Allstars close in on leaders Ballykinlar

Allstars close in on leaders Ballykinlar

19 February 2025

CROSSGAR.........................................4

DRUMANESS POTTERS....................2

 

CROSSGAR recorded their first league victory in two months when they welcomed Drumaness Potters.

The hosts used the momentum from their run to the Vivo Cup final to spur them on towards success and although the victory may have come too late in the season, anything can happen with six games remaining.

Robert Pollock started well for Crossgar, knocking in a break of 31 on his way to victory over Dessie Sweeney in the first frame. 

The second frame was much closer and Sweeney potted the pivotal balls to level the scores at 1-1. 

Sean Burns successfully navigated a tight contest with Charlie Hutton, recording breaks of 22 and 25 to secure a 2-0 win for Crossgar.

The final match-up pitted Michael Pollock against Michael Philips and after a slow start, Philips took the first frame on the pink. 

Pollock responded in the second frame, battling to a 61-41 victory to wrap up a long overdue win for Crossgar.

 

DARRAGH CROSS..............................2 

DRUMANESS ALLSTARS..................4

 

DRUMANESS Allstars ramped up the pressure on league leaders Ballykinlar with a deserved win over Darragh Cross, whose recent success was enough to see them climb to fourth place.

Paul Lyndsay proved how much of a prolific scorer he can be as he dominated his clash with Ciarin Murray, scoring breaks of 46, 44 and 38 to earn a comfortable victory.

Darren Oldroyd and Finbarr McLaughlin shared the next two frames, with Finbarr easing to victory in the first and Oldroyd responding with a break of 44 to give Drumaness a 3-1 lead.

Eamon Ferris added another frame for Drumaness when he secured a score of 44 to beat beating Daryl McLaughlin. 

The last frame of the night went to 

Darragh Cross, with Daryl using his 56-point handicap to leave the scoring at 4-2.

 

ST MARY’S A.....................................3 

BALLYKINLAR..................................3

 

LEAGUE leaders Ballykinlar would have been confident of closing in on the title when they travelled to St Mary’s, but they met a block in the road as the hosts held them to a draw.

Former individual champion Paul McCavery made a welcomed return to league snooker,  losing to Ballykinlar captain Gareth Magorian.

Magorian would have hoped to return to winning ways and did so in style, hitting breaks of 45 and 40 to gt the visitors off to the perfect start.

Sean Carvill came up with the goods for St Mary’s on the adjacent table, getting the better of Dessie Smyth to level the scoring at 2-2.

Philip Codd took on John Magee in the final game of the night, and both men had their moments in the match. 

Codd recorded breaks of 29 and 25 to win the first frame, while Magee knocked in a 43-break in the last frame to level the scores at 3-3. 

St Mary’s are now 10 points behind Ballykinlar and will be hoping to take advantage of the closing six games.

 

DRUMANESS HEADS........................4              

DRUMANESS FIFTHS........................2

 

DRUMANESS Heads bounced back from last week’s surprise whitewash defeat to continue to hold third place in the table. 

Northern Ireland champion Darren Dornan was in impervious form, knocking in breaks of 69 and 65 to ease past Mark Magoran and give the Heads into an early 2-0 buffer. 

Steve Madine made it 4-0 with a win over Jay Edmonds, putting an end to his three-week losing streak.

The biggest mystery of the season is how Ryan Dornan has failed to win a league match, despite claiming the individuals title.

He has suffered three consecutive losses and this time, it was Colin Patterson’s turn to inflict defeat upon the Drumaness Fifths man.

Colin is one of the league’s steadiest players and has only suffered one defeat in the eleven matches he has played. 

The Heads’ latest win comes at the right time and, with six games to go, they cannot be ruled out of lifting the title once again.