ST HELENS squash player Patrick Rooney continued his steady progress in the sport by winning the Tecnifibre English Junior Championships at Edgbaston Priory.

The 17-year-old former St Augustine’s pupil, who hails from Merton Bank, won the title in the under 19s category and now heads to Prague to take on Europe’s best juniors.

A full-time squash player for the Wigan and Halifax clubs, Rooney defeated Bradley Masters in the final of the tournament in Birmingham.

Rooney first took up the sport as a young boy, following his father Neil – a former first division player – on to the court in St Helens as a six-year-old and has carried on steadily progressing.

Squash is now his job, requiring him to train twice a day and then compete at the weekend.

His father, Neil, said: “Patrick played the senior England Nationals three weeks ago and got through the qualifying rounds before playing Nick Matthew, who is the world champion.

“Obviously he got beat but that was all good experience.

“His objectives now are to move up the world rankings, win his titles for junior levels, and look to go in the nationals next year – his final one as a junior.

“He wants to win the British title and see where he gets in the world juniors.

"They are the target for him.”

He has qualified for the World Junior Championships in Cairo, Egypt, but due to trouble in the region they have been cancelled.

World Squash are seeking an alternative host for the the event.

Whether that tournament happens or not, the transition from junior to senior squash and getting himself up the world rankings, from his current position at 270, is a longer term objective.