Malta finishes fourth at International Challenge Cup after mixed final‑day results

Malta wrapped up its participation in the International Challenge Cup in Youghal, Ireland, with another day of contrasting results a morning defeat and an afternoon victory ultimately securing fourth place, just one frame behind the hosts.

In the opening session, Malta fell 15–12 to Northern Ireland, with the best performances coming from the Masters category. Philip Ciantar, France Mintoff, and Ivan Attard all registered wins, while Alex Borg was Malta’s sole victor in the Men’s category. Youngster Xavier Rizzo suffered a 3–0 defeat in the Juniors.

The afternoon brought a turnaround. Malta delivered an excellent display to beat the Republic of Ireland 16–11, winning all Masters matches and securing additional victories through Chris Peplow, Joseph Casha, and Xavier Rizzo. Mintoff completed the tournament unbeaten.

Overall, Malta won 56 frames, matching last year’s tally, but finished fourth behind Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Ireland. Scotland dominated the event with 79 frames. Next year’s edition will be held in Malta in November.

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