World Champion John Higgins in Youghal

By Derek Kiely
In Youghal

WORLD Ranked number one snooker professional John Higgins was in Youghal last Saturday evening for a rare exhibition match at the Youghal CYMS and the ‘Wizard of Wishaw’ didn’t disappoint the huge crowd potting a maximum 147 break on his way to a devastating evening of top class snooker.
The three-time and current reigning World Snooker Champion is just four weeks away from defending his World Crown at the Crucible in Sheffield and looks like he is in fantastic form going into the event.
The Youghal Town Council afforded the jovial Scot a Civic Reception in honour of his achievements on the green baize and it was something Higgins didn’t expect, he told Evening Echo Sport in an exclusive interview “I am really honoured, I wasn’t aware of the Civic Reception until earlier this afternoon, it really came as a bit of a shock and to tell you the truth I was a bit emotional when the Lady Mayor presented me with a beautiful Waterford Crystal memento”.
There are many great ambassadors in sport throughout the planet and John Higgins definitely ranks highly in that regard.
Not only is he patient, polite and respectful to all he meets, but the man came across as genuine in every department.
“Steve Davis was my role model in every respect, he was a gentleman on and off the table and if I could emulate that I would be very happy indeed” said Higgins.
Of course the Scot who is a well known Celtic FC fanatic has Irish roots, with his grandmother Peggy Doyle originally from Magherafelt in County Derry and over the years he would have made many trips to Ireland as he still has a lot of relations in County Derry, but last Saturday night was the first time that John Higgins had been to East Cork and he clearly enjoyed the experience.
“I love coming to venues like the Youghal CYMS because they really are true snooker venues, where people like Brendan Cooney and his committee look after the youngsters and help to teach them good values and these types of clubs are few and far between these days which is a shame” Higgins said.
The game of snooker looked like it really had lost a lot of it appeal and advertising pulling power and television ratings in recent years had subsided, but Higgins now believes the right man has come on board to re-vitalise the game.
“With Barry Hearn now at the helm I think it will be great for snooker, we have already seen the difference that he has made to the game recently at the Masters at Wembley, so I think he will have a big impact on the sport” Higgins told Evening Echo Sport.
With just four weeks to go to the top event in world snooker Higgins believes his preparation has been good ahead of the Sheffield showdown “It’s been going good, I have had a good season, I only had one bad result all year and I have reached the semi-finals in most of the tournaments this season, I have been really please the way things have been going and hopefully I can keep that going into the World Championships in Sheffield next month. From here on in now I will just practice as hard as I can, I have just moved clubs and joined the ‘Cue Club’ in Glasgow and I am based now alongside the likes of Stephen Maguire and Marcus Campbell who are top Scottish players which will be good for me and I can train against them every day and sharpen my game” Higgins added.
Playing an exhibition match is indeed a rarity for Higgins, so when the audience in the Youghal CYMS witnessed six 50+ breaks including two centuries and a magnificent maximum 147 the Scot was delighted as the room gave him a rapturous standing ovation, “I have never been very big on exhibitions because I have always been the type of player that put all my time into fully concentrating on practice and I have always put my time into playing tournaments where you make your living really, but since I have won the World Championship there have been a few more people wanting to see me, which is great and when I can do that I will and I was delighted tonight getting the 147, it was brilliant, I think the crowd really enjoyed it”.
Higgins flew in from Edinburgh especially for last night’s exhibition match and really was blown away by the warm reception he got on arrival in the East Cork Town. Higgins plans to return soon to Youghal with his wife and three children.
Higgins told Evening Echo Sport “I have a great affinity with Ireland and next year myself and the family will hire a car and drive around to get a real look at the country and I definitely plan to return to Youghal, the welcome I have had here has been wonderful, everyone I have met have been really brilliant”.
Youghal Lady Mayor Sandra McLennan said “John’s list of achievements are astonishing, it really is wonderful to have someone like John in our town and it is great to recognise his talent, plus our own Youghal CYMS deserve tremendous credit bringing him here to Youghal.
Sentiments echoed by the Youghal CYMS President Brendan Cooney who praised the Scot above all previous visiting snooker stars “We started these exhibitions back in 2002 and we have had many great players in our rooms and previous World Champions, but never have we had a reigning World Champion and the standard of his play tonight was astonishing, plus a very first 147 at the Society, it was just fantastic” said Cooney.
It seems the ‘Wizard of Wishaw’ became the ‘Wizard of Youghal’ last Saturday night after an astounding display of top class snooker where the canny Scot didn’t drop a frame.