Karl Dooris exploded onto the county snooker scene by joining an elite group of players to win the Shropshire Star Knockout.

Dooris, playing out the Raven Hotel in Whitchurch, defeated Shrewsbury’s Callum Wraight 5-3 in the Shifnal War Memorial Club final last night.

The 36-year-old, who was born in Ireland, moved to Shropshire five years ago after living in Crewe.

And, after reaching the quarter final 12 months ago, he claimed the coveted trophy in only his second attempt at the competition.

Wraight displayed glimpses of his spectacular potting ability which makes him such a dangerous player.

But he struggled to consistently hit the form which saw him became individual Shrewsbury champion this season, and see off defending champion Matt Davies in a Shropshire Star semi-final epic.

It was Dooris who looked the more composed throughout, particularly after the interval when he broke clear after the scores had been tied at 2-2.

The north Shropshire cueman moved 3-2 ahead with a break of 56, and was within of victory when he edged a tight sixth frame courtesy of a stunning long blue down the cushion.

Wraight’s competitive instincts ensured he didn’t lie down and he grabbed a scrappy seventh.

But it was Dooris who held his nerve and he controlled the next frame as two breaks of 22 brought a concessionary handshake from Wraight.

Arguably the turning point, however, came much earlier in the contest.

Wraight appeared to have settled the quicker as he claimed the opening frame, before Dooris levelled with a break of 65, the highest of the night.

Frame three proved a decisive moment as, despite a run of 46 from Wraight, fortunes ebbed and flowed.

The Shrewsbury man looked set to edge ahead for the second time when Dooris was snookered on the final blue. But a two cushion escape from Dooris left the ball hanging agonisingly over the pocket before it finally dropped.

And he then enjoyed a major slice of luck to win the frame on the black which he missed to the middle pocket before fluking in the corner.

Wraight failed to recover from that moment and it was Dooris who was celebrating at the end of the three-hour final.

By JAMES GARRISON