Mosconi Cup: Team Europe hoping for home help at Ally Pally

Pool’s glittering version to golf’s Ryder Cup returns to the iconic Wood Green venue as Europe’s best-assembled nine-ball pool players look the rule the roost over their transatlantic rivals for a fourth straight year.

While the Ryder Cup was named after English entrepreneur and golf enthusiast Samuel Ryder, the Mosconi Cup got its name from legendary American player Willie Mosconi.

The tournament itself, founded by former Leyton Orient chairman Barry Hearn, celebrates its 30th anniversary having started in 1994 at Roller Bowl, Romford when American pool-billiard hall of famer Lou Butera led his USA side to 16-12 victory over a European team that included snooker greats Steve Davis and Jimmy White.

Team Europe have been successful in 15 of the 29 Mosconi Cups contested with the 2006 match in Rotterdam ending in as tie.

When the Mosconi Cup was last staged at Ally Pally in 2022 Joshua Filler beat Shane Van Boening as the Europeans completed a convincing 11-6 victory. Then 12 months ago the 26-year-old former world pool champion repeated the feat at Bally’s Casino in Las Vegas, this time against Tyler Styer to complete a 11-7 scoreline.

Ralph Eckert from Germany captains a Team Europe side that also features Spain’s Francisco Sanchez Ruiz and David Alcaide, Austrian Albin Ouschan, Filler and Shaw.

Jeremy Jones, meanwhile, leads Team USA who will have playing vice-captain Skyler Woodward, former European Fedor Gorst, Shane van Boening, Tyler Styer and Shane Wolford.

Glasgow’s current world number five Shaw has again been given the position of vice-playing captain for the Europeans after the 35-year-old claimed his first Nineball World Tour tournament win in October when defeating Europe team-mate Albin Ouschan 13-12 in the inaugural Hanoi Open in Vietnam.

Now he wants the home Ally Pally crowd to create a similar barnstorming atmosphere to last year’s event this week.

“Vegas last year was a little bit rowdy with their fans and I think they have started picking that up like the European fans,” Shaw told Sky Sports News.

“When I saw the venue and the crowd it felt like I was playing in Mosconi Cup matches. 

“At the start of the year a lot of things weren’t really going for me but I’ve just tried to stay positive, kept working on my game, working on myself, and it feels like I’m in a good position now. I’m playing well, I feel good in myself and I’m looking forward to it.

“I really feel our team have that good bond. We’ve all won big tournaments all year and been in that position of playing in big finals. I feel like we’re all ready to play.

“This year I’m going to make sure the fans are really on it. I get a lot of stick but I give a lot too. You’ve got to take the good with the bad and there’s always a lot of rivalry with the teams but now you’ve got a little bit more.”

Tickets for all sessions are available online at matchroompool.com.