Ronnie O’Sullivan Hands Out Trophies at Junior Tournament Before Champion of Champions Return
Ronnie O’Sullivan was present to hand out awards to players at a big junior snooker competition held in the Republic of Ireland.
O’Sullivan is scheduled to be back in professional action this week at the 2026 Champion of Champions, but just days before his opening round meeting with Shaun Murphy in Leicester, the seven-times world champion attended the prestigious Celbridge Junior Classic.
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Held at the Celbridge Snooker Club, the tournament featured 50 youth players from 18 Irish counties competing for The Phil Martin Trophy.
The title and 400 Euros top prize was won by 15-year-old Joe Shannon who ousted outgoing champion Cathal Horgan, 2-1, in the final.
As well as collecting his trophies from O'Sullivan, Shannon also received an invite to a Snooker 900 event next year that will be shown live on the Pluto TV network.
Shannon is one of Irish snooker's brightest young prospects. Earlier this year at the iconic Goffs arena he won the Irish Juniors Snooker 900 Championship that was played on the same weekend that O'Sullivan lifted The John Virgo Trophy.
Winner of the Republic of Ireland's national under 12 and 14 crowns in the past, Shannon is also the current under 16 and under 21 champion.
Congratulations to Joe Shannon on winning the Celbridge Junior Classic In Celbridge Snooker club. Joe is now invited to play in a full week of a Snooker 900 event in the new year. Ronnie was on hand to present the trophies and issue the invitation. https://t.co/MRakZieuDv
— Snooker Legends (@Snookerlegends) November 8, 2026
A resident of Dubai in recent times, O’Sullivan also spends time in the Republic of Ireland, and with him being seen last weekend, it would suggest he’ll feature at the Champion of Champions.
At the start of this year, O’Sullivan set up a practise camp at the Celbridge venue in preparation for the Masters, although he subsequently withdrew from the Alexandra Palace extravaganza.
A record four-time Champion of Champions title winner, O’Sullivan’s best-of-seven frames opening match against Murphy is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon from 13:00GMT at the Mattioli Arena.
Should ‘The Rocket’ negotiate that tie, he would be in action again later that evening to face either world champion Wu Yize, or new top 16 exponent Chang Bingyu.
O’Sullivan received an invite to the Champion of Champions by tournament organisers Matchroom by virtue of winning the 2026 World Seniors Snooker Championship at the Crucible Theatre in May. However, the 50-year-old has not won a professional title in over two-and-a-half years.