Snooker returns to iconic venue as superstar legends clash for John Virgo Trophy

Four of snooker’s all-time greats are set to compete at the inaugural John Virgo Trophy which takes place across the weekend of April 11 & 12.

The unique four-player competition will feature all three members of the fabled ‘Class of 92’ - Ronnie O’Sullivan, John Higgins, Mark Williams - and snooker’s dominant force throughout most of the 1990s, Stephen Hendry.

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Action will be held at Goffs in Ireland, an iconic snooker venue that memorably hosted the annual Irish Masters between 1978 to 2000 before the invitational moved to the Citywest Hotel.

Higgins won the last Irish Masters to be staged at Goffs when he defeated Hendry 9-4 in the final. Hendry had previously lifted the trophy in 1992, 1997 and 1999.

What is the draw, and how does the format work?

The John Virgo Trophy is a straight knockout event with the semi-finals scheduled for Saturday, and the final taking place on Sunday evening. There will also be a third-place playoff.

The competition - which isn’t part of the professional circuit - will be held under Snooker 900 rules, meaning frames can last no longer than 15 minutes; 900 seconds, hence the name.

Should a frame not be completed within that time, whoever is leading in points is the winner - just like what we see at the Snooker Shoot Out. If the point scores are tied, ‘deadlock’ - otherwise known as a blue ball shootout - is played to determine the victor.

Using a spotted cueball, all fouls result in cueball in hand for the oncoming player, and contestants must either strike a cushion or pot a ball with every shot they play.

As well as the 15-minute frame-clock, there is also a 20-second shot-clock.

Semi-final matches and the final are the best of 11 frames, with the playoff being the best of nine.

The opening contest of the event sees Higgins face Williams during the afternoon, with a meeting between the seven-time world champions O’Sullivan and Hendry coming up in the evening.

There is a total prize fund of 57,500 Euros, with 20,000 going to the champion.

What other snooker is happening at Goffs?

Around the main event will be several other matches, celebrating Irish snooker. The weekend begins with a doubles match between four ex-professionals and Crucible qualifiers as Joe Delaney and Michael Judge team up to face former top 16 stars Fergal O’Brien and Joe Swail.

On Sunday lunchtime will be the Irish Junior Snooker 900 Championship, a one-frame knockout tournament featuring home nation youngsters James Stewart O’Reilly, Cathal Horgan, Joe Shannon, and Callum Behan.

Between this and the resumption of the John Virgo Trophy will be a trickshot cabaret from 1985 World Champion Dennis Taylor.

John Virgo Trophy - Weekend Schedule:

Saturday 11th April