Carlow's Colvin up to second in world rankings following latest success

Local snooker player Colvin O’Brien has had more success last weekend when he won the The Cube UK Open WDBS snooker championships.

That was three In a row for O’Brien after winning the Belgium open in Bruges and the British Open in Hull earlier in the year. 2024 was also memorable for O’Brien when he made history as the first player to ever compile a century break on WDBSA tour and he also won a Carlow Nationalist Quarterly Sports Award.

This latest win wasn't easy for O’Brien as his snooker cue with went missing on his journey to the event and he had to borrow a friend's cue from England.

That didn't dampen his spirit much and he still managed to go on and win the event, even without his favoured cue.

Speaking to the Carlow Nationalist O'Brien said his late grandparents bought him his cue for his 12th birthday 26 years ago.

“It was tough not having the cue with me,” said Brien, but he managed to turn the loss into a positive.

“It gave me more motivation to try and win it for them as I know they are always with me. I was so happy when I won and since I've returned home my own cue has been located and is currently on its way back to me here in Ireland,” he added.

“I found myself walking the streets of Northampton dressed in snooker attire that was sponsored by Detail Menswear, Carlow/Kilkenny with a cue in one hand and no case. It made me think this is really the snooker look, not a care in the world. The only thing on my mind was winning the event even with a borrowed cue.

“I beat my pal Dylan Rees, from Waterford, in the semi-final 2-1, before going on to beat the world number 1 Mike Gillespie from England 3-1 in the final,” said the Carlow snooker star.

This win has moves O’Brien up to number 2 in the world rankings and his next event is the European championships In Albuferia Portugal on October 18-25th.

As always, O’Brien is extremely grateful to all his sponsors who make chasing his snooker dreams possible. Without local support the Carlow cueist simply could not compete In these international events.

He dedicated this win to all the people of Carlow and all our loved ones past and present.

Bagenalstown Country Tiles Donal Keane, Carlow hearing Dooley Motors Barrow Valley Cleaning Products Ltd Askea Tyres Micron Water Filtration Arron Hutchinson, Hale Vapes Ivan Tucker, Douglas Jewellery Martin Rice, Newhaven kitchens JJ Glendon, The pint Depot Bagenalstown Mark Doyle, Railway Inn Bagenalstown Patrick Mullins, Pimento Karl Dunny, Dunnys Distribution Atel Alarms Dargan Tools Sean Nolan, Flame Stoves Tom Donagher, Avlon B&B John O’Neill, Festool Builders Anne O’Neill, Anno Beauty Studio Pat Kavangh, Carlow Florists Rory Healy, Healy and Son Funeral Home Oscars Dry Cleaning Detail menswear Marc Carpenter, Carpenters Bar Rory Kellett Photography Greenwood Furniture Elk Recruitment Clive Paul Ward, Paulies Bootcamp Matt Doyle Headstones Declan Ballon, Carlow Stone Centre O’Brien’s five main sponsors for the 2024/25 season are Burgers Only (Chris) Brealey Windows and Doors (Colm and Brian) PJ Nolan Heating & Plumbing (Podge) George Nolan Carlow Engineering Carlow Coatings (Jason)