Evergreen Ronan McCarthy top of the World again
Ronan McCarthy picked himself off the floor to stage a miraculous comeback against England’s Karl Sutton to win the WEPF World Pool Championship title for the second time in three years.
The County Down legend looked dead and buried in the showpiece final at Blackpool’s Grand Hotel, his cut breaks failing him as the smooth and deadly Sutton played flawless pool to storm into a seemingly unassailable 7-3 lead in the best of 21 decider.
But the interval arrived for Ronan at just the right time with NI men’s team-mate Declan Brennan – whom he had defeated 9-5 at the quarter-final stage – offering support and confidence just when he needed it.
Then unbelievably, the one-sided contest switched, and how.
McCarthy reeled off six frames on the bounce to lead 9-7 with Sutton rooted to his chair, his earlier brilliance eclipsed and unable to get a ball off the break.
Sutton finally got back in the match in frame 17 when McCarthy ran out of position on his final red but the NI man took the next to make it 10-8 and move within a frame of glory.
But back came Sutton again after McCarthy missed a tricky red to the top right to close the gap to 10-9.
However in the next frame Sutton’s break again came up dry and the Kircubbin kingpin held his nerve to clear the table to pocket the world title for a second time.
A clearly emotional McCarthy told Ultimate Pool presenter Steven Jamieson afterwards: “At the start of the match I didn’t think I’d have to get the chalk out of my pocket, Karl was literally just unplayable.
“I just kept saying to myself, ‘just hang in, hang in’ and you see at the interval I was absolutely delighted having three frames. I didn’t think I was in the match and I didn’t hink Karl was gonna let me in.
"But honestly he didn’t, the breaks turned against him and I got every bit of running that was going there in the last lot of frames, but that’s what it takes to win titles and you’ll never win unless you have luck as well as being a decent player.
"Sometimes it’s meant to be and sometimes it’s not.”
Ronan also paid tribute to his “great friend”, the English player Jason Twist, who sadly passed away last May at the age of 55.
"We buried him this time last year. He had won two (world titles). And I always said I’m gonna beat you Jason but at least I’m level with him now, so I’m very proud of that.”
With friends, team-mates and family cheering him on McCarthy added: “Yes, especially to have the two brothers and the nephew here. John has only seen me playing twice and both times I’ve won the World Championships so I’m gonna try and get him to every match now.”
Gallant in defeat, Karl Sutton, who barely put a foot wrong in such a high class final, said: “Sick, I played unreal. 7-3 up, I couldn’t have asked for anything better, Congratulations [to Ronan] he’s one hell of a player and a good guy. He deserves it.”