James on cue for third Elite Singles title
James Nesbitt made it a hat-trick of Coleraine Singles pool titles when he defeated reigning champion Lee Hull in the final at Potters Snooker and Pool Club, Coleraine.
James took the elite crown thanks to a towering 8-5 victory over Lee who was bidding for his third consecutive title following victories in both 2019 and 2020.
With last year’s blue riband singles event being cancelled because of Covid, James won the opening two frames of the 2022 final.
Lee pulled it back to 2-2 before the players swapped frames to bring the score to 5-5.
“It was a close match and I managed to win the last three frames,” James said. “My last win was in 2018 when I beat Raymond Baxter in the final.”
After James defeated Willie Eakin 8-2 in the quarter-finals he booked himself a place in the final thanks to an epic 8-7 victory over veteran Raymond Stockman who pushed him all the way in the semi-final.
Lee’s route to the final was a lot more routine with convincing victories over Jack Hull (8-2) in the quarter-final and Willie Boreland (8-3) in the semi-final.
Elite singles results:
Quarter-finals: Reece McCloskey 5, Raymond Stockman 8; James Nesbitt 8, Willie Eakin 2; Lee Hull 8, Jack Hull 2; Willie Boreland 8, Jamie Baxter 0.
Semi-finals: Raymond Stockman 7, James Nesbitt 8; Lee Hull 8, Willie Boreland 3.
Final: James Nesbitt 8, Lee Hull 5.