Potters have a foot in the final

H2 Engineering East Tyrone Snooker League

Pot Black staked an early claim for a place in the final of the H2 Engineering East Tyrone Snooker’s League Cup competition when they beat McKees 4-0 on Thursday night, But don’t be misled by that one-sided scoreline because, even though they didn’t lose a single frame, it certainly doesn’t reflect how close the match really was.

The former St.Patricks, Dungannon team won all first four frames on the pink and crucially edged two subsequent frames by a single point, which puts things into their proper perspective!

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Patrick Wallace and Colm Kelly both struggled badly, each missing the decisive pink twice in the opener before Wallace fluked it after a third failed attempt. A poor quality second frame was finally resolved by the former professional clearing to the pink from three reds out with a 40 break.

Mickey Quinn won a long opening frame against Owen McKee by potting the pink and added the second on the same colour, thanks to a fine 34 clearance when trailing by eleven with a red left.

Player of the year Dermot Loughran registered his first win in a high quality contest with Ronan Fay in which the safety play was superb. Loughran opened with a 44 break and held on to win on the green. Fay established a 38-1 lead in the second and still led by 24 with five colours left. But a rare safety error enabled Dermot to sink a long green and clear up to snatch victory.

Stevie Campbell continued his fine form in the first against Joe Meara for a 30 point lead on the brown. Meara obtained four penalty points from a snooker, potted brown, earned five more points from a snooker and cleared for an unlikely steal. He began the second frame with seven blacks before unluckily snookering himself in splitting the pack. He won on the second last red.

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Max A won three of the four points on offer in Keady but the star of the show was unquestionably twelve year old Fergal Quinn who ensured the McVeighs A team went home with a well deserved point, the youngster compiling a very controlled 56 break in defeating Barry Hughes 2-0, a great scalp.

Sean Hoey also knocked in a 56 break, that seeing off the challenge of Jerome McVeigh after the Killyman player had taken the opener with two reds left, before Hoey won the second on the blue.

Top break of the match came from Mark Nugent, his 61 clinching a 2-0 win over Conor Gillespie, who had lost the first on the pink to a 31 break.

Stevie McParland fired a break of 37 and a 30 clearance in his straight frames dispatch of Kieran Corr in a fiercely contested tie.

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It was honours even in Cookstown where Mitchells A and Gervins A fought out a great contest.

Paul Currie recovered from a first frame battering to get the better of Philip Gervin, Joe Loughran returned to action and made a 35 break to win the second but he fell short against Ciaran Kelly.

Darren Gribben got the other Gervins point by eclipsing Philip Tener after losing the first frame, while Feargal Keenan racked up a fine 61 break in the first frame and went on to produce a 28 finish to beat Iggy Cullen on the deciding frame blue.

CHAMPIONS STUNNED

Max Keady B, having taken seven of the eight points from the back-to-back derby clashes, slumped to a shock defeat when they ventured to Plater’s Hill to take on Gervins B, who had only managed five from their head-to-heads with their own third string.

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And there’s surely no doubt where the inspiration came from because Joe Gervin, who had performed poorly in the opening weeks, found his form with a vengeance, responding after a blue ball loss against John Maguire with a marvellous 52 break to force a third frame which he clinched on the blue.

Louis McGale levelled the tie with wins on the pink and black against Chris Maye, but the Coalisland men stormed back as Mal O’Neill bounced back from a first frame defeat by Charlie Connolly to win the next two on the brown and blue, both highscoring frames.

And Shane Dillon wrapped up a memorable victory by overcoming the stern challenge from Paul McParland, the host player taking the first on the black, losing the second on the blue and clinching his win on the brown.

McKees B gratefully seized the opportunity to leapfrog the champions to the top of the table on their first visit of the campaign to south Armagh, Francie Mallon striking a blow for his B team colleagues by grasping a precious point from the main challengers. The former Clonoe man had a 27 break in a very impressive win over previously unbeaten James Conway.

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Jody Shortt went close to securing his first win in two very tight frames with Declan Coney, who got home on the pink and black, while Barry Leeson took his black-ball opener before Marty Doris hit back to win on the brown and yellow.

Paul McArdle was called up by the Gortgonis men and looked very sharp on his debut by outpointing Kevin Connolly in two frames.

McVeighs B are keeping on the heels of the title contenders after a 3-1 home win over Gervins C, Dwayne Mallon the only 2-0 winner against Daniel Nixon. John McArdle lost the second frame on the black against Ronan Wilson but convincingly won the two frames either side, Mickey Donnelly hitting the target for the first time at the expense of Jason O’Neill.

Niall Mallon couldn’t quite get the additional point for the Killyman side, despite a great start. He eased home in the first frame against Shea Fee but lost the next on the black and the Coalisland lad won the decider 59-37.

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McKees C and trophy hopefuls Mitchells B shared the booty in Gortgonis, Paddy McKillion winning a black ball shoot-out with Sean Nash and Brendan Morgan getting the better of Jonny McCann for the home points, with Mitchells’ Peter Loughran following an opening black ball win with a facile second frame victory over Oliver O’Neill, and Jonny McCurry defeating Raymond McKee in straight frames as well.

JUNIORS CUE OFF TONIGHT

The Kildress Plumbing Supplies Junior Leagues start tonight Monday at 7pm.

Both leagues are played using a two-man format, the singles each followed by a frame of scotch doubles.

Fixtures

MONDAY NOVEMBER 19

U14 League

Max A v Max B

McKees A v McKees B

Mitchells v Gervins

U17 League

Max A v Max B

Gervins A v Gervins B

Bye - Mitchells

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 22

League Cup

Pot Black v Mitchells A

Max Keady A v Gervins A

McKees A v McVeighs A

Division Two

McVeighs B v Gervins B

Gervins C v McKees C

Mitchells B v Max Keady C

McKees B v Max Keady B

Fixtures

LEAGUE CUP

Pld Pts

Pot Black 12 9

Max Keady A 12 7

Gervins A 12 6

Mitchells A 12 6

McVeighs A 12 5

McKees A 12 3

DIVISION TWO

McKees B 12 9

Gervins B 12 8

Max Keady B 12 8

Mitchells B 12 7

McVeighs B 12 6

Gervins C 12 4

McKees C 12 4

Max Keady C 12 2