Josh Kane
Josh Kane is on course for another major title after he produced an amazing display of top-level pool to win the latest group in the 2021 Apply Mortgages Ultimate Pool Masters and become the second player to make it through to Finals Night on the 23rd August.
The former World Masters champion went into the night as the outsider of the four to progress to the competition’s semi-finals, but after impressive victories over group favourite Declan Brennan and then Karl Sutton, Kane maintained his 100% record in Ultimate Pool competition.
The evening in Newcastle-under-Lyme began with former European Champion Sutton coming from behind to eliminate Sam Bircher 5-3.
Bircher began well with a break dish in the opening frame, and a reverse dish later on in the fourth saw him re-open a two-frame cushion at 3-1 up.
However, Sutton managed to find a groove when it mattered, chalking up four frames in a row – including a reverse and a break dish – to advance.
Coventry cueist Kane faced in-form Brennan, who once again made the trip over from Mayobridge in Northern Ireland.
Kane did not read the script, though, and with one of the standout performances of the tournament so far, he compiled four break dishes (including a golden break in frame 9) and two reverse dishes as he did a 7-3 number on the recent WRPT main event winner.
Brennan – who was gifted the fourth frame when Kane went in-off after potting the black – threatened a revival when he scored back-to-back break and reverse dishes in frames six and seven, although his opponent continued to press and completed the task in what was a near faultless salvo.
KANE OVERCOMES KARL
Sutton and Kane capitalised on dry breaks as they exchanged reverse dishes in the opening two frames of the final at the Players Pool and Snooker Lounge.
Lowestoft cueman Sutton went back ahead at 2-1 but Kane strung together three consecutive frames – featuring the first break dish of the match in frame five – to take control at 4-2 up.
Momentum shifted again as 2016 world championship runner-up Sutton came back into it; levelling up with a break dish in the eighth. Kane was not to be denied, though, as he came out on the correct side of a crucial ninth frame which effectively allowed him to run the clock down in the tenth when Sutton missed what would turn out to be his last opportunity.
The triumph sees Kane set up a semi-final showdown with Phil Harrison on Finals Night where the overall winner will bank a £10,000 top prize.
Following his three triumphs at the Vinny Champions League last year before he had to withdraw from the tournament midway through due to a positive COVID-19 result, Kane still has a perfect record in Ultimate Pool play with seven wins from seven matches.
Kane, along with both Sutton and Brennan, will be playing on this weekend’s opening Ultimate Pool Professional Series events of the year. Don’t miss a ball of the Series with live coverage on FreeSports and via an exclusive livestream platform on ultimatepoolgroup.com
