Isle of Man Snooker Association’s Doug Kinrade Championship has been won by Finch Hill’s Peter Crellin, his first tournament win in 25 years of trying.

Crellin beat Steve Cowin, who had reached his first final after playing for 35 years, in a final-frame decider by three frames to two.

The semi-finals and final of the popular handicap competition took place at Finch Hill Bowling and Snooker Club, the home club of the Kinrade family, on the same night.

The competition is in memory of the late Doug Kinrade who was a past chairman of the island’s snooker association.

The first semi-final saw current island champion Sean Corkish from St Olave’s Snooker Club in Ramsey take on Steve Cowin from Douglas Snooker Club.

Although Cowin held a maximum handicap start of 56, it was thought that Corkish would have too much firepower for him and so it proved in the first frame.

However, Cowin has undoubtedly improved this year and while it has to be said that Corkish did not play as well as we all know he can, Cowin held his nerve and managed to pot the vital balls to take the second and third frames to make his way into his first ever final.

The second semi-final saw Mark Thomas of St Olave’s take on Finch Hill’s very own Peter Crellin.

With a 21-point handicap advantage to Thomas it was expected to be a very close match but Crellin made the most of the home table advantage and, with breaks of 21 and 30, proved too strong for Thomas as he marched through to the final by two frames to nil.

In the final the handicap difference of 56 again applied in Cowin’s favour and Crellin had his work cut out to make up such a substantial lead.

The first frame saw Cowin break off and after a fair bit of safety play Crellin began to find his range and made several breaks - including a very nice 40 - to close the gap and eventually potted the key colours to take the frame.

A similar story unfolded in the subsequent frames but in the second it was Cowin who potted the final pink to take the frame, while the third frame went the same way as the first with Crellin just doing enough to make it 2-1.

The fourth frame could have been a turning point as Crellin had taken all the colours and just needed a difficult pot on the black into the yellow pocket to win the match.

However, he over-cut the black and sent it very close to the middle pocket, albeit close to the cushion. This left Cowin with a tricky shot and, while most of us would have just trickled it home, Cowin rammed it in to level the match.

The final frame was close once again and, with only the green left on, Cowin was 10 points ahead but Crellin then played a very good snooker which turned the match in his favour.

There was a clear one-cushion escape possible but Cowin failed with his first attempt and referee Paul Smyth rightly called a foul and a miss.

With the balls replaced Cowin made five more unsuccessful attempts - including taking a more difficult route - before he was adjudged to have made a reasonable attempt.

By this time Crellin had amassed 24 points and now with a lead of 14 points he quickly closed out the frame and match by three frames to two.

Snooker Association chairman Ken Kinrade thanked referees Paul Smyth and Darryl Hill and the Kinrade family for the buffet.