Ronnie O’Sullivan won the inaugural John Virgo Trophy title with a 6-0 victory over John Higgins at Goffs in Ireland on Sunday.
In front of a big crowd at the iconic venue in County Kildare, the Rocket romped to glory by compiling breaks of 125, 96, 73, 68, and 65.
It marks a first piece of silverware for O’Sullivan, who has twice lost in ranking event finals this term, since his success at the 2024 World Masters of Snooker.
The triumph in the two-day invitational tournament, for which O’Sullivan pocketed the €20,000 top prize, comes just a week before the start of the 2026 World Snooker Championship at the Crucible Theatre.
While this event doesn’t have the prestige or importance of one on the main tour, O’Sullivan will still be hoping to sustain that winning feeling when he heads to Sheffield in search of a record eighth world crown.
The 2026 John Virgo Trophy was quickly put on by promoter Jason Francis after the passing of the former player and broadcaster at the age of 79 in February.
The tournament adopted the television-friendly Snooker 900 format, which has grown steadily in popularity over the last few years.
A stellar main cast of O’Sullivan, Higgins, Mark Williams, and Stephen Hendry meant that there was much attention heading into the weekend’s play.
The festivities were supported by a celebration of Irish snooker as well, with a doubles match featuring Fergal O’Brien, Joe Swail, Michael Judge, and Joe Delaney on Saturday.
On Sunday, there was a mini event for promising juniors from the country while Coalisland’s Dennis Taylor put on a trickshot performance to keep the local crowd entertained.
Taylor and Virgo spent many years working together as commentators on the BBC and also on Francis’ Snooker Legends exhibition circuit.
It was a fitting tribute to Virgo, who reached a career-high ranking of number 10 in the world and won the 1979 UK Championship, but who was perhaps better known as the voice of snooker – particularly across the UK and Ireland.
There are bound to be plenty more John Virgo tributes during the upcoming World Snooker Championship, where the Salford man will of course be sadly missed.
The weekend’s action, meanwhile, also served as a reminder of how good a venue Goffs is and the kind of electric atmosphere it can produce.
Many people, both in Ireland and afar, would love to see a tournament on the World Snooker Tour return to the venue.
It was the regular host of the Irish Masters for more than two decades but last staged that event in 2000, and there hasn’t been a professional tournament of any kind in the Republic of Ireland since 2013.
“It is a shame we don’t come here at this venue or any tournament in southern Ireland,” O’Sullivan said. “The fans are always unbelievable.”
“This [the Irish Masters] was probably the best tournament on the calendar when we played in the 90s/2000s. It’s great to be back.”
Featured photo credit: WST
Fantastic news about Ronnie winning the John Virgo trophy, I didn’t see it as I don’t have sky/pay per view channels, as thousands of others don’t either, more so in today’s money climate!. Why cant we have these snooker events and indeed other events on Normal tv, the broadcasting of these events are now all money driven, and as such thousands/millions of sport fans are missing out because of this. Make sport more accessible to the masses!!!.
I agree more snooker should be on normal telly. TNT seem to have the monopoly.
This tournament was on 5 select, freeview channel 33. Channel 5 seem to be bothered about snooker so hopefully they’ll get more of the tournaments on.
5 action I meant.
I was watching the snooker the last couple of days on Pluto TV, and on 5 Action channel 33.
It will be interesting to see I’d the commentators count this as O’Sullivan ending his trophy drought. My feeling is they won’t, and will perceive it as an exhibition. The centuries are definitely not being added to his official tally.
I do agree more snooker should be seen on terestal tv particuley on bbc they always make way for other sports football rugby etc even moving other programs to accommodate it at times it’s not fair.
The reason snooker is not on mainstream tv is because it’s dead in the UK same old players ruling the roost for 30 plus years! once these guys are retired it will become popular again im sure.
Do not understand this email at all.
To me it is just a load of gobbledegook and needs to be simplefied. Am totally lost.
Happy for him, would love for him to win the big one…. but, you know he will have a dip and get moody (not Shaun’s lookalike – Stan, I hasten to add) – thus it will fall apart unfortunately. Difficult to see Ronnie getting past round 2… great result in the Virgo final but no real pressure there & playing to a crowd with only one threat as a player… anyhow, good for him. Come on Ronnie – concentrate (go for a run each morning, stay off of social media and amke us happy – it’s good for the game)!