The Carlisle and District Billiards League singles competitions finals produced some high quality action.
The first final was the Dave Saulters Cup, recently renamed after a local legend of the game, a best of five match of 75up games between Mally Lancaster of the Rock and Paul Whelan of Annan Blue Bell.
Whelan got off to a strong start, many long losers hitting the target, but Lancaster rallied and forged into a 2-1 lead. Whelan is made of stern stuff, and forced a decider with a display of brilliant billiards.
In a tense battle in the deciding game, Whelan got himself over the line, the former champion of Carlisle and Scotland international taking his first Dave Saulters Cup crown!
The second final saw Lancaster return to action in the Glasson final, this time against Inter Qzone’s Mike Griffiths.
It was a low scoring affair early on, but in this 200up match, Griffiths forged into a lead of roughly 100, and ground it out despite a couple of classy 30+ breaks from Lancaster, a first ever billiards singles trophy for Griffiths! Final score 200-126.
The third final was the big one, the Alan Armstrong Memorial Trophy, with the winner crowned the champion player of Carlisle to boot. Mike Griffiths returned for his second final in a week, this time against Rock’s Paul Cowing.
Cowing got the better of the early exchanges, with a scrappy start from both players probably portraying the nerves and pressure both players were feeling, and Cowing forged ahead 33-10.
There looked to be not a lot on, but two good shots at the start of the break saw Griffiths have both balls in the middle of the table, and a mix of solid potting and good billiards shots saw Griffiths overtake his previous highest break of 79…but more was to follow.
An unfortunate canon on 95 saw Cowing’s cue ball end up over the hole, but, determined to get a century, Griffiths rolled in Cowing’s ball and the red to score the century break.
This was followed by another four pot reds before leaving a double baulk, the 112 break being the highest break and indeed the first century break ever recorded in the league!
Griffiths got another two breaks of 28 and 35 without reply to forge a large lead at half time, 286-117.
The second half was a more balanced affair, with Cowing playing very well, pulling back to less than 75 behind at one point and really applying the pressure on Griffiths.
However, a couple of 30+ breaks from Griffiths held off the charge, and he won by 472 to 347, to hold the premier snooker and billiards trophies in the city at the same time!
Inter Qzone added their first ever Champions League final to their first ever First Division championship this week, with a comprehensive victory over a high quality Ex C side, fresh from winning the Second Division and also defeating First Division runners-up, Rock, the previous Wednesday.
In a solid start for the Carlisle champions, Simon Towns got off to a flier, defeating Stu Styth 100-52 on Ron’s table at Qzone.
Dave Midgley battled for Inter Qzone hard against individual league top division compatriot Peter Marsden, and got over the line after a late scare, 100-91.
Mike Griffiths secured the bonus points for Inter Qzone with a 42 break helping him to a 100-59 win over Stu Burgess, leaving Inter needing just three points from the final two games to secure the aggregate score victory.
Rising star Ryan Ridding managed to secure the win with his first shot, rolling the red into the middle off Ex C’s Dave Turley’s break off shot.
Turley himself is a rising star in the Carlisle league after being one of the top pool players in town, and played an amazing frame to win 100-20, a highest break of 29 emphasizing the quality he possesses.
The final frame was played for pride, with Inter’s snooker ex-pro Mike Nixon rounding off the night in defeating one of the very best players in town in Dave ‘Sarnie’ Sanderson, a final scoreline of 100-60 betraying how close the game actually was, with Nico just taking his chances a little more consistently.
Final score: Inter Qzone 520, Ex C 362.
