This year’s Island Championship final was a repeat of the 2016 event, with defending champion Sean Corkish taking on newly-crowned Masters champion John Kennish.

The first frame started very tentatively with Corkish fouling off the break and then both players taking off single reds and colours.

With the score standing at 21-23 to Kennish, Corkish decided it was time to take control of the frame and put in a composed 50 break. With only blue, pink and black left, Kennish conceded the frame.

Neither player could get into their rhythm in the second frame. There were alternating small breaks and when it got down to the colours, Corkish led by 40 points to 34.

He found himself at the table again and began on the colours taking yellow, green and brown, and at this point looked favourable to win the frame.

However, a missed blue allowed Kennish to get back in and he cleared blue, pink and black to snatch the frame by only three points and pull the match back to one frame each.

In the third, Kennish potted an impressive long red off the break but was not able to capitalise on this and there followed a fairly lengthy safety battle.

Kennish then put together a 27 break to open up a lead but another safety battle followed and both players were picking off the reds one by one.

With the scores at 20-39 in Kennish’s favour, Corkish took advantage of a missed red and again looked set to clear the table, but it wasn’t to be. He made a 30 break with three reds and pinks and the colours to brown but as with the last frame, this is where it ended.

A foul on the blue gave back control to Kennish who again managed to clear the remaining three colours and pinch the frame 50-62.

The fourth frame began again with both players giving away points through fouls. This time it was Corkish who looked the more determined of the two and with breaks of 25 and 35 he established a lead of 37 points over Kennish.

A further break of 10 and Kennish had had enough and conceded the frame with all the colours left on, therefore it was all level at 2-2 going into the interval.

Kennish must have given himself a good talking to in the interval for it was a different player that emerged for the second half. Corkish hardly got a look in in the fifth frame, scoring only eight points.

With the help of breaks of 17 and 39, Kennish managed to put 70 points on the scoreboard and the frame was won with 51 points still on the table.

It was a similar story in the sixth frame. With both players giving away points through fouls and the occasional red being taken off the scores were 15-19 to Kennish.

He then put together a nice 32 break and with a couple more fouls from Corkish he managed to open up a 53-point lead which was enough for Corkish to concede with only 25 left on the table.

Leading 4-2, Kennish only needed one more frame. He obviously meant business as he slammed in a loose red off the break but he was unable to extend the break further than two reds.

Corkish seemed unable to take control and while Kennish was only taking a couple of reds off at a time, the points soon built up for him to lead 42-18 with just the colours left.

He managed to get to the table again and took the yellow, green and brown to lead by 33 points. Corkish was determined to try for snookers but after a nine-shot safety battle it was Kennish who sunk the blue and the handshake was offered.

It is probably fair to say that neither player really found the form that they would have liked and that we know they are capable of, but nonetheless the spectators were appreciative of their efforts.

Thanks go to Graham and Sue at Douglas Snooker Club for the use of the facilities. The chairman also thanked the committee for their hard work in what has been a busy and successful year and the evening concluded with the annual prize giving.