DRUMANESS A 4
EAMONN'S 2
THIS was a battle between the two teams lying second in the table and at the finish the visitors did well to take two points from a very strong Drumaness A side.
Paul Doran was first up against Stephen Byrne and with the scores level Byrne produced a superlative break of 96 and just failed to make a century when the black juggled in the pocket.
Coincidentally, the previous highest was by the person refereeing this match, Peter Gray, with 89. Byrne also took the second frame on the green.
Next up was Peter Gray, who is without doubt the best player in the league by miles. His opponent was Lee Northrop, who was playing in only his second ever match.
Despite conceding a massive 56 points on handicap Gray immediately wiped out Northrop's advantage with an opening 59 break. Further breaks of 29 and 16 gave Gray the frame without conceding a point.
The second frame saw Northrop pot much better and despite Gray reducing the deficit to 23 with five colours remaining. Northrop held his nerve to pot a brilliant brown and blue for the frame.
Hugh Murdock played John Northrop and the early part of the frame was very tactical until Murdock, with breaks of 26 and 19, won it on the brown. It was a different story in the second frame with Northrop going more for his shots and taking the frame when he potted green, brown and blue.
BALLYKINLAR 3
DRUMANESS D 3
FOR the first time this season Garth Magorrian's side have failed to win.
Captain Magorrian was first up against the very dangerous Martin Singh and was conceding 42 points, but he did well to get back into the frame with breaks of 20 and 24.
To the disappointment of the home supporters Singh potted a superb black into the pink pocket to take the frame.
In the second frame Singh missed nothing and scored consistently on every visit to force Magorrian to concede with four reds left on the table.
Last year Magorrian won the player of the year award. This year it could be stable champion Darren Tumelty who, with his 2-0 win against 'Beano' Savage, has made it 11 out of 12.
In the first frame an early 20 break from Tumelty gave him the early momentum and when he potted from yellow to blue he had taken the frame. The second frame also went to Tumelty with breaks of 25 and 19.
With the scores standing level at 2-2 it was expected that the talented Patrick Smith would defeat Owen Maguire for a sixth straight win.
However Maguire, racked up 112 points to leave Smith struggling and the visitors were in front. Smith seldom loses two frames in a row and he hit back with breaks of 20 and 16. When he cleared from yellow to pink he had given Ballykinlar the draw.
ST. PATRICK'S A 2
DRUMANESS B 4
ST. Patrick's A continue to struggle, but there is rumour that ex Crossgar player Michael Fong could be ready to join them. Gary McMaster was first up against young Eamon Ferris and the Drumaness B player has been a revelation since receiving seven points back on handicap.
He destroyed McMaster in both frames, winning the first well before the colours. The second went the same way with an early 20 break forcing a concession with one red remaining.
Willie Stewart gave the home side something to cheer about when he took the first frame from David Madine. Breaks of 19 and 16 put him in command and when he potted yellow and green had given the home side their first point. Madine played much better in the second frame and breaks of 16 and 18 gave him the frame on the pink.
Neil Ross played Gerald Walsh in the final set of matches and began the first frame well with breaks of 14 and 16. Walsh responded with breaks of 15 and 16, but a 14 break from last red to brown sealed the frame for Ross.
Ross also looked to have won the final frame when Walsh needed a snooker with only blue, pink and black remaining. Walsh potted blue, then got the snooker on the pink behind the black and when Ross failed to escape from the snooker, potted pink and black to win the frame.
DRUMANESS D 2
ST. MARY'S A 4
GERALD Travers' St. Mary's A team are fast moving up the league table and this vital win puts them up to fourth in the table.
Daniel Savage was first up against the silver fox Christy Russell. There was never a great lot in the opening frame until Russell doubled the black into the middle pocket to take the frame.
Once again the second frame went down to the final few colours and Savage gained his revenge when he potted the black to level the match.
Peter Rogan is a match for anyone on his own table and against Chris Carolan he started well with an early 18 break. Carolan was struggling on these fast Drumaness tables and Rogan was punishing him with every visit to the table. A timely 15 break to the green gave Rogan the frame.
In the second frame Rogan looked to have won it, but his attempt on a difficult black juggled in the pocket and left it on for a grateful Carolan to level the match.
In the last two frames Gerald Travers played Matt Madine, who was playing first match of the season and it proved difficult. Travers is a class act and breaks of 24 and 20 gave him the first frame on the green.
The second frame also saw Travers in control with precise potting and breaks of 23 and 25 saw him home, this time on the yellow.
ST. MICHAEL'S A 6
CROSSGAR 0
ST. Michael's A celebrated their first win in style when they defeated Crossgar 6-0.
First up was Mark McKeown against Kenny Campbell and on paper this should have been a close match. However McKeown is a feared opponent on these tables and an early 26 break put him in control of the opening frame.
A further break of 18 forced Campbell to concede with still one red left on the table.
It was the same story in the second frame with McKeown playing well with breaks of 18, 16 and 20 to win with again one red left on the table.
On the other table Frankie Taylor, playing in only his second match of the season, took the first frame from Bobby Poole on the brown and in the second a 22 clearance from brown to black put the home side 4-0 ahead.
The last match saw a rejuvenated Bobby Douglas inflict a 2-0 defeat on Robert Pollock.
In the first frame the players were level going to the final black. Both had their chances, but it was Douglas who was relieved to pot it into the yellow pocket.
Buoyed by this, Douglas raised his game in the final frame with breaks of 20 and 18 to win it on the brown and give the hosts a clean sweep of the points.
ST. PATRICK'S C 5
ST. MICHAEL'S B 1
ROCCO Ritchie's St. Patrick's C have finally won their first match of the season.
Ritchie started the match against Anne Jamison, who was right in contention in the opening frame until Ritchie potted from green to black.
It was just as close in the second frame. Jamison, with breaks of 16 and 19, held a 10-point lead until Ritchie potted from brown to black.
John Gelston recorded his first win when he defeated Gerald Davey in both frames. Davey started well with two 18 breaks but Gelston hit back with breaks of 14 and 19 to regain the lead. There was little in it until Gelston potted a difficult blue followed by pink to go one up.
Both players potted extremely well in the second frame until Gelston, with a 22 clearance from brown to black, put the hosts four up.
The more than useful J. K. McMullan played Darren McCartan in the final set of matches and started well with breaks of 15 and 17. McMullan struggled to stay with McCartan and further breaks of 13 and 16 won the frame on the brown.
The final frame of the evening was right in the balance until McMullan, with a timely 22 break from second last red to blue, made it a great night for the home side.