Tyrone's Nathan Moore still ‘coming to terms’ with NI win at European pool championships

Twenty-six-year-old Ardboe man Nathan Moore has enjoyed success in the sport before but this was his "first big win" and is looking forward more in the future.

Nathan, an assistant teacher at Holy Trinity College in Cookstown, started playing pool when he was just 16 and is coached by his cousin Conrad McCann at the Bridge Bar in Ballinderry.

"I just love the sport," enthused Nathan who is also a toddlers coach at Dungannon Rugby Club in his spare time – not that he has much of that!

Talking about his build up to the championships, Nathan said he had been doing three or four hours practice each day and described himself as having "snooker depression."

Then his fiancee Chloe Coney told him to work harder and he upped the practice sessions to seven hours a day.

Family and friends accompanied Nathan to the championship venue in the Gleneagle Inec Arena and joined in the celebrations.

He hopes to get on the Northern Ireland team for the championships in Malta next year.

"What I would like before that is take part in the Ultimate Pool USA tournament in Louisiana in April, if I can get a sponsor," he said. "The prize money is $30,000 and it would be a great experience."

In the meantime, the Ardboe man plans to continue putting in long hours of practice on the pool table.

"It’s the only way. Practice, practice, practice,” he added.