Snooker: Finch Hill Rockets crowned league champions

Team takes title despite final match defeat

Report by Mike Crook:

Congratulations to Finch Hill Rockets, needing just one frame for the title in the last match of the season, they duly achieved their goal to become 2024-25 Manx Car Store Snooker League champions. 

Finch Hill Rockets 2-3 Cue Zone Blinders

Already confirmed as at least runners-up, Blinders needed all five frames to claim a hat-trick of titles and deny Rockets their first league title since 2021/22 and to be honest it wasn’t far from happening. With two tables being used, a convincing win for Blinders’ Harry Ellis put them ahead against John Spellman 21-66. Meanwhile across on table two, Rodger Clague and David Hill went down to the black which Clague fluked off of side and bottom cushions into the middle for the title, 68-61. I’m sure none of the Rockets squad cared how it went in! Had that black gone the other way, things would have got really edgy for the Rockets as Conor Mahon defeated Leon Martin 40-55 to put Blinders 2-1 up, which so easily could have been 3-0. Chenji Ratnavel did pick up a second point for the Rockets, 58-44 over Brandon Forrester. Forrester had come back strongly and looked set to clear the last three colours but surprisingly missed the blue. Darryl Hill gave Blinders the consolation of winning the match, his break of 63 in defeating Marc Bolton 83-116 very nearly nicked the highest break of the season from team-mate Brandon Forrester’s 70. Hill also hit a 27 break. 

Malew 3-2 Finch Hill Musicians 'B'

Malew finished the season with their 15th win of the campaign, leaving them in equal eighth. Only the Rockets picked up more match wins with 16. Dave Hanlon had his widest margin victory of the season to put Musicians ‘B’ ahead before Malew took the next three frames for the match, Tony Cubbon once again playing well. Frame scores: Tommy Lawler 29-80 Dave Hanlon, James Goodwin 70-31 Vic Rigby, Mark Quinn 68-23 Pat Maher, Tony Cubbon 68-49 Matthew Dodd and Alec Oates 41-45 Paul Tangeman.

Cue Zone Masters 1-4 Finch Hill Mob

Report by Martin Rigg:

Martin Rigg 74-93 Peter Kirkham - Martin struggled from the start and was unable to get into any sort of rhythm, opting for a cautious approach that didn’t pay off! A 23 break and some decent long pots by Peter and the game was soon over. Ivan McMaw 35-80 Willam Hogg - William defended his 35 start well and made some decent pots to leave Ivan needing snookers by the colours. A solid win for William. Tommy Clague 101-102 Jonny Hogg - By far the longest frame of the night! A slow start by Jonny scoring only single points meant Tommy’s 77 start was going to be hard to make up, not helped by the black being tied up. Jonny slowly started to claw this back once he followed up the reds with colours and then a 25 break made a big difference. Tommy found some form on the last red, which he potted and followed up with a straight pink plus yellow. This left Jonny needing four snookers. After eventually getting the snookers he potted the pink but went in-off, so back to needing a snooker! He managed to get it and took the frame to the black ball. Leaving the black tight on the top cushion and white near the bottom cushion it was too much for Tommy and he missed the black. What an unfortunate way to lose after what must have been the longest frame of the season, 90 minutes! Les Briggs 32-58 Alan Heath - With just seven difference in handicap this frame was the closest start. Some decent scoring from both players but it was Alan that took the win. Brendan Clague 92-69 Steve Finnegan - Brendan defended his handicap start well and Steve needed 2 snookers shortly into the colours. Brendan took the win and the only frame for the Masters.

Port St Mary Legion 4-1 The Miscues

Report by Terry Boyle:

Marc Morley 67-36 Kieran Horrox - Kieran got off to a good start adding to his 21, but Marc potted well and was never going to be beaten on this form. Craig Tinnion 54-37 Ollie Pickford - Good close frame, Ollie with a 14 start and solid safety was looking favourite, but Craig, with good potting gradually wore him down, just edging it with pink and black to finish. Andrew Hutchison 54-40 Mark Corlett - Andy started the better, but when on a small break he was unlucky to pot a red whilst potting the blue. Mark then hit form and with one red left was 19 ahead. Andy got the red with a black and also yellow and green. A few shots later Mark rattled the brown and Andy took it with blue to go ahead for the first time. Some good safety exchanges before Andy took pink and doubled the black for the frame. Dave Pickersgill 12-88 Luca McDermott - Dave was giving away a hefty 63 start, he tried really hard, all the main colours were safe and when he got a red, tried to open out a colour. Luca would take the next red and without meaning to left the colours safe again! Dave, who is now our lowest handicapper just didn't deserve the terrible run of balls, but I have to say well done Luca. Terry Boyle 72-54 Ben Peach - Another frame where all the main colours were safe, Ben receiving a 35 start hoping they stayed that way. I struggled in what was a dire affair, still 14 behind on the colours, lots of snookers were necessary and Ben got out of most of them and even played a few himself. Eventually I crawled over the line on the pink and apologised to Ben and the others watching for my performance! This was a much closer match than it looks on paper and it's great to see more young people playing the game, the Miscues will get a lot stronger next season and PSM are very pleased to finish third in the league. 

St Olave's 1-4 DSB Wannabes

Report by Paul Smyth:

Paul Smyth 100-113 Steve Cowin - Paul achieved his new PB with a 96 break in practice just before the match and needed similar form giving away a 98 start. Keeping it tight when needed and a 24 break along the way, he found himself only seven behind on the pink, but stuck it up for Steve to pinch the win. Anthony Bayle 55-17 Fred Corris - Anthony, potting them off the rafters saw him take a healthy lead, Fred turned to some safety but it wasn't enough to slow Anthony down. Geoff Hall 37-91 David Callister - Hall started okay but should've made more of his chances. Once Callister had his eye in he sank lots of crisp long pots to forge ahead. Dave Kelly 39-62 Dave Corris - Having been absent for a few weeks, Kelly didn't settle and missed a few. Corris was steady from first shot to last, potting the ones he should and laying some decent safeties to take the match. Dan Crawley 72-115 Paul McKinstry - Dan battled well to make good inroads into the 70 point gap. But Paul had other ideas and with some good pots of his own soon saw Dan needing a snooker. Paul kept potting leaving Dan needing multiple snookers and drew the handshake. This extra point meant Wannabes avoided finishing bottom for a seventh consecutive time. The whole St Olave’s team would like to express our absolute thanks to Mike Crook and Geoff Hall for stepping in and helping the team, then playing out the season.

The Hurricanes 4-1 Snooker Bar-barians

The Hurricanes finished positively, after their season stalled after winning four of their first five matches. Nialls Wilson was probably Hurricanes’ player of the season, his first in league snooker and he set them on their way, ironically defeating Bar-barians top performer Chris Reynolds on the black. Frame scores: Nialls Wilson 56-53 Chris Reynolds, Darran Creer 45-34 Stephen Berry, Jamie Wilson 41-73 Mark Davenport, Lee Butterworth 55-27 Andy Moore and Steve Munk 69-53 Chris Lawless.

**

Final League Standings

1.) Finch Hill Rockets - 73 points
2.) Cue Zone Blinders - 70 points
3.) Port St Mary Legion - 65 points
4.) Finch Hill Mob - 64 points
=.) Finch Hill Musicians 'A' - 64 points
6.) Finch Hill Musicians 'B' - 63 points
7.) St Olave's - 62 points
8.) Cue Zone Masters - 60 points
=.) Malew - 60 points
=.) The Hurricanes - 60 points
11.) Snooker Bar-barians - 48 points
12.) DSB Wannabes - 46 points
13.) The Miscues - 45 points

High Break League Standings

1.) John Kennish - 59.5 points
2.) Peter Kirkham - 35 points
3.) Sean Rolt - 32.5 points

Individual League Standings

1.) Paul Smyth - 17 wins
2.) Tony Cubbon - 15 wins
3.) Leon Martin - 14 wins
=.) Andrew Hutchinson - 14 wins
=.) Matt Dodd - 14 wins