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Carty is the 6-Red Champion
Ashley Carty defeated Shaun Wilkes 7-5 in the final to win the 2023 English 6-Red Snooker Championship and lift the Jake Nicholson Trophy.
This year’s national 6-red competition featured a new format with the event taking place and completed across an exciting weekend of action at the Northern Snooker Centre in Leeds.
Former Crucible Theatre qualifier Carty – English under-21 champion in 2014 – came into the tournament in fine form this season having won events on the English Amateur Tour and the EPSB Open Series. The 27-year-old qualified for Sunday’s knockout rounds after coming through Saturday’s groups phase where he finished top of Group G with a 100% record and with the loss of just two frames.
Carty’s route in the KO rounds was a particularly tough one as he defeated fellow former ex-professional Peter Devlin 4-1, this season’s number one ranked under-21 player Liam Pullen (who crafted a 6-red maximum break of 75 on Saturday) 4-2, and then the current English under-21 champion Callum Beresford 6-3 in the semi-finals.
On the other side of the draw, the experienced and consistent Wilkes – the English seniors champion in 2018 – eliminated promising youngsters Edward Jones 4-0, Ryan Davies 4-2, and Halim Hussain 6-5 in the last 16, quarter and semi-finals, respectively.
An intriguing all-South Yorkshire final, it was Mexborough’s Wilkes who held early leads of 2-0 and 3-2 before Sheffield’s Carty went on a four-frame winning streak to move one away from the title at 6-3 up.
Wilkes refused to submit, claiming frames 10 and 11 to set up a grandstand finish, but Carty wasn’t to be denied as he won frame 12 for the prestigious national title.
The EPSB would like the players, officials and host venue the Northern Snooker Centre for their support, and to Jake Nicholson’s father for being present during the tournament and to present the trophies.
The players with final referee, David Moore. The tournament director was Graham Mason.
