THE Venetian Snooker Club from Limerick City became the 2010 Munster snooker club champions this Sunday evening (24th Jan. 2010) at the Gleneagle Hotel in Killarney with an emphatic win over last year’s champions The New Institute from Nenagh Co. Tipperary. Report: Derek Kiely at the Munster Snooker Club Championships in Killarney

Local hopes were pinned on the Youghal CYMS‘A’ Team who really got off to a flier last Friday afternoon with victory over Masters ‘A’ from Shannon.

The win included some stand-out performances from the likes of Derek Murphy, Brendan Cooney and by far and above Youghal’s most consistent cue-man Adrian (Pepper) Landers.

The opening match finished Youghal CYMS ‘A’ 3 – 2 Shannon Masters ‘A’ and Youghal’s Ger Kelly and thirteen year old Aaron Tobin had their part to play as well.

Adrian Landers showed sparkling form with a 2 frames to nil victory in record time on table 5.

Brendan Cooney won his match two nil as well with his ever patient style and brilliant tactical play. Derek Aherne was impeccable too with a 2 frames to nil in a very important victory.

Ger Kelly was impressive in his frame and was very unlucky to lose out to some very lucky shots from his opponent and young Aaron Tobin made an impressive start to his Killarney Championships knocking in a 50 break, but unfortunately went down in the final frame.

Youghal CYMS followed up in their second match with a tremendous win over another very strong team from Limerick City, the Venetian ‘B’ side.

Again Youghal were powerful and finished Friday on a high as they topped Group 5 on four points.

Youghal went down to the Crucible on Saturday in a game that could have gone either way and the defeat left the group finishing with three teams tied on four points.

The Masters ‘A, The Crucible and Youghal had to go into a draw to complete a one frame per person shootout to see who would win the group and who would finish runners up.

Youghal had a bit of luck and were drawn out first, ensuring that they would play the winners of Shannon Masters ‘A’ and the Crucible.

The Crucible team sent the Masters packing and Youghal had the opportunity for revenge, but it was not to be and Youghal had to settle for second place in the group and that meant a qualification match against fellow Cork opponents Fermoy CYMS.

Brendan Cooney and Co got their championships back on track with a convincing victory over the North Cork men and then progressed through to the quarter final with a best of five frame encounter with the red hot favourites, the Venetian ‘A’ side.

This was an epic encounter, Youghal up against a host of top ranked amateur Internationals.

Ger Kelly was impressive against John Torpey, winning a frame but unfortunately losing his match. Derek Aherne met an inform Frank Sarsfield and Youghal lost on that table too, but Brendan Cooney turned back the clock and destroyed a Limerick superstar Jason Walters with a whitewash victory and ‘Mr Reliable Adrian Landers was again superb in victory.

It all came down to the final table where Aaron Tobin pushed top ranked Irish International Vincent Meaney all the way to the deciding frame, but it was a bridge to far and a very relieved Limerick team made it through and the Youghal dream for 2010 was over.

Credit must also go to the Youghal CYMS ‘B’ and ‘C’ sides who battled well throughout last weekend.

As for Cork snooker, it was another case of so close, but yet so far as all the Cork sides bowed out with the exception of the Crucible Snooker Club who were just a black ball away from competing in this year’s final.

The Crucible will now be Corks representatives at the Gleneagle Hotel/Ladbrokes All Ireland Snooker Club Championships, which begin at the INEC in Killarney this Friday.

The competition level was very high this year and there wasn’t much between any of the sides. Youghal CYMS and the AOH both qualified for the quarter finals, but Youghal lost out narrowly on the last match to the eventual winners and the Crucible put a sword to the hopes and aspirations of the Morrisson Island club.

The Crucible will now hope to take it one step further this weekend and despite the disappointment of not making it into this year’s final, the mood of this very young talented side is very upbeat indeed.

The Crucible ranked as Munsters third seed will have to be at their very best as they have been drawn in a tough group which includes the current All Ireland Champions.

The draw for the 2010 All Ireland Snooker Club Championships;

Group 1

St Matthews (Ulster) (1)

The Crucible (Munster)

Spawell (Dublin)

Tuam (Connaught)

Group 2

QE1 (Ulster) (2)

ALSAA (Dublin)

New Institute (Munster)

147 Wexford (Leinster)

Group 3

Venetian (Munster) (3)

Keady (Ulster)

Maynooth (Leinster)

Roadstone ‘B’ (Dublin)

Group 4

Celbridge (Leinster) (4)

Fountain (Ulster)

Waterford (Munster)

CYMS Letterkenny (Connaught)

Group 5

Ballina ‘A’ (Connaught) (5)

Minnesota (Ulster)

Q Club Wicklow (Leinster)

Roadstone ‘A’ (Dublin)

Group 6

Cue Club Killarney (Munster)

West Club (Connaught)

Roadstone ‘C’ (Dublin)

Ballina ‘B’ (Connaught)

As in the Munster Snooker Club Championships Groups one to five are seeded with the winner automatically qualifying into the quarter finals. The runners up of groups one to five will join the winners of the unseeded sixth group to play knockout to qualify for the remaining three quarter final spots.

Plat times for the first sessions of the All Ireland Snooker Club Championships are;

11am

St Matthews’s v Spawell

QE1 v The New Institute

Keady v Roadstone ‘B’

12.15pm

The Crucible v Tuam

ALASA v 147 Wexford

Maynooth v Venetian

1.30pm

Fountain v Waterford

Minnesota v Roadstone ‘A’

Cue Club Killarney v Roadstone ‘C’

2.45pm

Celbridge v CYMS Letterkenny

Ballina ‘A’ v Q Club Wicklow

West Club v Ballina ‘B’