Carrickfergus Pool League Weekly Round-Up
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Another fantastic week of action unfolded across the Carrickfergus Pool League as the race for the Premier Division title continues to intensify. With league leaders maintaining their perfect record, several teams strengthened their positions in the top half of the table, while the battle for individual honours saw Legion's Rab Butler emerge at the summit.
Results Round-Up
Trojans 9 - 5 Sharpshooters
The Trojans welcomed the Sharpshooters to Whitehead Rangers
Supporters Club this week for another Carrickfergus Pool League match.
The opening frame was a real battle between Trojans’ Gordan McKinty and Sharpshooters’ Lewis Neill. Lewis snookered himself behind the black on his last ball, giving Gordan a chance to win the frame. However, Gordan then did exactly the same thing, snookering himself behind the black on his final ball! Lewis eventually took the frame for the Sharpshooters. Trojans responded in style, winning the next four frames through Stephen Hamilton, Lawrence Armour, Maurice Beattie and Matthew Thompson. It was a special moment for Maurice, a new addition to the league, as he secured his first league win of the season. Frame six saw Trojans captain Girvan Fleming face Sharpshooters captain Chris McCurry. Chris produced a great finish, potting a red into the top-left pocket before sending the black into the middle pocket to take the frame. Christopher Hobson won the final frame of the first half, giving the Trojans a healthy 5–2 lead at the halfway stage. The second half started with Chris McCurry claiming another frame for the Sharpshooters after Maurice Beattie fouled and potted the black ball. The Trojans quickly regained control, with Lawrence Armour, Stephen Hamilton and Matthew Thompson winning the next three frames to secure the match victory. Sharpshooters’ Adam Crossett then claimed another frame for his team, keeping their hopes alive of leaving Whitehead with a point. However, Gordan McKinty put an end to those hopes by winning the next frame and securing the Trojans’ ninth frame of the night. Sharpshooters captain Chris McCurry won the final frame of the evening, but it was the Trojans who came out on top with a convincing 9–5 victory! Congratulations to the Trojans on another great team performance, and well done to Maurice Beattie on picking up his first league win of the season!
Galacticos 14-0 Pink Ladies
League leaders Galacticos continued their remarkable start to the season with a commanding 14-0 victory over Pink Ladies. The result extends their unbeaten record to seven wins from seven matches and strengthens their position at the top of the table with 21 points and a league-best frame difference of +50.
Bowlers 3-11 Times Bar Scorpions
Times Bar Scorpions kept pace with the leading pack thanks to an emphatic 11-3 victory over Bowlers. The win moves the Scorpions onto 18 points from just six fixtures, maintaining one of the strongest records in the division. Paul Kerr shone again with two dishes and a reverse dish.
Q Club Titans 8-6 Whiteabbey Legion
A crucial contest near the top of the table saw Q Club Titans edge Whiteabbey Legion 8-6. The Titans move onto 18 points and remain firmly in contention for the championship, while Legion remain within touching distance on 16 points.
Railway Blues 8-6 Colts
Massive win for the Blues tonight - 8-6 over the Greenisland Colts
to seal a 4th win of the season, and it went right to the wire.
First Session - Blues take control 5-2
Perfect start from Ryan Stewart with a 1-0 win over Jacob Patton.
Nathan Gray then lost out 0-1 to Joe Patton, but the Blues hit back hard.
Robin Kerr made it 2-1 with a classy 1-0 win over Dee Harris -
your note said it was pure class, an excellent snooker with only two balls left
to get the 2 shots and finish it.
Nathan Gray made amends straight away, 1-0 over Colin Beckinsale -
that tricky clearance with 2 shots you mentioned, taken out with full
confidence. Then Craig Laughlin made it 4-2 with a really tactical frame, 1-0
over Andy Mackey - got his chance on a long tough black and buried it.
Wes Smith lost 0-1 to Aaron Watters who took a good finish after
getting 2 shots, but Rab Brown closed the half with a 1-0 win over Harry
Warwick - another tactical frame, took his chance when it came. 5-2 Blues at
the turn.
Second Session - Colts fight back, Craig gets us over the line 3-4
Second half was a different story. Ryan played a good snooker to
get 2 shots but missed an easy red and Joe Patton nipped in to win it 1-0.
Nathan got us back to winning ways - 1-0 over Andy Mackey with
that sublime 6-ball clearance under pressure.
Craig then lost a great frame 0-1 to Dee Harris - knuckled a tough
black and Dee took out a superb finish. Rab steadied it again, 1-0 over Colin
Beckinsale to win another tactical frame.
Then the Colts put the pressure on - Josh McIlroy beaten 0-1 by
Aaron Watters who took a great finish, and Robin Kerr beaten 0-1 by Joe Patton
who had a big night for the Colts playing twice.
At 7-6 with one to play, it was Craig Laughlin who held his nerve
- 1-0 over Harry Warwick to get the Blues over the line for the 8-6 win.
8-6 final. Ryan, Nathan x2, Robin, Craig x2, Rab x2 all on the scoresheet - proper team effort to get the 4th win on the board.
Enthusiastic Amateurs 5-9 Alpha Breakers
The Glen Inn Enthusiastic Amateurs met the Alpha Breakers on home
turf (cloth?) for a great night of pool and a well enjoyed night for all.
Away team drew first blood, with Michael Acheson putting the
visitors ahead v Colin Bell. Jonny Blair made it 2-0 triumphing after some
great pots by Nicola Murray and Alpha’s David Flanagan really put the home team
on the back foot, beating the Glen’s Aidan Bannon to make it 3-0 to the
visitors. Paul Leslie pulled one back for the home team after Don McAteer took
an early lead in the 4th to make it 3-1, but Lee McCord took the next frame to
make it 4-1. Jordan Oliver stepped up to give the home team some hope vs Kye
Robinson, but Michael Acheson won the next frame vs Dean Best to make it 5-2 to
the visiting team going into the break.
The first 2 frames after the break went to the Alpha Breakers with Jonny Blair and David Flanagan winning against Jamie Oliver (not that one!) and Sam Kane, taking it to 7-2 in favour of the visiting team. Paul Leslie won the next for the home team to make it 7-3, but Lee McCord sealed the win for the Alpha in the next frame, beating Jordan Oliver in a closely fought round. With the match decided, Andy Oliver & Dean Best came out fighting to take the next 2 frames vs Don McAteer & David Flanagan respectively and left the score line at 8-5 to the Alpha. Last frame of the evening was won by Angie Carson, beating Aidan Bannon in a game that summed up the evening perfectly: well matched, control of the game flipping each way, but the deserving player won in the end.
Times Bar Tigers 6-8 Grange
Grange continued their impressive campaign with an important 8-6 away victory over Times Bar Tigers.
The result lifts Grange to 19 points and keeps them firmly in second place, just two points behind leaders Galacticos.
Top Guns 2-12 Q Club Larne
Q Club Larne produced the performance of the night, overwhelming Top Guns 12-2. The impressive victory boosts their points tally to 14 and keeps them firmly in contention for a top-half finish.
Q Club Sharks 9-5 Kilroot True Blues
Q Club Queens recorded a valuable 9-5 victory over Kilroot True Blues, giving them a welcome boost as they look to climb away from the lower reaches of the table.