SNOOKER star Darren Morgan has chalked up the sixth European Masters title of his career.

The 49-year-old Newport-born amateur ace beat England’s Jamie Bodle 6-2 in the final in Prague

The Newbridge-based veteran, who retired from the professional ranks in 2007, also won the Welsh Amateur Championship last month, thrashing Daniel Wells 8-0 in the final.

And Morgan is now eyeing up a hat-trick as he prepares for the World Masters Championships in Egypt later this year.

“It's a terrific feeling to be European champ again, I’m thrilled,” said Morgan.

“I am current Welsh champion as well and the only one missing now for this year is the World Masters Championships in Egypt – that would be the icing on the cake!”

Morgan won all five matches without dropping a frame in the preliminary round-robin stage in Prague and then overcame a problem with his tip in the knockout stages to lift the trophy once again.

“It's a great feeling because you never know if you are going to win again – it’s not a given right,” added Morgan.

“In the round-robins I played very solid snooker and in the knockouts I was supposed to have got better and go from strength to strength.

“This did not happen but I kept on winning and did enough.

“I had a couple of issues after with my tip and it had to be changed three times throughout the knockout stages.

“I knew I would have to step my game up if I wanted the sixth title by the time I got to the final and I played very well to run out a comfortable winner by six frames to two.”

Meanwhile, Wales’ hopes of winning snooker's World Cup ended at the semi-final stage at the weekend.

The Welsh team of Cwm’s former world champion Mark Williams and Neath's Michael White had moved serenely into the last four with five wins from five matches in the group stages.

They then moved a step closer to glory with a 4-1 quarter-final defeat of Thailand.

But their charge came to an end as they were beaten 4-3 by China B in the semi-finals.

t was a tight match featuring just two breaks of more than 50, but the hosts made it through by winning the deciding frame 68-0.

Talented teenagers Zhou Yuelong and Yan Bingtao then went on to take the trophy by beating Scotland 4-1 in the final.