Latest from the Meath Pool Leagues

The second round of of action in the Meath Pool Association got underway last weekend, here's rundown from PRO Kevin Mynes on the weekend's action.

Smyths v The Balreask
This week in Div 1 we saw Smyths play The Balreask in what was expected to be a close match. It started with Alan Smith and Keith McGibney getting wins for for the Balreask putting the score to 2-0. A special mention to Keith McGibney who broke and dished Wayne Brennan in what was Wayne's 1st match in the Meath League. Dermot Armstrong won for Smyths in what was a tactical frame but that was only going to be a slight reprieve on the night leaving the scores 2 frames to 1 in favour of the Balreask. The Balreask men went on to win the next 6 frames with wins for Paul Teirney, Martin Keenan and Jonathan Gartland in the singles and for Josh Byrne and Frank Moran, Richie Burry and Keith McGibney and Jonathan Gartland  and Martin Keenan to finish the match 8-1 to the Balreask in what was a rather one sided affair.

Carnaross Inn v Foxes A
Carnaross played Foxes A in what was going to be a great match. With Ciaran Wallace and Martin Carolan getting wins for Foxes A, Carnaross had lost their 2 frame head start with the match at 2 frames all. The ever reliable Eugene Yore got Carnaross back on track helped by wins  from Philp Yore and Colm Geraghty to leave it 5 frames to 2 in favour of the Carnaross Inn side. With the pressure on Foxes A needed a win and in fine form Tom Duignan got the win leaving it 5 frames to 3 after the 1st set of doubles.
Ciaran Wallace and John Dillon got Foxes A off on the winning foot and when Martin Carolan and Keith Fox secured the 2nd win in the doubles Carnaross Inn were feeling the pressure as the scores were now 5 all. Under pressure the young pairing of Colm Geraghty and Cillian Porter for Carnaross Inn stepped up and got the win leaving it 6 frames to 5 up. 
With the singles starting it was important for Foxes A to get a win, and Martin Carolan did it again with another outstanding performance making it 6 frames all. With Paul Dunne and Tom Duignan exchanging frames the match went to the decider. The pub was rocking and the atmosphere was eclectic. Cairan Wallace hit a cracking break potting 2 yellows and a red. Cairan took reds and potted a couple but ran out of position and the game went tactical. Both players exchanged shots until Phil Yore felt he had the advantage and went for the finish, by potting his 5 yellows but barely missing the black to the right middle. Cairan potted and tracked a very difficult red however he jawed the red and Philip Yore cut the black in to get the win leaving it 8-7 to the Carnaross Inn.

Ollie's v Bective 
Olies were up against one of the finest teams the Meath Pool Association has seen. Gabriel Caffery stepped up and put Olies 1-0 up and with this win he was hoping to settle his teams nerves however when Bective won the next five frames with wins for Rod Clifford, Nigel Rennicks, Ciaran O'Sullivan, Joey Farrell and in the final frame of the 1st set of singles Rory Callan also getting over the lines Ollie's had alot to do in the doubles to get back into the match, with the score at 5 frames to 1 in favour of Bective.
In the doubles however, Bective were not messing around and when Rod Clifford and Keith Cahall and then the pairing of Nigel Rennicks and Rory Callan also won it was now Bective 7 frames to 1, leaving Ollie's with a mountain to climb. Up stepped Cairan O Sullivan and Joey Farrell to bring it home for Bective with a final score line of 8 frames to 1.

DIV 2
Thornes v Balreask 
An excellent match played by both sides however The Balreask B settled quickest with the score being 4-2 up. Again in the doubles The Balreask B got 2 out of the 3 frames leaving the score 6 frames to 3 up. With Thrones under pressure they rack off 3 wins out of the 1st 3 frames leaving the score 6 frames all with wins for Leo Maguire and Wayne and Barry Gilmartin. The Balreask B would not be beaten as Shane Dowdall and Tony Gilkeson sequred victory leaving the score 8-frames to 6.

Foxes B v McHughs
Again this week we seem to have the away teams settling better as Mchughs jumped to a 4 frame to 2 lead. In the doubles McHughs used their experience to win all 3 of the doubles matches leaving the score line 7 frames to 2 with strong showings by Liam Buchanan and Tony Cahill. In the 1st frame in the 2nd session of singles JJ McGloy carried his form from the doubles into his singles and won the match 8 frames to 2 for McHughs. 

Cosy v Chaser
In what was a very close match played in the best of spirits this match came down to a dicider.  The 1st set of singles was split 3 frames each with great play from Damian, Colin Carey and Bernard Smyth from the Chaser and Cormac Higgans, Darren Dugdale and Cillian Mcguire from the Cosy. The Chaser took a slinder 5-4 lead after the doubles. It all came down to the last set of singles.
In the first 2 frames in the last set of singles The Chaser and Cosy exchanged frames making it 6-5 for the Chaser with a win for Cormac Higgins and for the Cosy and Adam Whelan for the Chaser. Suddlenly Darren Dugdale and Gary Ennis notched up wins for the Cosy and put them 1 frame away from winning with the score 7-6 to the Cosy. With a man of the match performance from Bernard Smyth winning all his 3 frames it was now into a dicider at 7 frames all. With Jim Feehan getting the upper hand on Anthony Swaine in what was an open frame, where both players had chances it was down to knowledge of the rules that cost The Cosy.