Connacht Intermediate 1 - Ballina - Mayo

BALLINA-BORN mentor and coach of World Junior Pool Champion, Sean Conway, and a Swinford-native, Dave Sweeney emulated last season's beginning of the Connacht Intermediate by once again winning the first ranking event of the season.

This time rather than a club-mate of the Ballina S.C., last season's runner-up, James O'Hora the challenger to his throne was Galway's Cathal Gordon (12th seed).

All bar 5 of the top 16 were Ballina S.C. snooker players and only 2 seeds Conor Harkin (4) and Chris Duffy (8) of North-West S.C., Letterkenny, were eliminated in the first round by Gareth Boyle and Ballina's Barry Walsh respectively.

The standard overall must surely be considered poor with a high-break of 52, well surpassed in the opening round of the Connacht Open (held the proceeding day) as Galway's Vincent Muldoon knocked in a 96.

Sweeney won his opening match 3-0, 2nd round 3-2 against Sligo's Colm McDonagh (playing in the Ballina Premier League), Chris Kilcoyne 3-0 in the quarters and his protege Sean Conway 3-1 to reach the final - the master remains the master and pupil remains a pupil but both openly admit that on his day, Conway is unbeatable.

That's the beauty of the game and why 25 million tuned in for the 1985 final (a replica of which was performed in Cork to mark the 25th anniversary of the 'black-ball final' - Steve Davis was far more outgoing and talkative than his smarmy "it was all there in Black and White" remark after the final. What a difference a year - or 25 of them - makes,

Unlike Davis' previous persona, Sweeney was modest to the top and modest at the top. He praised his protege and final opponent but despite 10+ breaks over 40 he couldn't reach the 52 to tie or 53 to surpass the highest break.

With several all-Ballina clashes in the opening rounds some of the young players got some experience over the weekend while others surprised even themselves by reaching the last 16.

In the opposite half to Sweeney's route, Cathal Gordon showed how far he has come in a few short months he defeated Fiachra 'feeky' Ginty 3-0, Garath Boyle 3-0, David Kavanagh 3-0, Ciaran Cambell (Ballybofey) 3-0 and last year's Connacht winner and four-regions finalist Mickie Duffy 3-0 to reach the Galway-Mayo clash - more often found in Gaelic than snooker but alas unlike his footballing counterparts the Mayo man produced the goods.

Breaks of 37, 42, 46, and 35 gave Sweeney the 3-1 victory, trophy and cheque for €200, Gordon receiving half that amount. Sweeney needed a snooker on the pink in both the frame he lost and the frame that won him the match. After several good attempts Sweeney finally found the line to tie Gordon behind the black and after he failed to escape it. Sweeney's safety was exemplary a loose safety by Cathal gave Sweeney all the ammunition he needed to sink pink and black and walk away as first in the 'queue' for next month's Intermediate.

"It was a well run tournament, I played all right but nobody was really at their best, it was nice to win the tournament but some of the games could have gone either way, I had the run of the balls and thanks to Cathal for a good final." commented Sweeney.

Quarter Finals

Mickey Duffy

Cathal Gordon

David Sweeney

Sean Conway

Semi-Finals

Mickey Duffy (1) 0 - 3 Cathal Gordon (12)

Final

Cathal Gordon (12) 1 - 3 David Sweeney (3)

Highest Break

Colm McDonnagh (Sligo) 52

(3) 3 - 1 Sean Conway (7)(7) 3 - 1 Sean McVeigh (2)(3) 3 - 0 Chris Kilcoyne (11)(12) 3 - 2 Ciaran Cambell (4)(1) 3 - 1 James O'Hora (8)