Alex Roche was one of the country's finest billiard players

Last week Trim bid farewell to one of their national champions, Alex Roche, a man proud of his Dublin roots, but adopted by the local community as a pure gentleman and an inspiration to kids in the town who grew up in the booming late 1970s and early '80s when snooker was at its height of popularity.

Alex was an outstandingly talented billiards and snooker player and quite possibility could have made it big in the game had it been any other era.

He played for Ireland on seven occasions and often crossed cues with then international stars of the game John Virgo and Doug Mountjoy.

After going so close to being crowned Irish Amateur snooker champion in 1970 and National billiards champion in 1974 Alex became frustrated with the game as he just couldn't make the breakthrough and he put down his cue after moving to Trim from Dublin in the mid-70s.

While living in Trim Alex was approached by local man Ken Gillick to join the St Patrick's Snooker Club, but every time Ken asked, Alex politely declined - he had lost his love for the game.

However, when Alex's 13-year-old son, Alex Jr, asked time and again to be brought to the local hall, Alex senior relented and dusted off his old cue and headed into the Young Men's Hall on Patrick's St.

As he knocked a few balls around with his son, Alex's love for the game came rushing back and it didn't take him long to rediscover his undoubted talent.

Within a couple of years Alex entered into the Irish Billiards Championship again, determined to give it one last shot and on the 12th April 1985 he eventually achieved his dream.

After battling his way to the final of the Irish Billiards Championships at the Pierrot Club Alex's opponent was none other than well-known Navan bookmaker Tosh Reilly - another local considered to be one of the finest exponents on the green baize in the country.

That year's final was Reilly's third time to reach the decider, but it wasn't to be third time lucky for the Navan man as Alex, who had seen off Wexford's Larry Codd and Kilkenny's Larry Dremuin on the way to final, proved too strong.

It was a day Alex and his son would never forget - for more reasons than just the victory.

At Alex's funeral service last week Alex junior recalled the day of the final.

He remembered getting prepared to head to Dublin for the decider against Reilly, but discovered that their car wouldn't start.

Alex and his son made their way up to Dublin on the bus and walked to Bachelor's Walk to the Pierrot Club where he saw off the challenge of Reilly.

After all the celebrations Alex remembered he had no way back to Trim, but he turned to Tosh Reilly and asked was there any chance of a lift home.

To his eternal credit Tosh had no hesitation and he put his family and friends in the back of the car while Alex, Alex junior and the trophy took pride of place in the front seat for the journey home.

It was a sign of the mutual respect between the two men - two great rivals and two great friends, two of the very best in the country.

When interviewed after the final Alex admitted that it was his son who reignited his love for the game and at that time he also revealed he had a dream to go professional, but he didn't think the opportunity was there.

"My young lad asked me would I go with him to St Patrick's, but I said I was not interested anymore. But he kept asking me to bring him along so I eventually went, hit a few balls and got my appetite again," recalled Alex.

"I would like to go professional but it is very hard at the moment with the system, as you must win a major trophy before you can get a professional licence. If I had the opportunity I would go professional or I would be interested in a job coaching or managing a place."

Alex was beaten the following year in the quarter-finals by the 1976 champion Jack Rogers and in 1988 Tosh Reilly got his revenge when he beat Alex in the Billiards final in Clondalkin.

The chance to turn pro never came for Alex, but instead of putting his cue back on the rack Alex got involved coaching the kids in St Patrick's Hall - I was lucky enough one of them.

Alex was a brilliant coach and while I never reached the standards he would set, he improved the game of many other players from the Trim club who went on to feature prominently in National underage championships.

Rest easy Alex and my deepest sympathies to his wife Kay, son Alex and daughter Roisin.