HEADLINES
McCORRY KEEPS CASTLE IN LEAGUE RACE ~ ROCKERS ALL AT SEA AS PIRATES MOVE UP TO 3RD ~ EASTWAY WIN RATHCOOLE DERBY MATCH Spartans 7-7 Castle
Pirates 8-6 Rockers
Scorpions 7-7 MSC Trojans
Eastway 8-6 Alpha
Greenisland 8-6 Whitehead Trojans
Barbarians 8-6 Teddy Bears
Monkstown P-P Valkyries
Pirates 8-6 Rockers. Roy McMurtrys Pirates brought League Champions The Rockers onto the good ship Brown Cow and proceeded to make them walk the plank. After losing the corresponding away fixture on the opening day of the season by a massive 12-2 scoreline The Pirates had a point to prove. And in a fantastic match they done just that. It started well for the visitors with Captain J.McClean ousting A.Corrigan after he snookered himself on the black whilst going for a break and dish. The consistent P.McCaffrey levelled only for Darren Whiteside to give The Rockers the initiative once again. But Pirates then took 4 in a row courtesy of S.Carson, H.McMurtry and C.Carson x2 including an 8 ball clearance. After the break R.Butler replied for the Champions but Pirates guaranteed themselves at least a point when they took the next 2. Back came Rockers with Arbuthnot and McClean again, keeping their hopes of a draw alive but it was to no avail as Pirate H.McMurtry ensured the 3 points would stay in the Brown Cow with a fine win. P.Harris won the final frame of the evening to give a final scoreline of 8-6 to the Pirates.
Spartans 7-7 Castle. What a match ! Castle Captain Derek Whiteside could see the coveted League Title slipping away before his very eyes as a Martin & McDowell inspired Spartans raced into a 5-1 lead with some delightful pool. He knew a home win would all but end his teams hopes of regaining the crown they last won in the 2009/10 season. But C.Howard took the vital 7th frame to keep their hopes alive going into the interval. And the comeback continued into the 2nd session with the visitors drawing level at 5-5 before Man of the Match E.Martin finished superbly to restore Spartans lead. A.Toner levelled for Castle again as the match came down to the business end. And it looked all but over for S.McWhirter in Frame 13 as he was well snookered with his opponent having 3 balls over pockets just waiting for the kill. But the Larne man used the middle jaw to escape the snooker and pot his last colour at the same time to land plum on the black for a 7-6 Spartan lead. But the opposite happened in the final frame as T.McCorry also looked dead and buried but ripped out one of his trademark clearances from nowhere to earn Castle a point and keep the Title race very much alive.