Tiffy’s make opening night statement as Pool league returns

Dungannon Pool league has returned after the summer break. | Canva

placeholder image — Dungannon Pool league has returned after the summer break. | Canva

Dungannon Pool League returns after summer break with several tense displays

Following the summer break, the Dungannon Pool League returned to centre stage last Wednesday and Thursday evening with activity spread across three divisions resulting in several eye-catching displays.

None more so than in Ballygawley, where Tiffy’s A announced their intentions from the outset with an emphatic demolition of Golf Club A.

Division One

Tiffy’s A ….......6

Golf Club A …..0

Tiffy’s A signalled their objectives for the season ahead by inflicting a whitewash on last year’s Division One league finalists Golf Club A in Ballygawley on Wednesday.

Golf Club fielded without the services of several leading lights such as Dee McClements and Patrick Wallace against a stellar home unit that included Chris Beattie and Oisin Wallace, but such a score line looked unthinkable.

The visitors will feel hard done by because on the night, they acquitted themselves well with a couple of close frames going marginally against them leaving them to face the journey home empty handed.

This opening league excursion also heralded a new platform for the Dungannon League because the match was streamed live bringing local pool action to a wider audience.

Opting to play the doubles first, Tiffy’s immediately set out their stall as Beattie and Dara McCullough delivered an opening rack eight ball dish against Dan Nixon and Rory Devlin. Devlin restored parity and despite the visiting pair having chances in the deciding frame, it was the home duo, who slotted in the point winning black for a lead they never surrendered.

Tiffy Quinn and Martin Shortt enjoyed a hard fought 2-0 win over Dave Wilson and Bob Herron to extend the lead. Into the singles Golf Club continued to hold their own with Devlin forcing Quinn to a deciding fifth frame. However, it was indicative of their fortunes that Devlin was unable to see the job through as Quinn gained the upper hand. The remaining three bouts saw Beattie, Shortt and Wallace triumphing in four frame encounters against Nixon, Wilson, and Herron respectively.

Davison’s ….......1

Gasworks A …...5

Gasworks A marked their return to the Division One ranks with a deserving victory over Davison’s in Castlecaulfield on Wednesday, but the 5-1 winning margin was not a true reflection on the competitiveness of the match.

It had started so promisingly for the hosts as they registered the opening five frames of the card. PJ Barnard produced a dominant display of tactical play to oust Ryan Kelly in straight frames. Barnard benefitting from several telling snookers to supply the opening point of the contest. But that was to be their lot.

Ronan Mallon was primed to double the advantage when taking the first two frames against Brendan McLarnon before an unexpected miss on a tap in black swung the match irreversibly in the visitor’s favour. McLarnon having escaped the whitewash registered a long overdue frame for the Gasworks men and he never looked back as he clinched a 3-2 success.

That was a stark turning point as the visitors seized complete control by winning 13 of the remaining 15 frames played. Geoff Gillis fended off the challenge of Lee Dallas in the minimum three frames and, as a fiercely contested bout continued Tony Skeffington and Brendan Donnelly locked horns in the second match to go the distance. Skeffington having established a 2-0 cushion looked comfortable, but Donnelly produced two outrageous clearances under pressure before engineering the match winning opportunity to give his team a 3-1 advantage heading into the Scotch Doubles where Davison’s continued to squander opportunities. McLarnon / Gillis survived an early scare before strolling home in straight frames against Barnard / Skeffington and, when Mallon / Dallas missed another routine out Donnelly / Kelly pounced to close out a deserving if rather flattering victory.

Station Bar A …..2

Gervin’s …..........4

Elsewhere, the results and fixtures for each game follow:

Division One League Results

Wednesday 14th October

Station A 2, Gervin’s 4; Davison’s 1, Gasworks A 5; Tiffy’s A 6, Golf Club A 0

Division One Fixtures

Wednesday 21st October

Gervin’s A vs Tiffy’s A; Gasworks A vs Station A; Golf Club A vs Davison’s

Division Two

Competitive campaign in store

Boyle’s …........2