Competitions
COMPETITION THURSDAY NIGHTS AT 7.30
* Registration at 7.15, Entry Fee is €4
* Winner receives €100,
*Runner-up €25, Semi Finalists €10
* Handicaps will be used
* Last Winner: Kevin Monroe
* Runner Up: John O'Boyle
Dave Hogan Wins U21 National Championship at Caesar's
Caesars Palace had the honour of hosting the Irish National U21 Snooker Championship this weekend. With the country's top 4 players all in this age bracket the standard was extremely high throughout the two-day tournament with Dave Hogan hitting the highest break with a superb 112. The first semi final was contested by Irish No. 1 Dave Morris of Kilkenny and Dave Hogan of New Institute Club, Nenagh, with Hogan running out the winner by 4 frames to 2. In the other semi local man Vincent Muldoon of Century Club Tuam overcame John Connors of Northwest Club Letterkenny by 4 frames to 3. The final went Hogan's way, as he took the match by 4 frames to 1, knocking in a 106 break in the process. The weekend proved a great experience for the eight Caesars Palace players who took part. RIBSA report can be found here.
Galway Close Won By O'Donnell
Caesar's Palace Snooker Club hosted the 3 rd Galway ranking event of the season last weekend. A total of 26 players fought it out for the magnificent Galway Crystal Trophy, prize money and ranking points on offer. The host club provided over half the players, so it was no surprise that 3 of the players in the semi-finals were from Caesars. Mark Walsh, having earlier defeated number one seed Martin Divilly, overcame Michael Fahy, while in the other match Tuam's Hugh O'Donnell beat Stephen Killoran. O'Donnell won a tight final by 3 frames to 2, notching an ice-cool 57 in the last frame to take the trophy back to Tuam. Hugh O'Donnell leads the way in the Galway rankings, with Martin Divilly, Stephen Killoran and Michael Folan leading the chase for top spot.
Caesar's Team Unlucky in Ballina
The team that represented Caesars at the all-Ireland qualifiers in Ballina on January 7th went very close to progressing, but a tight match against Mechanics went against them. The team was Ian McLaughlin, Stephen Killoran, Michael Folan, Noel Newcombe and Barry Loughnane.
Killoran Takes Snooker League
The Snooker league knockout stages were played to a finish on Monday January 2nd and it was Steven Killoran who once more emerged victorious. He defeated Stephen Coyne in the final. The semi finalists were Keith Walsh and James Connolly.
O'Donnell takes Connacht Classic
Hugh O'Donnell of Century Club Tuam consolidated his position at the top of the Connacht snooker rankings with victory in last week's Connacht Classic at Caesar's Palace. He beat fellow Tuam player Vincent Muldoon 3-2 in an epic final having overcome Caesar's own Benny Fahy in the semi final. Muldoon had made the decider with a fantastic comeback from 2-0 down over Mechanic's club Kevin Monroe. On a day when many of the 28 entrants were younger players, it was Caesar's Palace Stephen Killoran who took the prize for best U18 player having made the quarter-final stage.
Morris Wins U19 National Competition at Caesars
Caesar's Palace Snooker Club hosted the first U19 Irish ranking tournament of the season. All the top ranked players from all over the country took part, and the seeding proved accurate as the top four seeds made the semi-finals. Irish number 1 David Morris saw off the challenge of Vincent Muldoon (Century Club Tuam) 3-1. In the other semi David Hogan of New Institute Club Nenagh comfortably overcame Greg Casey of Crucible Club Cork 3-0. The final was of the highest standard with a 67 break from Morris taking the first frame and Hogan responding with a 59 to take the second. It was Morris however who regained the momentum and breaks of 59 in the fourth and 49 in the fifth saw yet another trophy on the way back to Kilkenny. Overall it was a great day of snooker and a proud one for Caesars Palace as we hosted their first but undoubtedly far from last National tournament.
Monroe Takes Galway Classic
Caesars Palace Snooker Club hosted the annual Galway Classic Cup on September 18th. In a competition that saw high standards throughout, shock of the day was the defeat of defending champion and No.1 seed Hugh O'Donnell (Century Club Tuam) by young Stephen Killoran (Caesars Palace).
It was a day that saw a large number of young hopeful enter the tournament, but in the end it was the more experienced players who made the latter stages. Three of the semi-finalists were from the home club, with Kevin Monroe (Mechanics Club) defeating Donal Foran and Martin Divilly edging out Benny Fahy. In the closely fought final Monroe carried the day to take home become the latest name on the Galway Classic Cup, and take home the winner's cheque.