22 season meaning that, for once, he was not one of the four seeds for this season’s competition, which are decided on Premier Division aggregates.

From the outset of his campaign he had his work cut out as he had to negotiate ties with another former multiple winner Adrian Holley, Miles Davies, defending champion Martyn Desperques and Island teammate John Skillett to get to the showpiece occasion.

His opponent, Ross De Carteret, had enjoyed a remarkable journey of his own, too.

After beating Tristan Ozanne in the first round, he then had to come from behind in best-of-five matches against Danny Marquand and Seb Priaulx to upset the odds and set up a semi-final with the in-form Miles Plumley, who he saw off without dropping a frame.

But Shorto proved a different prospect all together.

Understandably, there were a few nerves in the opening exchanges at the Gremlin Club and it took more than six minutes for either player to put a point on the board in the opening frame.

It was De Carteret who broke that deadlock having forced an error with a decent safety, but the six points he mustered at that visit would be the only time he held the overall lead on the night.

An unlucky ‘in-off’ for the underdog gave Shorto his first real chance and a contribution of 25 settled the left-hander down.

He added a break of 30 to seal the first frame and, in all honesty, there was only going to be one winner from there.

A well-compiled break of 48 in the second frame helped double his lead and he matched that effort in the third before concluding that frame with a 49 clearance to move further ahead.

The best was to come in the fourth, though.

Even by this stage, De Carteret had not been able to find any rhythm and although he got the better of an early safety exchange, he was unable to capitalise as his attempt at a red rattled the jaws.

Shorto pounced and eased his way to the highest break of the night, which looked for all money as if it would result in a century but on 72 he ran just too long with the cue ball and the tricky subsequent pink did not drop with three reds still remaining.

The 10-minute interval did nothing to alter the momentum of the match and an early break of 43 in the fifth from Shorto laid the foundations for a title-clinching frame.

‘It feels great, to be honest,’ said the champion, having got his hands back on the Guernsey Brewery Trophy.

‘It feels fantastic, especially coming from having a season out last year.

‘The break I think was really good for me, I’ve come back this year, obviously playing First Division which has been different but really refreshing actually, a nice challenge, and I’ve really enjoyed my snooker again.

‘I feel like that’s showing now in the way I’m playing as well, really enjoying it.’

He added that while the new experience of being unseeded meant he had to take ‘a really tough route’ to the final, he knew he would be seen as a threat and managed to get to where he wanted to be.

Once in the final, he was pleased with his performance over the best-of-nine showpiece.

‘The first frame was a bit scrappy, but usually you’d expect it to be in an Island final – everyone is settling in and feeling their way in a little bit.

‘I knew Ross would have a few nerves, I’d be amazed if he didn’t, but I did myself to be honest. I think if I ever had the nerves disappear, I’d stop playing.

‘But I feel like I settled in really well and started scoring, which I’ve been doing well this season generally, a lot of 40-odd breaks which would have been nice to convert into a bit higher, but some good scoring visits in there which I was pleased with.’

He had a wry smile, though, when recollecting his big chance of a ton break in the fourth.

‘I was in two minds on the pink and I was trying to decide which red to play for. In the end I played for neither and missed the pink – bit of a car crash moment,’ he said with a chuckle.

‘But I was playing really well at that point and fancied going on to make a hundred, which I haven’t done in an Island final, which would have been a really nice way to cap it.’

Despite the defeat, De Carteret called the experience of reaching an Island Championship final ‘great’.

‘I hadn’t even made it to the quarter-finals in the past, so to be fair going into the game I didn’t feel too much pressure, but once at the table it’s a bit of a different story playing the likes of Adam Shorto – it’s a case of if you’re going to miss a ball, it’s probably going to be your last visit to the table, so there’s that element of pressure,’ he said.

‘Through the last 16 and in the quarter-finals I won 3-2 having been 2-1 down, so I’ve done pretty well to get here and on the day before my semi-final I made a new personal best of an 82 break in competition. I was quite happy with that, so leading up to the game everything was going my way, but of course when you are facing a titan like “Sumo” … it’s a joy to watch isn’t it?’ De Carteret added with a nod of appreciation to the calibre of his opponent.

Now Shorto can look forward to a clash with Jersey champion Aaron Canavan in the CI final on Friday 21 April at North Social.

‘Aaron is a fantastic player and I’ve got all the time in the world for his game, got the utmost respect for him, but you’ve got to fancy yourself and at home, that helps. I’ve got the support, my home table and I know I can compete with Aaron, I have done before.

‘It will be very hard, but I’m looking forward to it.’

Frame scores

Adam Short beat Ross De Carteret 76-6 (30 break), 80-6 (48), 97-24 (48, 49c), 72-1 (72), 74-20 (43).