WORKS Blue continued its amazing run through the Northern billiards competition's finals series, downing the Flaming Devils in a tense extra-time preliminary final.

The extraordinary fact is that the Blue team was two points clear, on the bottom of the ladder, with two rounds remaining in the home and away series. It then won its final two games to sneak into sixth spot.

Since then it has beaten the third-placed Works Gold, minor premier Works Black and the fourth-placed Flaming Devils.

The preliminary final was tied at 2-2 after the first round, for Blue, Michael Leslie (230) defeated Andrew Rainbow (275) and Peter Donati (100) downed Roydyn Bishop (130).

For the Devils, Josh Rainbow (290) with the aid of a 380 start, held out Graeme Pickett (-90) and Heath Rainbow (270) outlasted Hans Georgieff (240).

In the second round Hans Georgieff turn the tables on Heath Rainbow however Josh Rainbow evened the score beating Graeme Pickett. The result then hinged on the match between Peter Donati and Roydyn Bishop. Donati prevailed by just 21 points, allowing Blue to progress to the grand final.

For the Devils it has been a great season, highlighted by the improvement of 14-year-old Josh Rainbow who won 10 roster matches from 15 played, and stepped up during the final series, winning all four matches.

Works' star-studded Blue team of Graeme Pickett, Peter Donati, Michael Leslie and Hans Georgieff now face the defending premier Works Green, featuring Lee Morcom, Glen Johansen, George Zammit, David Thompson, Dallas Fry and Dean Wilson at the Launceston Workers Club tomorrow night.

This week's best breaks: Roydyn Bishop 41, Peter Donati 40.

Junior titles

THE Tasmanian under-15 and under-18 billiards and snooker championships were held at the Launceston Workers Club, over the weekend.

Joshua Burns, of the North-West, defeated the North's Josh Rainbow to win the under-15 billiards title.

Stephen Kaine, of the North-West, won the under- 18 billiards final after coming from behind to down Nathan Lynd.

The closest match of the weekend was the under-15 snooker final with the South's Alex Pace winning 3-2 against the North-West's Brodie Stubbs on the black ball in the fifth frame.

Cale Barrett, of Penguin, was elevated to the under-18 division where he defeated the North's Andrew Rainbow in the semi-final and Stephen Kaine, of the North-West, in the final.

A Tasmanian junior team will be selected to compete in the national titles at the Redlands RSL, in Queensland, in July.