The fifth RIBSA billiards ranking event of the season took place on Sunday 23rd February in the Ivy Rooms Snooker Club in Carlow with reigning national senior long-up champion Aidan Murray taking his second consecutive win of the season having won the previous ranking event last December in Celbridge.
10 players entered and the format was 400up with a time limit of 90 minutes. As there was only 10 participants the draw provided two pre quaters and three straight quater finals. Aonghus McAnally went straight into the semi-finals as he got a walkover from Lloyd Myers due to other commitments.
Aidan Murray made it to the final with wins over John Kehoe and Larry Drennan without playing his best but scored early on and holding on to a lead to do just enough. His opponent in the final would come as no surprise as Dun Laoighaire dangerman Wayne Doyle played solid billiards making short work of Jason Dowling on a scoreline of 400 – 87 with breaks of 77, 57 and 55. Aonghus McAnally gave Wayne a tougher game and gave him a good run for his money but Wayne always seemed to have enough in the tank and duly won by 41 points to book another final meeting with Aidan.
n the final both players didn’t hit top form with very little breaks coming either way but Aidan scored heavily early on and it made the difference despite the fact he never hit top gear where the same happened to Wayne who didn’t have one of his best games in recent times as Aidan never gave him a chance to recover and ran out the winner on a scoreline of 301 – 221.
Thanks to Tournament Director John Kehoe on running the event, Marian Leacy and Ivy Rooms for hosting the event
The next Senior Billiards Ranking Event of the season will take place again in Ivy Rooms Snooker Club in Carlow on Sunday 8th March. If you wish to enter call or text John Kehoe on 087 7773649.
Pre Quaters:
Joe Doheny 338 – 189 Tommy Denieffe
Larry Drennan 400 – 180 Robert McCrum
Quater finals:
Wayne Doyle 400 – 87 Jason Dowling
Lloyd Myers N/S – W/O Aonghus McAnally
Joe Doheny 200 – 385 Larry Drennan
John Kehoe 186 – 284 Aidan Murray
Semi finals:
Wayne Doyle 327 – 286 Aonghus McAnally
Larry Drennan 220 – 291 Aidan Murray
Final:
Wayne Doyle 221 – 301 Aidan Murray
High Breaks:
Wayne Doyle 77, 57, 55, 60
Larry Drennan 63
Aidan Murray 57, 52
