Rafters and Dunloy seal semi-final spots

HOLDERS Fountain Jokers advanced to the semi-finals of the Ballymena and District Snooker League Knockout Cup, along with Dunloy Cowboys, Rafters Potters and Minnesota B after last week's quarter-finals.

Jokers and Cowboys both progressed by winning a sudden death play off frame whereas Minnesota B and Potters both had comfortable victories.

In Antrim, Jokers, and Calvin Brammeld in particular, showed they were in no mood to relinquish their hold on the trophy despite the best efforts of Rafters Runners.

Calvin fired a 48 break on his way to a 2-0 win over Lee Corr but it transpired he was only getting his eye in for what was to come later in the contest.

Joe Bingham defeated Dylan Murray 2-0 also but the Runners countered with a brace of 2-0 wins for Stefan Christie and Chris Cunningham which left the teams locked at 4-4 forcing the tie breaker frame.

Calvin Brammeld was drawn to play Stefan Christie and the Fountain youngster showed his potential by killing off the frame in one visit with an excellent 71 break before missing the yellow with a 98 clearance in his sights.

There was no shortage of drama either in the Parochial club where Parochial Hawks squared off against Dunloy Cowboys.

Cowboys, who generously gave up their home advantage to allow an outstanding league fixture to be played, struck first with Gerard McAuley squeezing past Niall McElroy in two frames both decided on the black.

Randal McDonnell then drew 1-1 with Pat McNally to put the Dunloy men 3-1 in front before the tie took another twist.

Paul Casey and Danny McGarry each won the opening frame of their games with Aidan McErlaine and John Joe O’Neill to draw the match level at 3-3 and when Paul won his second frame the Ballymena side, defeated in the Gerard Robb memorial trophy by the same opponents last season, were assured of at least a play off frame. John Joe O’Neill held his nerve in a tense second frame to force the contest to a play off decider.

Niall McElroy and Randal McDonnell were drawn to see which team advanced and it was Randal, the Division Two individual champion who secured a semi final berth for the Cowboys with a great 69 break on his way to an 82-53 win.

In the Cullybackey Road clubrooms, Minnesota A and Minnesota B locked horns in what looked, on paper at least, to be a difficult contest to pick a winner.

On the green baize, however, it was a run away win for the B team.

David Swann got them off to a flyer easing past Gary Clarke and when Andrew Hutchinson edged Brian Hannaway in both frames the A team were staring at defeat.

The first frame of the game between the McFall brothers ended the contest with the B team's Stephen securing a place in the semi finals with a 69–57 win over the A team's Rodney .

Also in the Minnesota club, Rafters Potters currently going well in Division Two, were way too strong for Minnesota Strikers.

Ryan O’Doherty, having pinched the opening frame of his match with Trevor Alexander, never gave his opponent much of a chance in the second frame on his way to victory.

With Paddy McCook drawing 1-1 with Dean Greer the Ballymoney men were nicely placed at the half way point of the match. Hugh Larkin gave the Ballymena side a glimmer of hope by taking the opening frame against Lee Gibson but the Potters player hit back well in frame two to win comfortably and leave his team mate Mark Heggarty the task of winning a frame of his match against Stewart McClelland to put the Rafters team into the semi final. One frame was all Mark required as a 55-27 score secured the victory.

So Minnesota B will be the only Division One side left in the cup semi final scheduled to take place in the Parochial club on Monday, April 12. They take on Dunloy Cowboys, while Rafters Potters meet Fountain Aces in the other last four tie.

RESULTS

Minnesota Strikers 2, Rafters Potters 5: [40] T Alexander 0, [45] R O’Doherty 2 (45-55, 32-71); [45] D Greer 1, [55] P McCook 1 (46-73, 94-22); [35] H Larkin 1, [35] L Gibson 1 (66-26, 18-59); [65] S McClelland 0, [50] M Heggarty 1 (27-55).

Minnesota A 0, Minnesota B 5: [10] G Clarke 0, D Swann 2 (1-60, 36-69); [15] B Hannaway 0, [15] A Hutchinson 2 (37-50, 40-54); [15] R McFall 0, [30] S McFall 1 (57-69).

Parochial Hawks 4, Dunloy Cowboys 5: [50] N McElroy 0, [55] G McAuley 2 (48-50, 55-61); [60] P McNally 1, [25] R McDonnell 1 (82-65, 56-83); [45] P Casey 2, [75] A McErlaine 0 (84-42, 75-74); [55] D McGarry 1, [60] JJ O’Neill 1 (53-28, 42-64). Play off frame - N McElroy 53, R McDonnell 82. Break: Randal McDonnell 69.

Fountain Jokers 5, Rafters Runners 4: [50] J Bingham 2, [15] D Murray 0 (67-27, 93-20); [65] N Curtis 0, [40] S Christie 2 (50-72, 48-70); [45] C Brammeld 2, [30] L Corr 0 (74-17, 75-9); [60] D Brammeld 0, [15] C Cunningham 2 (70-77, 59-70). Play off Frame - C Brammeld 92, S Christie 30. Breaks - Calvin Brammeld 48, 71

LEAGUE

Two outstanding league fixtures in Division Two were also completed.

Fountain Jokers were held to a 2-2 draw by lowly Parochial Lions but the two points gained were enough to put the Antrim side back to the top of the league by a solitary point from Rafters Potters. Dunloy Cowboys kept alive their faint hopes of the title with a 3-1 win over visiting 147 Rockets.

Dunloy Cowboys 3, 147 Rockets 1: [55] G McAuley 2, [50] P Brammeld 0 (46-38, 58-38); [75] A McErlaine 0, [50] R Hamilton 2 (45-66, 29-53); [60] JJ O’Neill 2, [60] K Coogan 0 (42-18, 50-26); [25] R McDonnell 2, [65] S French 0 (70-58, 95-47). Break - Randal McDonnell 29.

Fountain Jokers 2, Parochial Lions 2 [50]: J Bingham 2, [75] D Curran 0 (56-40, 63-55); [65] N Curtis 1, [75] B Goodall 2 (27-56, 46-44, 24-61); [45] C Brammeld 2, [25] R Russell 1 (63-57, 41-62, 78-52); [60] D Brammeld 1, [35] R McAleese 2 (36-70, 75-28, 44-60).