The 3rd RIBSA Senior Snooker Ranking Event in the Series (The Presidents Cup) was played in Ivy Rooms Snooker Club in Carlow over the weekend. Vincent Muldoon and David Hogan reached the final with superb quality snooker over the weekend.
The standard of snooker was very high with five century plus breaks and five 90+ breaks in this years event. It was always going to be a superb quality final from two players who have been at top the Irish rankings over the years. David had a good break in frame 1 to lead one nil. Muldoon fought back to level 1-1, only for Hogan to go ahead again at 2 – 1 and 3 -1.
Muldoon the current number 1 under 21 came back again very strong to win the fifth and sixth frames to level it at 3-3. The former European champion Hogan won the seventh frame to go ahead at 4-3 and he then won the eight frame to secure his second senior RIBSA ranking title. Eamon Kearns the President of RIBSA presented his perpetual cup to David after the final.
In the Semi Finals
Vincent Muldoon from the Maynooth SC beat Martin McCrudden from the Celbridge SC 4 frames to 3 in high quality semi final. David Hogan from New Institute beat Colm Gilcreest from Celbridge 4 frames to 2 in the other great semi final match.
In the Q-Finals
Colm Gilcreest beat Jason Devaney from Crosmolina SC 4 -1, David Hogan beat Robert Murphy from Monkstown 4 -2, Vincent Muldoon beat Johnny Williams from Maynooth SC 4-0 and Martin McCrudden beat John Torpey from the Victoria Limerick 4 frames to nil. The open draw again paired some great early round matches with Rodney Goggins beating Robert Redmond 3-0 and TJ Dowling beating John Sutton 3-0 In the Last 16 Colm Gilcreest beat Clinton Franey 3-1, Jason Devaney beat Colvin O Brien 3 – 0, Robert Murphy beat Mario Fernandez 3 – 1, David Hogan beat Brendan O’Donoghue 3-2, Johnny Williams beat TJ Dowling 3-0
Vincent Muldoon beat Rodney Goggins 3-1 , John Torpey beat Leonard Shanahan 3- 0, Martin McCrudden beat Gavin Stokes 3 -0. The Highest break prize went to Colm Gilcreest with a 129 break and he also had 107 and 123 breaks. Other high breaks in the event were 106 and 100 by TJ Dowling. 114, 94, 92, 89, 80 by Martin McCrudden. 97, 78 by Vincent Muldoon. 73, 78, 72 by John Torpey. Jason Devaney had 76, 72. Robert Redmond had an 89 and Adrian McMahon and a superb 93 break in his match against Jason Devaney
RIBSA would like to thank Jim & Marion Leacy from The Ivy Snooker Club for the excellent facilities and all their help over the weekend. Finally I would like to thank all the players for another great snooker display and I look forward to seeing them again in Event 4 in Carlow on the 8th & 9th January.