The 5th Senior Snooker Ranking Event in the RIBSA Senior Series was played in Ivy Rooms Snooker Club in Carlow over the weekend. Rodney Goggins and Robert Murphy reached the final with superb quality snooker over the weekend to compete in the RIBSA Irish Masters Final. Both players will on the Republic of Ireland A team along with Brendan O’Donoghue that will play in the European Team Championship in Malta next month
Semi Finals
- Rodney Goggins Vs Colm Gilcreest 4-2
- Robert Murphy Vs TJ Dowling 4-0
It was always going to be a superb quality final from two players who have been at top the Irish rankings over the past 10 years and it was Rodney who got in first with a number of good breaks to win the first frame (71-21). Robert fought back with a fantastic Breaks of 90 and 76 to go 2-1 up (36-90) & (0-76). Back came the Wexford man with a break of 79 to level the score at 2-2 (79-0)
In Frame 5 Rodney made a break of 45 to go 3-2 up (78-21). Frame 6 went again to the 147 Wexford player with a break of 40 (68-21) to go 4-2 up and put him one frame away from the title. Murphy came back strong in Frame 7 with a 67 break to close to gap to 3-4 (31-67). Frame 8 Goggins got in first with a 24 but missed to let Murphy made a 50 break to level the match at 4-4 (24-71)
In the Decider Murphy got in first and made 30 and Goggins then made 41 to win the Title of 2011 RIBSA Irish Master Champion.
Quarter Finals
- Tom O’Driscoll V Rodney Goggins 0-4
- Nigel Power V Colm Gilcreest 0-4
- Vincent Muldoon V Robert Murphy 1-4
- TJ Dowling V Leonard Shanahan 4-3
There were a number of shocks in the event with Tom O Driscoll beating No.1 seed David Hogan 3-2 and Johnny Williams beat current National Champion Martin McCrudden 3-0. The Highest break prize went to Robert Murphy with a 117 break. Tom O Driscoll also had a superb break of 101.
RIBSA would like to thank Jim & Marian 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 6 in Carlow on the 5th and 6th of March.
