Snooker: Excitement builds in cup week

May 2 2008 by David Triggs, Chester Chronicle

CUP week in the Chester and District League lived up to expectations, throwing up a series of entertaining matches.

The Hargreaves Scratch Final, played at the Conservative Club, saw holder Gareth Allen take on long-time Division One stalwart Eddie Jenkins.

The more experienced man forged into a two-frame lead, but Allen clawed back the third and went on to win the fourth as well.

It was nip and tuck in the deciding frame, with both players passing up chances to win before Jenkins held his nerve to pot the blue and pink and pocket his first ever Hargreaves victory.

Colin Hargreaves retained the Ron Woodcock Memorial Trophy, which is named in memory of the late league president. Hargreaves, the current league president, overcame Phil Sullivan 2-1 at the Liberal Club.

The much-delayed Wrights Pairs Handicap Trophy semi-final took place at St Werburgh’s Club, where Kevin Harris and Tom Donnelly defeated Anthony Barnes and Phil Sullivan to set up a final meeting against Gareth Allen and James Coe.

The Conservative Club was the venue for the Chester Challenge semi-final between St Werburgh’s United and underdogs Upton RBL B. The favourites clocked up a 4-0 victory thanks to wins by Colin Jones, Danny Hammond, Alan Platt and Dave Sharpes.

League champions Christleton B lost out in the other semi-final to a very strong St Saviour’s B side.

Barry Davis defeated Paul Ellis in the first frame before Alan Page edged out Peter Sheppard. Wayne Amey and Andy Rose then fought out a very close game, with Amey winning on a re-spotted black ball. Joey Wynne, this season’s Olympic Trophies Division merit winner, lost out to Alan Lea to leave St Saviour’s 22 points in front going into the final frames.

Teenager Finn Gallagher comfortably beat Alex Ferguson to put Christleton one point ahead, but Saviour’s captain Kevin Maxwell clinched the game for his team with a victory over Andy Mumford.

The City of Chester Cup semi-finals were decided on three frames of snooker and two of billiards.

In this first last-four meeting, Christleton defeated United Services at the Conservative Club. The first billiards match saw Wayne Amey (Christleton) beat Harry Wah before the match was squared when Andy Mumford lost to Tony McKevitt.

In the second billiards frame, Chase Kirwin beat Bob Sconce to put Christleton 2-1 up. It was then left to Joey Wynne to wrap the game up for Christleton with a comfortable victory against Anthony Courtney.

Conservative defeated Waverton Institute in the other semi. Neal Jones played the first billiards against Brian Gresty and ran out a comfortable winner. Jason Taylor gave Bill McClimmonds 18 start and beat him by 14 points to put Cons 2-0 up.

Steve Williams lost the second billiards frame to K Speed and Andy Short was beaten by Mark Lloyd as Waverton pulled it back to 2-2.

But the tie was settled in Cons’ favour as scratch champion Eddie Jenkins got the better of Waverton’s Andy Sutton Thompson.