After edging past Guernsey’s Neal Mollet in the quarters, the momentum was behind the Jersey star, and he pocketed the opening set in fine style, 9-2, but the wheels came off his challenge in the second set.Having scored on seven ends on the trot to win the first set, ‘AQ’ dropped four ends in succession to find himself 8-0 adrift in the second, and was allowed only a consolation single on the fifth, as O’Riordan got home, 12-1.The 25-year-old O’Riordan, from Thornaby-on-Tees in Cleveland, dominated the tiebreak, taking the first two sets for a topsy-turvy 2-9, 12-1, 2-0 victory, and went on to win the title with a 10-3, 5-8, 2-0 victory over Aussie Steve Glasson.Astonishingly, O’Riordan was England’s fourth choice for the event, because last year’s national champion and runner up were both unavailable, and the Champion of Champions title-holder could not get time off work.O’Riordan, who made his international debut in 2002, lost in the 2003 Champion of Champions final, and was therefore invited to ‘make up the numbers’, and upstaged a host of more favoured opponents on his way to the world title.AQ’s thoughts will now be turning to the world outdoor championships in Ayr July, when he will occupy Jersey’s coveted singles berth.Now that David Le Marquand, who has been chosen to skip Jersey’s triple and four in Ayr, no longer lives on the Island, there seems some doubt as to whether he will be eligible to play – though, as a Life Member of the Jersey Bowling Association, he feels he still qualifies.
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