Dec 04,2024
Irish teenager Joe Shannon is relishing the prospect of his first match on the World Snooker Tour as he prepares to take on world number 23 Robert Milkins in the Snooker Shoot Out in Leicester on Wednesday.
The recently turned 14-year-old will become the youngest Irish player to ever compete in a tour event when he takes part in the first session of the opening round of the quickfire tournament, scheduled for 1.40pm.
Shannon is the current Irish Under-16 champion and is being coached by former player Fergal O'Brien.
All Shoot Out matches are played over a maximum of ten minutes, with a shot clock of 15 seconds for the first five minutes and ten seconds for the last five.
It will provide Shannon with the first experience of a senior match, as well as a television debut on Eurosport.
"It’s a great opener to what I want to do [as a career]. It's all a great experience. There's no pressure, so I can't wait for it. I just want to get over there, to know what it's like to be there with the best of the best, but it's all just experience really.
"I'm more excited now, but I presume when I get over there I'll be a bit nervous. But once I get playing, I'll be fine. I'm nervous at every competition, but once I get playing, I'm alright."
Shannon credits his coach O'Brien for an improvement in his fledgling career as well as his parents who bring him from his home in Longford to the likes of Carlow and Kildare for tournaments and practice.
He has a high-quality table at home in Longford but working with O’Brien is proving crucial to his development.
At the moment he practices three hours a day and competes in tournaments on a near-weekly basis in Ireland.
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"I've been playing probably about five years now, but maybe the last year or two I started to kick on and started winning a lot more," Shannon added.
"The last two years have probably been my biggest years.
"It's also been two years with Fergal now, so he's really brought me to the next level. I can't wait to see what is going to happen next.
"There's no club where I'm from, so I needed a table, and I was lucky enough to get one of the best tables, so I was very lucky.
"I couldn't do anything without my parents. They bring me down every weekend, and on a Wednesday evening I come up to Kildare with Dad, so they're a big help as well."
Shannon remains in school in St Mel’s College in Longford but admits snooker is "everything" to him as he chases a future career in the sport.
O'Brien, now retired as a player, has been impressed by what Shannon has shown on and off the table.
He feels this tournament will be a massive boost.
"It’s fantastic for him, so we’re really looking forward to it," the former British Open winner said.
"He has nothing to lose. It's such a great fun and great buzz and he'll thoroughly enjoy it.
"Joe is a very impressive young man, let alone a snooker player. He's had a lot of success already, he works very hard, he is really dedicated. Obviously he has so much to learn.
"It takes massive commitment. He is fortunate to have great parents putting the time and the effort in to take him to these tournaments and give him the support.
"He's had a lot of success, but also he's had a lot of disappointments, particularly when you're so young. That needs to be managed and dealt with, it's all part of it. But he’s got every chance [of becoming a professional].
"If you take him at 14, he's a far superior player to me when I was 14. They're all good signs."
The tournament began the career of now 17-year-old Stan Moody, who is part of the main tour and came close to qualifying for the UK Championship last month.
Shaun Liu became the youngest winner of a televised ranking match last year in the Shoot Out, aged 13.
Mark Allen won the event, which is unique in the calendar.
A second Irish amateur has also been included in the draw.
Joel Connolly, 17, from Belfast is among the eight wild-card picks by world governing body the WPBSA. He is also an Irish underage champion.
Connolly will meet another Irish player with Cork’s Aaron Hill his opponent.
Jordan Brown has a tough draw against China’s Si Jiahui, while Ken Doherty takes on Englishman Ashley Carty.
Robbie McGuigan is the last of the Irish in action, facing Ricky Walden.
