McAllister and Marsh sweep IPA European Open pool titles

Many wondered if Luke would be overawed by the occasion but he fought back to take the next two frames and level things up. Though it was one way traffic from then on as Craig took the next four frames for what looked like and unassailable lead, and it proved to be exactly that.

Sharing the last two frames, the final score read 7-3, but the winner was the sport of pool after two top players slugged it out in a superb advert for the game.

A winning professional in Craig shows the quality of the players at the highest level, while Luke proves that with hard work and the lessons learned, those with sufficient talent can make it to the top with the IPA and their unrestrictive entry structure.

On Sunday there were two finals to get through, with both the amateur and the professional events played to a conclusion, and some frankly ridiculous pool to enjoy.

Starting with the semis again, Craig Marsh v Jon McAllister looks sure to go down in pool history as one of the greatest matches of all time, with Jon pulling off an outrageous and calculated clearance at 7-7 to go through to the final. He had earlier taken the deciding frame and stopped Craig from possibly doing the double.

On the other table, Liam Dunster and Neil Raybone had a marathon before the Scotsman came out on top 8-5 to set up a fascinating final, that saw a full house of enthralled spectators.

With neither player able to get away from their opponent by more than a couple of frames, it looked as if another match would be going all the way to the wire, but it was Jon who got to the line first. He edged an 8-6 win that saw him win his first tour event, and the delight was obvious for all to see.

On the other table in the amateurs final, Jonathan Bushnell took on Michael Oliver in a race to seven.

After sharing the first six frames to make it 3-3, it was Jonathan who put the first bit of daylight between them at 5-3, but he was soon pegged back to 5-5. The pressure was then beginning to build on both players with so few frames left to play.

Jonathan was the first to the hill after winning the next frame, but the focus of these players has to be seen to be believed and it ended up at 6-6, and a last frame decider for both the money and the kudos of IPA European Amateur Champion 2016.

In a match where no one deserved to lose it was Michael Oliver who got over the line to claim the title, but commiserations to Jonathan who played his part in a final that will live long in the memory of everyone who was there.

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