THE Channel Islands B Team, all cueists from Jersey, have reached the semi-finals of the 2004 European Eight-Ball Pool Championships being staged at the Hotel de France this week.

And with England B, who beat Jersey B 9-6 yesterday afternoon, heading the group with maximum points, hosts Jersey are expected to finish runners-up and therefore avoid England in the semi-finals.Organiser Paul Bolton said: ‘It’s a great result for Channel Island pool, and Jersey in particular.

I fancied them to get to the last four this year and my hunch proved to be right.’The Channel Islands A, comprising Guernsey players, still have an outside chance of reaching their semis; they have to beat Ireland today and hope that the Isle of Man defeat Wales.The semi-finals will be played tomorrow at 10 am with the finals from 3.30 pm.The Channel Island Juniors need to beat Ireland today to have any hope of staying in the competition, while the Ladies cannot now qualify despite beating Scotland 8-7 yesterday following double-frame wins by Jersey’s Lisa Feighan and Rhi Brookes and Guernsey’s Denise Corbet.

Guernsey’s Ruth Vaudin won the CI the match in the final frame.