The final of this season’s Fowler & Co Champion of Champions snooker tournament was a rematch from 2024 as six-time and reigning champion Darryl Hill once again took on Peter Kirkham.

Hill won 8-1 last time around and booked his place in the final with a 5-0 win over Paul Smyth, with Kirkham defeating Tom Miller 5-1 in the other semi-final.

It was a scrappy start to the final at the Cue Zone until Hill, with only the pink to work with, took the opener with a break of 56.

A run of 35 from Hill left him 50-1 ahead in frame two before five reds covered a black which was hanging over a corner pocket.

Kirkham broke the deadlock with a good pot to the middle but was unlucky to find himself snookered on the black.

He thought there was just enough of a gap to pot the black by coming off the cushion, but it was a big stretch to reach the potting angle and he clipped a red on the way through. Hill punished him with a clinical clearance of 57.

In frame three Kirkham had a small lead before another clearance came from his opponent, this time 52. There was no half-century in frame four but a 40 from Hill was enough for 4-0 at the interval.

Needing a fast start after the break, Kirkham gained some confidence with a 23, a modest ‘best’ from him up to that point. But with one red left he was snookered which he missed, left a free ball and Hill made it 5-0 with a 40 clearance.

Kirkham belatedly got off the mark in frame six where both players had surprising misses on blacks. Hill needed a snooker with two reds remaining which he got but his opponent potted frame ball yellow and, after the blue went down, Hill conceded.

Frame seven, the last of first session, was all square at 29-29, when Kirkham snookered his opponent on the remaining six reds.

Hill opted for a hit and hope, left his opponent in the balls and it was good to see him produce a flash of what he’s capable of as a 45 break followed for 5-2.

On to the evening session where Hill needed three of the possible eight frames to retain his title.

Kirkham had no luck as multiple missed pots from Hill left him nothing to go at and eventually the latter made a 45 break to go 6-2 up.

In frame nine, Kirkham led 28-0 and a good bout of safety followed, both successfully making two cushion escapes from snookers without leaving any of the well split reds on.

It was Kirkham who cracked first, hitting a tricky safety too thick which left his opponent in the balls.

Hill cashed in and had Tom Miller’s tournament high break of 73 in his sights but just missed out, ending on 66 when a tough cut on the penultimate red along the bottom cushion just stayed up.

Kirkham could still win and took the last two reds with blacks plus yellow, but left Hill a long, half ball green for frame which he put away.

In frame 10 Hill had a small lead at 29-23, both players having spurned decent chances. Kirkham left a black hanging and Hill finished in style, a 64 break clearing down to the black for an 8-2 victory.

Congratulations go to Hill on a seventh title and, despite the scoreline, Kirkham made him work hard for the win in match that had a 40-plus break in nine of the 10 frames.

Thanks go to referee Dave Kelly, the Cue Zone venue and of course sponsor Fowler & Co.

MIKE CROOK