Shaun Roberts secures individual league title
Report by Mike Crook:
Congratulations to Cue Zone Blinders who are the 2022-23 Mac’s Builders Merchants snooker league champions after The Hurricanes failed to pick up maximum points in their final match. Blinders had a bye in the final week and were nervously watching proceedings at The Cue Zone.
Cue Zone Masters 3-2 The Hurricanes
Paul Russell 49-86 Shaun Roberts - Roberts played very well with breaks of 22 and 20 and get Hurricanes off to the required start, securing the individual league title for himself in the process. Brendan Clague 77-50 Ste MacDonald - Ste got into flow midway through the frame including a 25 break but it wasn't enough to claw back the deficit on Clague. Some good potting on the colours saw Clague take the frame on the blue and end Hurricanes’ league hopes. David Kelly 57-69 Jamie Wilson - Wilson again potted well, Kelly had his chances and just a few loose safeties allowed Wilson to take the frame. Jez Hill 78-28 Gary Conwell - there was only really ever one winner here with Conwell needing snookers on the yellow as the match went to a decider. Martin Rigg 71-66 Steve Munk - granite from both players and it took an hour to get to the final black. Munk slightly over-hit his safety and the black crept over the middle for Rigg.
Jacksons campaign ended in disappointing fashion as Peel, thrashed 5-0 by their opponents earlier in the season dashed their chance of ending as runners up. John Kelly 49-27 Alex Sinclair - this was heavy going with the balls going awkward. Kelly won by doubling the blue the length of the table where the black was making the corner pocket a bigger target. As it turned out the blue went straight in unaided. Tom Randall 63-43 Kam Virk - Randall was always ahead and missed a few opportunities to finish it early before again winning on the blue. Barton Beaumont 63-56 Dave Welsh - Welsh looked the better player but surprised everyone when on 17 he went for a mid-range blue instead of a simple brown. He missed the blue and ultimately lost on the black to a dogged Beaumont. Don Humphries 60-33 Richard Hillier - Hillier was playing very well until whilst on a small break he played for a red instead of a colour, the snooker gods didn’t forgive him and he lost after being snookered on the blue. Geoff Hall 60-17 Lee Gale - Gale needed a win to claim a share of the individual league but never came to terms with the pace of the table and Hall had a surprisingly easy win.
Tom Miller 98-94 Dave Kelly - Kelly was 85 up before Miller had potted a ball. Breaks of 23 and 20 still left Miller 31 behind on blue. However, two snookers and an in-off from Kelly left Miller, not for the first time this season to pull off an unlikely win with the black. Peter Crellin 94-83 Anthony Bayle - Crellin (20 break) should have killed the frame early as he had so many chances. Bayle came back into it making some great pots before Crellin fell over the line. Lee Hunt 61-50 Travis Bignell - performance of the season from Blade, topped with his highest break of the season of 25, giving him the win. Bignell will rue the black he missed to the middle. Steve Finnegan 55-70 James Kerr - a nip and tuck frame, saw Kerr (23) just do enough against Finn. Peter Kirkham 76-48 Dan Crawley - Kirkham (21) played well against an off colour Crawley and was in control throughout. Congratulations from the Mob to the Blinders for their league win, pretty impressive we came joint 2nd with Hurricanes.
Pat Maher 89-29 Dollin Mercer - this frame was over in record time, under 15 minutes. With a 56 start, Pat added to it with some nice small breaks. Dave Hanlon 53-12 Andy Taubman - Andy never got going and Dave capitalised on his chances, taking pots well and kept it very tight. Vic Rigby 73-77 Rob Callister - Vic was always ahead, Rob went in-off a few times and was 23 points behind on the yellow. Rob took the colours well and nicked it on the black. Matthew Dodd 74-33 Rhys Moore - Matt continued his fine form and scored heavily. Rhys could only watch enjoy the spectacle and as always, was gracious in defeat. An outrageous fluke into the middle cannoning open four reds and the blue should have been a break, but much to amusement of the crowd Matt missed, but still made it two a piece. Zain Abideen 63-101 Paul Tangeman - Zain giving a 35 start, he needed snookers by the yellow as Paul potted well to take frame and match.
Mark Quinn 28-79 Matthew Astill - chasing the start Postie was still in with a shout but attempting a thin cut on the black into a centre pocket off the final red he missed it completely. Matty, who potted well throughout cleaned up the colours despite Posties attempt for snookers. Tony Pring 80-44 Phil Joynes - believe it or not Phil played well but Tony was simply brilliant, nobody could live with him on that form. Jimmy Goodwin 64-74 Terry Boyle - a dour battle, Jimmy getting some great reds but not many colours. With three balls left Terry was 14 ahead but Jimmy potted a good blue and on his next visit the pink. Going for the black he left a thin cut into the yellow pocket which thankfully Terry put away. Alec Oates 53-19 Dave Pickersgill - Alex played very well, good potting and safety with Dave slightly off his game, no contest. Tony Cubbon 47-56 Mike Boyle - these two are good friends and in their youth were both members of the Manx squad. An edgy start before Tony tried a difficult pot to the middle leaving Mike in for a 31 break to go ahead, snookering Tony on the last red, he escaped but left the red on. Five balls left and Tony was 15 behind, but he potted green, brown and blue and narrowly missed the pink. Trying the pink into the bottom right pocket, Mike had an outrageous fluke off three cushions into the yellow bag to take frame and match, a very lucky 3-2 to us.
DSB Wannabes 3-2 Finch Hill Rockets
A 10th for Wannabes, who actually had a good season and won more matches than some above them but still finished bottom for the fifth season in a row. With a come from behind win they secured a double over the outgoing champions. Frame scores: David Callister 62-71 Marek Kenny, Steve Cowin 67-97 John Spellman, Jason Campbell 72-41 Paddy Delaney, Paul McKinstry 59-30 Marc Bolton and Dave Corris 79-49 Ken Kinrade.
The Hurricanes - 68 points
Finch Hill Mob - 68 points
Jacksons - 64 points
Finch Hill Reprobates - 63 points
Finch Hill Musicians - 61 points
Malew - 59 points
Finch Hill Rockets - 57 points
Cue Zone Masters - 56 points
Peel Legion - 55 points
Port St Mary Legion - 54 points
St Olaves - 54 points
DSB Wannabes - 50 points
Lee Gale - 16 wins
Tom Miller - 16 wins
Peter Crellin - 46.5 points
Darryl Hill - 36.5 points
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