Malta U-25 and Dejan Grech strike gold to win European Championship titles

The Malta Pool Association contingent is set to return home from the European Championships with two titles in their bag after the men’s Under 25 national team were crowned champions while Dejan Grech won the seniors continental crown after prevailing in their respective finals.

The Maltese Under 25’s national team had the better of hosts Ireland 5-3 in winning the category’s European Team Championships.

Ryan Pisani left his mark winning three frames while Dejan Grech and Alessio Magro notched a frame each to seal another silverware to the outstanding association’s international palmares.

The Malta A side reached the final when they beat their team-mates forming Malta B 5-1 in the semi-final.

On the other hand, Grech put on an outstanding potting display to have the better of Irish player Luke Gilbert 8-4.

For Grech, this was his second successive European crown after he won the U-23 title in Malta in 2020 and caps another impressive display in the singles competition.

In the final against Gilbert, Grech displayed all his potting talent and psychological strength as he managed to outwit his opponent with a composed display which saw him the last three frames with excellent table clear-outs.

On his way to the final, Grech had the better of Gary Bracken 7-2 in the semi-finals while Gilbert edged Malta’s Lydan Debono 7-6 in a thrilling last four match.