Tuesday 5 April 2011

Results from Tuesday 5th April


(1st Leg 5-9) - Barbarians 4-6 Spartans ( Spartans win 15-9 on aggregate )
(1st Leg 7-7) - Bees 6-8 Pirates ( Pirates win 15-13 on aggregate )
(1st Leg 9-5) - Scorpions 6-7 Rockers ( Scorpions win 15-12 on aggregate )
(1st Leg 6-8) - Greenisland 8-6 Monkstown ( Monkstown win 15-14 on aggregate after play off frame )

What a night in the City Air Express Carrick & District Pool League as the Home & Away Cup took centre stage.  The tension in the room was tangible at the Greenisland Club as Harry Warwicks men reversed a 6-8 1st Leg deficit to take the match to a play off frame. But Paul Charles was the toast of Monkstown when he sank the last black of the 29 frames at near 1:00am in the morning. Earlier in the same venue Spartans overcame a resilient Barbarians team with an aggregate 15-9 win. And up at Arthur Wards Bar, Scorpions led 14-9 but just couldn't get over the hill as the Rockers stormed back trying to force a play off frame. But Colin Rafferty held his nerve in a 45 minute frame to send Jonny Thompsons lads into the Semis with high hopes of ending the season with some silverware. The match in the Monkstown Club where Bees entertained Pirates was also a belter. Level at 7-7 from a fortnight ago it went to the deciding 28th frame with the Bees hoping of the win to force a play off frame. But Joe McMurtry had other ideas as he sent the Pirates sailing into the Semi Final against the Spartans.

Greenisland 8-7 Monkstown
What a match. Blackball Pool at it's most exciting. Harry Warwicks GIs trailing 6-8 from the 1st Leg in Monkstown a fortnight ago put in a tremendous effort to overturn the deficit. And they agonisingly missed out but only by way of a play off frame after they won 8 of the 14 match frames. The visitors had hoped to get an early lead to give themselves some breathing space but the GIs took the 1st 3 frames courtesy of S.Lennon, G.Burns and H.Warwick. Visitors Captain S.Greenberg and the consistent P.Henderson scored a double to make the aggregate score 10-9 in their favour. But both remaining frames before the interval went to the hosts for a 5-2 lead on the night but more importantly 11-10 on aggregate. Next frame was won by S.Greenberg, her 2nd of the night as the tension started to rise in this first to 15 two legged tie. But Warwick with his 2nd win and Lennon with his hat trick gave Greenisland a 13-11 lead. Back came Monkstown, the impressive Greenberg winning yet again and G.Russell levelling it at 13-13. P.Akehurst for the GIs put his team 1 frame away from what would have been a memorable victory, but P.Henderson showed no nerves as he won the 14th frame of the night to take it to a single frame play off. In the play off H.Warwick went for game for Greenisland but when he broke down P.Charles played a safe and controlled game until he got a chance for a finish and he duly delivered with the clock nearing 1:00pm. Best on the night were S.Lennon and S.Greenberg both on 3/3 in a tie that was a credit to both teams.

Barbarians 4-6 Spartans
Spartans travelled up the coast to the Greenisland Club to play the The Barbarians at their new venue. Barbarians trailed 5-9 from the 1st Leg in Whitehead, but weren't having any negative thoughts about the match outcome. Spartans took an early lead with a great clearance from S.Burns, but an equally as good a one from his younger brother A.Wright playing for the Barbarians, levelled the match at 1-1. Home side Captain A.Galloway led by example to give the Barbars a 2-1 lead with a fine finish. The next 2 were shared, K.English for the visitors and A.Wright with his 2nd of the night for the hosts. With the aggregate score now at 11-8 in Spartans favour an unlikely win from English again from a hopeless position gave them vital breathing space coming up to the interval. But step up Galloway with a pinpoint break and dish to put Barbarians 4-3 up at the break. Whatever Spartan manager Maguire said to his team certainly worked as wins from Burns again, R.Hawkins (8 ball clearance) and English put his side up to the 6 frames they needed to progress to the Semi Final stage of the Competition. Best on the night were Spartans K.English on 3/3 and S.Burns on 2/2. A.Wright and A.Galloway scored 2/3 for the Barbarians.