Maltese snooker is in rude health.
Further proof of this, if any were needed, was provided last Saturday when the experienced Alex Borg teamed up with the up-and-coming Brian Cini to win the European Teams Championship after a 5-3 victory over Ireland duo Brendan O’Donoghue and Ryan Cronin in the final.
Buoyed by their success in Lithuania, the Maltese pair are now hoping to receive the all-clear from the Malta Billiards and Snooker Association (MBSA) to have a tilt at the World Teams Championship title.
“Our aim now is to compete in the IBSF World Teams Championship, being held in Egypt next month,” Borg told Times of Malta yesterday.
“We hope they (MBSA) find the necessary funds to finance our participation. As European champions, I believe we deserve the chance to take part in this tournament.”
As was to be expected, the British teams and Ireland were Malta’s main challengers for the European crown in what Borg described as a high-level tournament.
“The level of competition is high as the teams from Ireland, England and Wales are strong but we are always up there with the leading contenders,” Borg said.
“Suffice to say that Darren Morgan (Wales) was going for 147 only to miss the green.”
Borg has been involved in each of Malta’s four Euro triumphs to date – 2004, 2005, 2014 and 2016 – while Cini has achieved his maiden success after he and Tony Drago went down to Ireland in the final of last year’s tournament, staged in Malta.
“This is my first senior honour and I hope it helps me to progress further in my career,” Cini said.
“It has given me more courage and motivation to pursue my ambition of turning professional later this year… this is the next step.
“We need significant financial backing from sponsors to play the game on a professional basis and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that this success boosts my prospects in this regard.”
For Borg, Saturday’s title capped a fantastic period after last month, the Mellieħa-born cueist booked his place in the World Snooker Main Tour for the next two seasons.
“The last three weeks have been great for me as I also managed to qualify for the Main Tour but more than anything, winning the European title was another boost for Maltese snooker,” he said.
“Brian Cini and Tony Drago reached the final of this competition in Malta last year, the U-21s did well in the European Championship and Jason Peplow advanced to the semi-finals in the Masters tournament in Lithuania.”