IRELAND will have a sixth professional on World Snooker’s Main Tour next season after Cork’s Leone Crowley secured a two-year ticket by winning the World Snooker Federation Junior Championship in Morocco on Thursday.
The 18-year-old beat England’s Kayyan Patel 5-0 in the decider and can look forward to joining his fellow Cork man Aaron Hill, Antrim trio Mark Allen, Jordan Brown and Robbie McGuigan and 1997 world champion Ken Doherty when the 2025-26 professional season begins in the summer.
Domestically, Crowley has amassed an impressive record of championship victories, including multiple national titles at U12, U14, U16, U18, and U21 level. In 2024, he won the UK U21 Open Championship
“I can’t believe it, this is a dream come true,‘’ said Crowley.
‘‘It’s been an incredible journey, and to win the WSF junior championship and make history for Ireland means the world to me.
‘‘I’ve worked so hard to get here, and to now have the chance to play alongside the world’s best snooker players on the professional tour is beyond anything I could have imagined.
‘‘I want to thank my family, coaches, and everyone who has supported me along the way. This is just the beginning.”
Belfast’s Joel Connolly reached the quarter-final, where he was beaten 4-0 by China’s Zhou Jinhao.
