Snooker: League returns for new campaign

Thirteen teams once again for 2023/24 season

Report by Mike Crook:

The Mac’s Builders Merchants snooker league is back. Thirteen teams will again be competing this season where the Reprobates have been replaced by a Musicians ‘B’ team. 

Some of the late Reprobates squad have been re-homed within the Musicians A and B teams. 

This season there will be no cap on the handicap starts and it will be interesting to see how this pans out. 

Week One of the 2023-24 campaign pitched the title winners from the last two seasons against each other with current champions, Cue Zone Blinders welcoming Finch Hill Rockets, but it was Jacksons who made the fastest start.

Cue Zone Blinders 2-3 Finch Hill Rockets

Report by Graham Ashton:

Nick Stephens 69-46 Marek Kenny, a strong start from Nick, good single ball pots followed by a very impressive 28 break including many tough shots. Marek struggled to get going and Nick was too strong this time. Conor Mahon 71-27 John Spellman, this was a similarly solid performance by Conor. John failed to take his chances and fell further behind, needing two snookers with just colours left he conceded. Brandon Forrester 50-70 Graham Ashton, a hard fought game, Brandon potted well but had no running. Both had teen breaks which should have been more. Graham’s safety forced a few mistakes from Brandon and the latter was left requiring two snookers with just pink and black remaining. Brandon did manage one but eventually left the pink on. Scott Campion 31-44 Marc Bolton, both struggled really badly, but Marc helped by his 21 start managed to keep ahead. Scott did improve but the damage was done, a very scrappy forgettable frame. The decider was another war of attrition, neither player anywhere near their best but it ended Calum Gardner 28-69 Sean Murphy and the Rockets completed the comeback.

Douglas Snooker Bar Wannabes 3-2 St Olaves

A fine opening week win for the Wannabes where St Olaves had won all but one of their last fourteen meetings. Jason Campbell 48-69 Ollie Byrne, victory for Byrne on his league debut. Steve Cowin 68-123 Paul Smyth, this included a 22 break from Smyth who scored heavily throughout and limited his opponent to just 5 points and put St Olaves two up. David Callister 83-76 Dave Kelly, a re-spot win for Callister to start the comeback, then Dave Corris 64-56 James Kerr and Paul McKinstry 102-60 Dan Crawley completed another turnaround.

Finch Hill Mob 3-2 Cue Zone Masters

Report by Pete Crellin:

Peter Kirkham 84-91 Jez Hill, Jez was off form and Peter couldn't get used to speed of the table but potted well. Having clawed back the massive 70 start Peter was seven ahead on the black and played safe. Jez took the black then forced a re-spot which he won. Steve Finnegan 95-63 Brendan Clague, Brendan wasn’t on his game whereas Finn was solid, had a bit of run and also a nice 22 to finish. Lee Hunt 66-60 Les Briggs was a scrappy frame, Les went in-off the black to lose. Alan Heath 73-30 Tommy Clague, Mob debutant Alan, (a summer signing from CZ Masters) did really well and Tommy didn't have much of a look in. Peter Crellin 58-88 Ivan McMaw, a 63 was a too big a start for Peter, who had one chance, made 38 and snookered himself with 3 reds left after doing all the hard work. Ivan potted some good balls to win comfortably in the end.

Finch Hill Musicians A 4-1 Malew

Report by John Kennish:

Chris Brown 68-54 Eric Drinkwater a scrappy opening frame with both players trying to find their feet on the first game of the season, indeed this was Eric’s first league frame in two years. Some steady potting towards the end secured the frame for Chris having gradually chipped away at the starting deficit. Vinny Dale 6-51 Tony Cubbon, great to see Vinny back in action but he was handed a tough draw, starting level with Tony. It wasn’t Vinny’s night and some misfortune was compounded by the expected steady potting from Tony. Peter Collister 86-74 James Goodwin, Peter giving away a significant start on his first game back in action after also being a couple of years out. It wasn’t long before he found his game which meant he was just a few points behind going into the colours. A superb 22 clearance from Peter, which culminated in an ice cold, long, frame winning black down the cushion. Paul Tangeman 78-28 Mark Quinn, some good potting from both players but unfortunately for Mark he was unable to capitalise by taking any colours. Paul extended his lead and was comfortably ahead throughout the frame leading to a concession on the colours. John Kennish 95-49 Alec Oates, a 24 break from John early doors halved the starting deficit. Then a loose safety from Alec let John back in with a good chance which he accepted with a 60 break, the best of week one, which ended with a tricky red down the side cushion. A concession quickly followed to confirm a solid 4-1 start to the season for Dale’s Army.

Jacksons 5-0 Port St Mary Legion

Report by Kam Virk:

Alex Sinclair 68-56 Matthew Astill, a strong start from Sinclair showed what he’s capable of. A series of good long pots and control of the white ball helped him reduce the initial advantage on the score board of 28. Then a solid finish on the colours was enough to put Jacksons ahead. Lee Gale 67-57 Dave Pickersgill, again Gale was chasing 28. Pickersgill had a good start and kept the white behind the baulk line to protect his lead. A brilliant safety from Gale led to a Pickersgill mistake which Gale turned into a good 26 break. The frame was pretty even until the final few colours where Gale dispatched the brown, blue and pink to take the victory, 2-0 on the night to Jacksons. Kam Virk 79-49 Phil Joynes, Virk with a 14 point start started off in typical Virk fashion-with a length of the table red to the left corner pocket. Virk controlled the game at will, picking off reds and colours throughout and never looked in trouble. Joynes didn’t really get into it such was the quality of his opponent. A strong finish with brown, blue and pink left Virk a chance to register a break for the high break league, but the black was missed, 3-0 Jacksons. Dave Welsh 77-50 Marc Morley, a mistake from Morley left Welsh with the chance to string some balls together and he did this in some style, compiling a classy 39 break. Morley’s hopes were almost gone at this point, however he continued to fight for snookers but Welsh was too good on the night, 4-0. Dave Notman 84-43 Terry Boyle, a first league match for Notman and there were a few signs of nerves early on, but once he found his groove the pots went in at will. His smooth cueing and soft touch enabled him to pick off balls, leaving Boyle with little to go at. An excellent debut performance from Notman with an exhibition finish for the gallery potting blue, pink and black from length. 5-0 Jacksons and the perfect start.

Peel Legion 3-2 The Hurricanes 

Some rusty performances here, particularly in the first three frames where the white disappeared with alarming regularity. Don Humphries 59-23 Ste MacDonald, 50 minutes for the first frame soon dampened expectations for an exciting start to the season. Nothing went MacDonald’s way and Humphries, without playing that well himself had it won by the colours. Tom Randall 67-69 Johnny Myers, Myers hit a flowing break of 20 early on but then struggled. He ended up winning on the black after a fine effort from Randall the length of the table up the cushion, but left it hanging. Mike Crook 64-56 Shaun Roberts, stolen by Crook with a doubled blue to a corner. Roberts’ luck was summed up by potting the pink off of three cushions when needing a snooker. John Kelly 45-69 Jamie Wilson, flickers of form from Wilson with a couple of teen breaks to set up a decider. Geoff Hall 81-40 Chris Dagnall, with a 42 start for the Peel veteran Dagsy hadn’t much margin for error. Solid single ball potting from Hall increased his lead to 50 and although Dagsy halved it, Hall, Peel’s player of the night, finished the frame strongly by clearing most of the colours.