Young Welsh sensation Jackson Page remains on course for an impressive European double after reaching the semi-finals of the European Under-21 Championship in Cyprus on Saturday.
The 15 year-old, who created headlines during the Welsh Open last month when he reached the last 32 before losing to eventual runner-up Judd Trump, captured the European Under-18 title last week in Nicosia.
Page didn’t have much time to celebrate, beginning his Under-21 quest immediately the day after, but has shown few signs of fatigue after gamely battling his way to the last four of the older class.
The teenager comfortably emerged from the round-robin phase before consecutive whitewash wins against Poland’s Karol Lelek and Brian Cini of Malta.
Page’s resolve was tested in his quarter-final with Peter Devlin, but he denied the Englishman in a tense decider that was concluded on the colours.
Standing in his way of a second successive final is countryman Tyler Rees, who funnily enough beat Page to claim the Under-18 crown in 2016.
On the opposite of the draw remains Alexander Ursenbacher, the 20 year-old Swiss who was a narrowly beaten finalist in the World Under-21 Championship last summer.
Ursenbacher will be the heavy favourite to overcome Estonia’s Andres Petrov and move one step closer to an invitation to regain his place on the Main Tour.
After Aaron Hill’s excellent run to the semi-finals of the Under-18s, the Irish team didn’t fare too well in the Under-21s, with Charlie Sweeney’s last 16 effort the best of a disappointing event for the men in green.
After the junior discipline concludes on Sunday, it’s the turn of the senior Men’s European Championship.
Brendan O’Donoghue, Michael Judge, TJ Dowling, Johnny Farrell, and Philip Browne will be in action for Ireland.
