Maltese seniors teams faced early elimination at the European Snooker Championship 2025 as both sides were defeated in the last sixteen knock out phase. The competition, reserved for players aged forty and over, took place in Golem and marked the conclusion of the seniors category before the men’s teams events begin next week.
Earlier in the group stage, Maltese players performed well, with all three teams winning four matches during their commitments. Malta 3, composed of Tony Mifsud and Ivan Attard, defeated Lithuania 3 by 3-1, finishing third in Group E despite already being eliminated. Malta 2, formed by Philip Ciantar and Frans Mintoff, won both their games in Group D, beating Lithuania 2 by 3-0 and narrowly defeating England 3, 3-2, to secure the top spot in their group. Malta 1, consisting of Alex Borg and Arthur Cachia, won 3-2 against the Netherlands to finish second in Group G and advance to the last sixteen.
However, in the knockout stage, the Maltese teams struggled against strong opposition. Malta 1 lost 3-0 to England 2, represented by Mark Joyce and Wayne Brown, while Malta 2 was defeated 3-1 by Ireland 1, consisting of Thomas O’Donoghue and Benny O’Brien. These losses ended all Maltese participation in the seniors’ category of the championship.
The focus now turns to the men’s teams competition, scheduled from Wednesday 15th October, to Sunday 19th October. Malta will be represented by three teams: Malta 1 featuring Aaron Busuttil and Chris Peplow, Malta 2 composed of Alex Borg and Joseph Casha, and Malta 3 including Philip Ciantar and Isaac Borg.
In the lead up to the men’s teams event, three individual competitions will take place. These include the Shoot Out and 6 Reds tournaments organised by the European Billiards and Snooker Association, while the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association will host the Q Tour Event 3 at the venue. Maltese players participating in the Shoot Out and 6 Reds are Aaron Busuttil, Chris Peplow, Joseph Casha, Philip Ciantar, and Alex Borg. For the Q Tour, four Maltese competitors will take part: Aaron Busuttil, Chris Peplow, Joseph Casha, and Philip Ciantar.
The early exit of the seniors teams highlights the competitive nature of the European Championship, but Maltese players remain well represented in the upcoming men’s events and individual competitions, offering opportunities to showcase their talent on the continental stage.
