The Jack Trihy Billiards tournament was concluded recently in the society. The finalists were Aaron Tobin and Martin Kelly and after a very tight game it finished 250 – 243 in favour of Aaron. Well done to both players on making the final.
Runner-up Martin Kelly and Winner Aaron Tobin
Youghal Cyms Billiards Team winners of 2012 Cork County Billiards Championship Brendan Cooney, William Kelly, (Captain) and Ger Swayne
On Wednesday the 9th of May the society held the final of the Cork County Billiards Championship. The final was played out between the local Youghal team and the AOH. After a hard fought battle the Youghal team which consisted of Ger Swayne, Brendan Cooney and Captain William Kelly, went one better than last year and went on to lift the cup. Congratulations to all the players on a great victory.
It was a great weekend for Youghal CYMS players Adam Fitzgerald and Noel Landers at the National Snooker Championships in Carlow last Weekend were Adam reached the final of the U 16 championships and Noel reached the final of the U-14 championships.The Finals will be played at the end of May in Letterkenny at the National Finals weekend,
Adam Fitzgerald V Christopher Duffy U 16 Final
Noel Landers V Fergal Quinn U Final.
Well done to both players for everyone at Youghal CYMS and best of luck in the final.
More details to follow…
Rebel Snooker
By Derek Kiely
AS The year in snooker draws to a close with the ‘Shooters Cork Open’ the last major Cork tournament for the Rebel cue-men set for Saturday the 28th of April at the brand new venue in Blackpool and the Cork Team Billiards Championships on the horizon, now is as good a time as any to take a look back on the 2011/12 season for Cork snooker and billiards.
The league really was dominated in so many ways by the Crucible snooker club, who showed their dominance of the game in Cork from start to finish, remaining unbeaten throughout their league campaign. Greg Casey was outstanding in the league and definitely was the my top league player in the ‘Cork Billiards and Snooker Association’ (CBSA) Cork snooker league.
The real telling point in the league for the Crucible I feel was the win at the Market House against Youghal CYMS, where at that point both Youghal CYMS ‘A’ and the Crucible were both unbeaten and it went right down to the wire, but the Crucible won out in the end, mainly due to the exploits of one Greg Casey.
The Youghal side were defeated by a re-invigorated AOH side who gave the Crucible a good run for their money in the CBSA Cork league final, but it wasn’t good enough to see the trophy that had eluded Jimmy Hussey’s men in the previous season making its way to the North Side club.
Players on the league winning side the likes of Ryan Cronin, David Cassidy and Daniel O’Regan all made significant contributions to the game either in Cork or at International level.
Cassidy was part of the ‘Republic of Ireland Billiards and Snooker’ (RIBSA) International under 21 squad that travelled to the European amateur snooker championships in Bulgaria last March along with Ryan Cronin, plus Greg Casey was part of the RIBSA senior team at the same venue.
Daniel O’Regan became the Cork under 19 snooker champion with a super final performance against team mate David Cassidy in the Crucible snooker club.
Ryan Cronin’s performance at the ‘Players Tour Championship’ (PTC Killarney) was superb, being the only Cork man to progress through to the last 128, where he was eventually defeated by Stephen Maguire, but there wasn’t much in it and we know what the Scott has achieved this year in the top events.
Cronin also led the rankings in the National RIBSA under 19 and under 21 events right up to the last weekend. Cronin was defeated in both national finals held at the excellent Douglas snooker club venue, but did enough to be the top Irish ranked under 19 player of the year and made captain of the RIBSA Irish squad who will play in the home internationals and joining Cronin will be fellow Cork cue-men David Cassidy and Christopher Cooney from Youghal CYMS.
So all in all it has been a pretty spectacular year for the Crucible with the one exception in the Orme Shield where they failed to retain the title after a defeat to the Youghal CYMS ‘B’ team of Ger Kelly, Derek Aherne and Christopher Cooney.
Youghal CYMS ‘A’ were defeated in the semi final by the newly re-formed Shooters snooker club, where Thomas Grainey, David Forde and Gary Bracken who went on to win the Orme Shield and en-route Bracken knocked in his highest ever tournament break with a very impressive 133 clearance.
Bracken went into the Orme Shield in great form after winning the ‘Cork Close’ snooker tournament winning the AOH sponsored shield with a very impressive three frame to nil victory over the Cork under 16 county champion Aaron Tobin from Youghal CYMS.
In the junior version of the Orme Shield which is called the Cork under 17 teams event Youghal were too strong with Aaron Tobin, Kenny Wight and Lee Walsh winning out.
In under 14 snooker Youghal CYMS were successful again with again with Noel Landers scooping the county title in Fermoy CYMS at the ‘Wagon Wheel Bar’ sponsored event and in Cork county billiards ‘The Boss’ Timmy Murphy Snr was the winning player in the event held at Murphy’s home club the AOH.
Also from the AOH Lloyd Myers got his first Senior Billiards International waistcoat following in the footsteps of the ‘Boss’ himself.
The negative from the year really concern the performances of our clubs at the Munster and All Ireland Club Championships. Another year passes and no Cork success in Killarney is getting a little tough to take. The Crucible and Youghal CYMS did make it through to the All Ireland snooker club championships by virtue of making it through to the Munster semi finals, but I suppose one thing you have to admire more than anything about Cork Snooker is the loyalty that the players show to their clubs.
I am 100% sure if Cork wanted to pack a Cork team together to win the events they certainly could, but that isn’t the Cork way, which is probably a good thing.
My top player for the season has to be the outstanding Ryan Cronin from the Crucible snooker club, if there is someone out there with deep pockets they should consider getting behind this young man who has what it takes to go all the way in the game of snooker!
Roll of Honour in the 2011/2012
CBSA League Champions: The Crucible
CBSA Cork Close Champion: Gary Bracken
CBSA Cork Billiards Champion: Tim Murphy Snr
CBSA Orme Shield Champions: Shooters Snooker Club
RIBSA Under 19 No1: Ryan Cronin
CBSA Under 19 Champion: Daniel O’Regan
CBSA Under 16 Champion: Aaron Tobin
CBSA Under 14 Champion: Noel Landers
CBSA Under 17 Team Champions: Youghal CYMS
Shooters
Shooters are Orme Shield Champions. – By Derek Kiely | Pics: YOL
SHOOTERS are back with a bang with a huge win in what many snooker aficionados in Cork consider to be the most important tournament of the year the ‘Orme Shield’.
Derek Kiely reports
The Blackpool Club have just re-opened their doors and one of the newest items to be put on show will be the highly prized Orme Shield after a simply scintillating weekend of top class snooker in the most atmospheric club in the land at the ‘Market House’ the home of Youghal CYMS.
The brilliantly run event began last Thursday night and finished last Sunday evening when the Shooters ‘A’ side defeated the Youghal CYMS ‘B’ side in a nail biting final.
The three person team event has been around for over half a century or more and in all its different formats down through the years in recent decades the three person team event has taken an even higher place in the hearts of all who play the game in Cork.
Shooters will host the ‘Shooters Cork Open’ on Saturday the 28th of April and with the likes of Irish number one Rodney Goggins from Wexford who is just one of many top players in the country ready to make the trip to Leeside it will definitely be one of the top snooker events on the Irish snooker calendar and one man playing out of the Blackpool venue is definitely the man to beat at the moment
Gary Bracken is already the ‘Cork Close’ champion and had a 133 clearance in the Orme Shield final last Sunday and he along with many other talented rebel cue men will certainly have a say in the outcome of the first Cork Open snooker championship since the 1980?s.
The weekend in Youghal will again prove the point that this is the only venue where the Orme Shield can be played. The condition of the tables, complimented by all who played over the four days, the large crowds of spectators that filled the room for all the matches along with that very special atmosphere that brings out the very best in all who play at the venue.
The very best certainly can be attributed to the runners up of this years Orme Shield the Youghal team of Derek Aherne, Ger Kelly and Christopher Cooney who sensationally saw off last years winners the Crucible in some style to make it through to the final on Sunday.
This was a significant scalp and goes to show you that The standard of play in Cork is high and nobody should ever take anyone else for granted ever
The semi finals were certainly different, Youghal breezed past the Crucible, but the other semi final between Youghal CYMS ‘A’ and Shooters ‘A’ was extremely tense. Youghal looked all but out when Brendan Cooney fought his way back to force a re-spotted black in the deciding frame, David Forde of Shooters was to pot the black denying the host club to have an all Youghal final
The final was fascinating with Derek Aherne up against Tomas Grainey, David Forde playing Ger Kelly and Gary Bracken up against Christopher Cooney.
Aherne v Grainey: Frame 1, Solid performance from the Youghal man as Aherne leaves Grainey needing snookers on the colours. Frame two, was another fine performance from Aherne who closed the frame out to need just one more frame with a great pot on the brown. Frame 3, Aherne finished off his match after a series of strange snooker escapes towards the end, Youghal were one match up and Aherne never looked in any danger at all.
Cooney v Bracken: Frame 1, after Bracken knocks in a 52 break, Christopher Cooney shows maturity beyond his years and comes back to win the opener. Frame 2, saw something really special from the Cork Close champion as he knocks in a wonderful top competition clearance of 133 to a standing ovation. Frame 3, was a great frame, Cooney rattles the pink into the jaws of the green pocket, but Bracken clears to take the frame. Frame 3, Bracken is comfortable in this frame and Cooney concedes the frame and the match is tied at one all.
Kelly v Forde: Frame 1, Excellent first frame for the Youghal man as Forde concedes at the green ball. Frame 2, Forde comes back strong with impressive play leaving Kelly in need of snookers so the Youghal man concedes the frame. Frame 3, Forde is on fire and knocks in a century break to take the lead. Frame 4, Kelly shows tremendous courage and wins the frame with at the Brown ball. Frame 5, Forde is off to a great start with a significant early lead, but Kelly is still in with a chance, but Forde pots the crucial balls to win the match and the Orme Shield for the Shooters ‘A’ side.
Shooters owner John Paul Crowley said afterwards “I am thrilled with the win, it really is great to be back and doing so well. I know the significance of winning this trophy and it will hang proudly on our wall at ‘Shooters’. We are proud to have won such a prestigious event and I want to compliment Brendan Cooney and everyone at the Youghal CYMS for hosting and outstanding Orme Shield championships”.
Finally for this week in Billiards, congratulations to Lloyd Myers of the AOH club who last Sunday received his Republic of Ireland International waist coat for the RIBSA Senior Billiards team to play Northern Ireland this month and also congratulations to Derek O’Neill of Douglas who made it to the last eight in the ‘National Billiards Championships’ in Carlow last Sunday
One of the oldest Snooker Tournaments in Cork will be held in Youghal CYMS this week,the first games start at 7.15pm this thursday evening the 29th of march between Fermoy A and Youghal E.This is a three man team event and it promises to be a great tournament with 19teams taking part and will be on all weekend with the final taking place Sunday at 4pm all are weekend to call and a see a few frames were the Crucible from Cork will be hoping to hold on too the title they won last year.
Full draw and times can been seen on www.corkbilliardsandsnooker.com
Christopher Cooney has made the Irish U 19 Snooker team for the up coming Home Internationals.Christopher had a superb season finshing fourth in the irish rankings.On Saturday Christopher made the semi final on the national championship to confirm his on place on the Irish Team
More details to follow
The next committee meeting will take place on Tuesday march 28th at 7.45pm.
Youghal CYMS A won the Cork U 17 Snooker Team Championships beating Youghal B 2 0 in the final.
Report to follow
Ross Bulman won what was a very exciting first frame, Keane showed great determination to bounce back and go ahead early on in the second but Ross through great safety play and shot choice brought the frame to the last ball before potting a pressure black with the extended rest to claim the ‘Kevin Power’ trophy.
The Kevin Power Junior Snooker Tournament: Keane McCarthy, runner-up; Ross Bulman, winner and Youghal CYMS Hon. Vice President Brendan Cooney.
On table one Conor Kennedy the defending champion was up against it facing Irish International Kenny Wight. Conor was first out of the blocks potting some great balls to take the first frame, he picked up where he left off in the second frame and through his good positional play he retained the title of ‘Irish Life’ Champion. Congratulations to all four finalists and all other participants.
The Irish Life Junior Snooker Tournament: Kenny Wight, runner-up; Conor Kennedy, winner and Youghal CYMS Hon. Vice President Brendan Cooney.
Thanks to Hon.Vice President Brendan Cooney and Reece Roche who acted as referees and also to Ray Phelan who had the tables in top condition. Brendan encouraged the juniors after the finals saying the more you play and support the better the chance you have to be selected on a team and with the Cork U-17 Snooker Team Championship approaching there will be many hoping to be picked to play for one of the Youghal C.Y.M.S teams. There will also be a snooker blitz held in the society on Friday the 2nd of March at 5 o’clock in preparation for this tournament which will be held in the Youghal C.Y.M.S on March 10th/11th.
Youghal CYMS Hon. Vice President Brendan Cooney with some of the junior players in the snooker tournaments held at Youghal CYMS.
Later that night the final of The Richard Swayne Memorial Senior Snooker Tournament was held in the society. The final brought two team players up against each other with ‘A’ team player Adrian Landers facing ‘B’ team player William Kelly. The audience watched as the president, William Kelly took the title in this very important annual tournament which was set up in memory of the late Richard Swayne and always proves to be an exciting tournament. Congratulations to both players on reaching the final and thanks to Patrick Kelly who acted as referee on the night.
The Richard Swayne Memorial Senior Snooker Tournament: William Kelly, winner; Patrick Kelly, referee and Adrain Landers, runner-up.
Congratulations to Brendan Cooney who recently won the Paddy Joyce Memorial Snooker Tournament beating fellow team player Ian Hennessy in the final.
The Paddy Joyce Memorial Senior Snooker Tournament: Ray Phelan presents the winning trophy to Brendan Cooney.