Mark Tuite from Killarney was crowned Shooters 'Cork Open Snooker Champion' at Shooters snooker club in the 'Sunbeam Industrial Park' Blackpool today.
What was noticable last weekend was the large high quality of top class players who entered was a clear indication of how prestigious this title was.
Chairman of the 'Cork Billiards and Snooker Association' (CBSA) told Rebel Snooker “It is great to see the Cork open snooker championship back and it just shows the success of the game in Cork at the moment”.
There were one or two early shocks in the event as the home club player Tom Greaney defeated the talented Aaron Tobin from Youghal CYMS, and the talented Keith Sheldrick from Newbridge had to pot a re-spotted black in the deciding frame to see off the AOH's Lloyd Myers.
There were no such scares for the favourite Rodney Goggins, as the leading Irish amateur defeated Tim Murphy Jnr in his match by two frames to nil. Cork's Greg Casey also was in good form in his opener against Mark Walsh and Youghal's Ger Kelly and Kenny Wight also got off to winning starts.
Owner of Shooters snooker club John Paul Crowley said “Shooters is really back and we are so proud to sponsor this fantastic event. I can tell you that a new major snooker tournament is born here in Cork and it is here to stay for many years to come. I think our club is a perfect venue for any type of tournament and to see the best players in the country including Rodney Goggins who had nothing but praise for us here in Shooters is as good a recommendation that we could have hoped for, all in all I am thrilled to be back on the snooker scene in Cork and when the 'Whirlwind' Jimmy White officially opens Shooters on the 20th of May that will be the final seal to really put our club back where it belongs at the very top”.
As the tournament progressed the top players started to shine with the top player Rodney Goggins, Keith Sheldrick, Mark Tuite were joined by the Cork cue-men in the quarter finals. Three Crucible players, Greg Casey, Ryan Cronin and David Cassidy, plus Fermoy's Tom Aherne and the AOH's star player Shane O'Mahony.
The quarter finals were exciting, with all matches twisting and turning. Greg Casey from the Crucible took on Cue Club Killarney's Mark Tuite, currently the National Masters Champion and it all the way to the deciding frame in the end Tuite winning through to the semi finals.
Rodney Goggins dropped his first frame of the day to Cork's David Cassidy in his quarter final and the young Crucible player never looked back, it went to a decider, but Goggins required snookers and eventually gave up on the green.
Tom Aherne from Fermoy was in great form leading National under 19 number one Ryan Cronin, but in the end the Fermoy man gave Cronin his chance and he took it well. Shane O'Mahony from the AOH led early on against the talented Keith Sheldrick and went on to win a sensational match.
The semi final between Cassidy was a classic, Cronin took the first frame and Cassidy took the next. Then Cronin knocked in a brilliant 88 clearance to lead, but back came Cassidy to win the fourth frame forcing a decider and Cronin in sparkling form won the all important frame to progress through to the 'Cork Open Final'.
Mark Tuite from the Cue Club in Killarney was equally potent in his match against Shane O'Mahony, making a superb clearance in the third frame. Eventually Tuite was too good for O'Mahony and met Cronin in the final. The opening frame in the final was a tense affair with both players making the odd error or two, but in the end it was Mark Tuite who went one frame ahead in this best of five frames final. Tuite in top form went on to win the second frame and stood just one frame away from victory.
Then Cronin came alive with a brilliant 49 clearance and a dogged fourth frame performance to send it to the final frame of the championship. But all credit to Mark Tuite as he played a brilliant deciding frame to lift the title of Cork open champion 2012.
Last Saturday
Also last Saturday saw the RIBSA under 14 and under 16 National championships in the Ivy Rooms in Carlow, it was a massively successful day for Cork snooker and in particular Youghal CYMS, where Adam Fitzgerald progressed through to the final of the national under 16 championship and Youghal CYMS Cork county under 14 champion Noel Landers made it through to the national under 14 final too, both players will represent Youghal CYMS AND Cork snooker in Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, congratulations to the two Youghal lads and best of luck in the finals.
Next week on 'Cork Snooker' we take a look back at the season and review the high points for the 'Rebel Cue-men', plus we finish the season with Billiards as the we cover the Cork team billiards championship final between Youghal CYMS and the current holders the AOH.
For more information on Cork billiards and snooker check out www.corkbilliardsandsnooker.com
