Snooker & Billiards Ireland (SBI) held the 2024 National Challenge Snooker Championships in the SBI HQ in Carlow on Saturday the 18th of May and it was Ben Doyle from Wexford who won the title in a dramatic black ball in the final frame to win against Aman Goel from Letterkenny 3-2.
Earlier in the day Ben beat Kevin McWenneney 3-0 while Aman beat Victor McCormack 3-0 in two good semi finals. Snooker & Billiards Ireland (SBI) held the 2024 Challenge Tour National Championship in the SBI HQ Carlow on the 28th April. This Challenge tour gives the opportunity to all the club players around Ireland who dream of winning a National Title.
After a very long day we played down to the semi finals stage where Kevin McWeeney from Carrick On Shannon played Ben Doyle from Wexford and Victor McCormack from Kildare played Aman Goel from Letterkenny.
Ben Doyle is the 2024 winner and this is his first National snooker title after many wins on the Irish Pool Tour.
In the event the seeds had a bad day with Kevin McWeeney beat No.1 seed Ken Byrne, Michael J Ryan beat No. 8 seed Dane Ring, Brendan Murphy beat No. 5 seed. Ben Doyle beat No. 5 seed John Downey. Victor McCormack beat No. 3 seed John Ahearne, Blake Kiely beat No.6 seed James Higgins, Paul Keighery beat No.7 seed Dylan Troy and finally Aman Goel beat No.2 seed Pat Fitzgearld.
Both semi finals and final will be played during SBI Finals weekend on the 18th & 19th of May in the SBI HQ in Carlow. The high break went to Ben Doyle with 46.
- Kevin McWeeney Vs Ben Doyle 0-3
- Victor McCormack Vs Aman Goel 0-3
SBI would like to thank all the players on making it a great event and to TD Conor Doyle who did a fantastic job running the event on the day. SBI believe this Challenge tour was a huge success this year and stepping stone in helping grow the game around within the clubs.
Four ranking events were held this year with a National Championship. The 2023 National Champion was Darren Delaney from Nenagh.
The guidelines for player’s eligibility to play on the Challenge Tour.
- Any player represented Ireland from Under 21 level up to Seniors and Masters level.
- Past Irish challenge championship winner.
- SBI council reserves the right to review the eligibility of all players who enter Challenge events. The sub-committee has the right to stop players playing at Challenge level that they deem to be of too high a standard based on the evidence of what they have achieved in the game.
(Any player who enters and does not meet the criteria will be removed from the events and have his Entry fee returned)
RANKING EVENT DATES & VENUES
- Event 1: CHALLENGE TOUR – SBI HQ Carlow – 1st October – WINNER ADRIAN DORAN
- Event 2: CHALLENGE TOUR – SBI HQ Carlow – 11th November – WINNER IVOR FITZPATRICK
- Event 3: CHALLENGE TOUR – St Johns Limerick – 3rd February & 25th February – WINNER KEN BYRNE
- Event 4: CHALLENGE TOUR – SBI HQ Carlow – 16th March – WINNER STEPHEN O REILLY
- National Challenge Championships: – SBI HQ Carlow – 28th April – WINNER BEN DOYLE
Tournament Entry Fees
The cost of entry will be the following:
- Over 21’s – €25.00
- Under 21 – €20.00
- Under 18 – €1.00
Format
- All matches are the best of 5 frames
