CZ Masters lead by single point
After week 9 of the Mac’s Builders Merchants snooker league just 5 points separate 12 of the 13 teams, with no team able to string a series of positive results together.
Jacksons 3-2 Cue Zone Masters
Two unbeaten players opened proceedings, Dave Welsh vs Brendan Clague. Welsh had run away with his previous three frames but was no match for Clague who won 14-51 and is now 8 wins from 8. The Masters were only to take one more frame, the 4th losing the remaining ones all on the black. Frame scores, Alex Sinclair 43-39 Martin Rigg, Lee Gale 71-59 David Kelly, Kam Virk 40-54 Jez Hill and Richard Hillier 75-63 Ivan McMaw. Despite consecutive defeats Masters stay top.
Cue Zone Blinders 2-3 Finch Hill Musicians
More close finishes here, Conor Mahon 59-60 Mike Doherty and Nick Stephens 36-51 Vic Rigby settled on black and pink respectively. The two in form players from each team drew each other, Scott Campion vs Dave Hanlon and was comparatively one-sided to the others ending 65-29 to Campion. A 24 break from Darryl Hill wasn’t enough to beat Pat Maher who was aided with a 70 start, Maher winning frame and match on the pink 83-100. The final frame went to Calum Gardner on the black 73-71 Zain Abideen.
St Olaves 3-2 Port St Mary Legion
The Ramsey venue hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for PSM over recent years, and now they’ve lost on their last seven visits. Dan Crawley kept his unbeaten record intact and had a 22 break in beating Dave Pickersgill 75-53 and Darrell Thacker 67-55 Matthew Astill put the home team 2 up. Dave Kelly’s bad run continued, just being pipped by Phil Joynes 55-60. Breaks of 32 and 22 from James Kerr saw off Terry Boyle, 77-62. Boyle junior, Mike, then showed Dad how it’s done taking the last 28-91 over Paul Smyth giving PSM some extra cheer on their long trek home.
Finch Hill Reprobates 3-2 The Hurricanes
By Dollin Mercer
Dollin Mercer 57-31 Jamie Wilson, uncharacteristically cagey between two attacking scratch players. After a prolonged safety exchange Wilson had his nose in front with a lead in the teens. Mercer had the more clear-cut chances later on though and had pulled clear by the colours, with the concession coming on the pink. A result that will shortly see Mercer’s handicap down to -7 for the first time, a personal goal achieved. Hurricanes hit back with the next two frames, the first of which ended Ashley Howard 28-68 Darran Creer. Creer said it was the best he’d played in years with some outstanding long potting to brush Howard aside in a relatively one-sided frame. Chris Brown 43-45 Shaun Roberts, this was a close one on paper and proved to be just that. Brown led for most of the frame but a couple of misses on the colours let Roberts back in, and he kept things tight to pinch it on the black to make it 2-1 to the Hurricanes. Andy Taubman 80-46 Chris Dagnall, Taubman potted well to stop Dagnall clawing the 49-point start back and ran out a comfortable winner. In the decider, Paul Smith started brighter and got back to within touching distance of Paul Tangeman by the colours, but a couple of crucial pressure pots from last season’s league individual winner just about got him over the line, Tangeman 72-63 Smith.
Peel Legion 2-3 Finch Hill Mob
Another fine display of potting from Finch Hill Mob. Don Humphries left Peter Kirkham needing a snooker on the yellow. He promptly got the snooker and cleared from the green for a 25 break to take the first for the away team 74-75. In the next, Mob’s Steve Finnegan cleared from the last red to pink, (26 break) but played safe needing a very tricky final black. Opponent, Dave McCallum smashed a lovely long pot into the yellow bag to level the score, 60-57. Luck went Peel’s way in the next, Mike Crook mugging Lee Hunt. He surprised everyone by stringing three balls together to win with a nice pink down the side cushion with the rest, 56-44. Geoff Hall of Peel drew the short straw and caught Tom Miller again on top form. Miller was soon in for a break of 45 from a very unpromising position, taking the cueball in and out of baulk to keep it going. He was cruelly denied an even bigger break by possibly the meanest pocket on the island. For good measure he had a 31 clearance, Hall 66-114 Miller. Jim Caley and Pete Crellin fought out the decider, Crellin in early with a 33 break to close the 56 start. Caley didn’t make it easy though with a handful of decent pots but eventually lost on the pink, 74-91. A least the result keeps Peel’s streak of 3-2 defeats intact, now standing at 7.
Finch Hill Rockets 4-1 Malew
Last year's champions are on the up after a third 4-1 win in four matches. Sean Murphy, (27 break) took the first 70-24 Tony Pring. Jonny Hogg put last week firmly behind him, not only did he pot a ball, but won 58-49 Alec Oates. Marek Kenny, (28 break) had a good win over an in-form Tony Cubbon 69-37 to put the Rockets 3 up, the final two frames were shared, Marc Bolton 73-54 James Goodwin and Doug Kinrade 26-63 Mark Quinn.
Top League standings: CZ Masters 24, FH Mob, CZ Blinders, PSM Legion and the Hurricanes all on 23. Individual league: Brendan Clague and Dan Crawley 8 wins. Break league: Tom Miller 19, Darryl Hill 18 and Peter Crellin 16.5.