A NEW Island snooker champion will be crowned tonight at the Jersey Mechanics’ Institute in Halkett Place.

Robbie Kilpatrick and Ian Gould both won through to the final for the first time last night after semi-final victories against Mike Molloy and Guy Heys respectively.

Kilpatrick, of the United Services Club, beat Mechs A’s Mike Molloy 3-2 while the A’s Gould defeated Mechs B’s Guy Heys 3-0.

‘It was a grinding match, I didn’t play that well but I’m delighted to have won,’ said Kilpatrick.

‘Services did not have a team in Division I this season and I’ve really missed the competition.

I’ve played a lot in our club but it’s not the same without the competition of the other clubs.’ Kilpatrick won the first, third and deciding frames – the first on the pink, the third after his opponent conceded while trailing by 50 points and the decider when Molloy needed four snookers going into the colours.

Gould won his match with Heys 57-21, 57-23, 73-46.

Gould said: ‘I’ve been working hard on my game and the last couple of weeks my form has been good, I just hope I can keep it going in the final tonight.

‘Guy only had one real chance and that turned out to be a 37 break in the final frame.

I managed to dig deep and get through.’ Tonight’s best-of-seven frames final at the JMI, sponsored by Furniture World 2001 Ltd and A1 Landscape & gardening Services, starts at 7.15 pm.

Guernsey final will be played on Monday, between Martyn Desperques and Adam Shorto.