The conclusion of the SBI National Challenge Event No.4 was held in the SBI Academy in Co. Laois on Sunday 24th March.
Due again to a large entry, this event was stopped at the Semi-final stage on the 16 March. Top seed Ken Byrne faced Youghal player Michael J Ryan on table 8, and it was the Youghal native that took a early 2-0 lead. But Ken responded in kind by taking the next 2 frames to force a decider.
In the final frame it was a tense affair and it went down to the final Pink which Michael potted to take the match and book his place in the final.
The 2nd semi was contested between Chris Dunleavy and Steven O’ Reilly on table 5. A similar pattern occurred when Steven developed a 2-0 lead, only for Chris to secure the next 2 frames, to force a decider. Again, it went down to the colours and it was Steven who secured the frame and book his spot in the final.
In the final, Steven was the player that settled better and took the opening frame, he won the 2nd frame also when Michael missed the final Pink while using the rest. Steven was in command thru out the 3rd frame which he took, to win the match 3-0 to secure his 1st Challenge Event title. Semi-finals.
- Ken Byrne 2 Michael J Ryan 3
- Chris Dunleavy 2 Steven O’Reilly 3
Final
- Steven O’Reilly 3 Michael J Ryan 0.
SBI would like to thank TD Shane Gorman for his assistance in running the conclusion of this Event.
