Mighty Finn storms past Castle

The Mighty Finn fought back from 2-1 down to Billy Castle at The Crucible Sports & Social Club, Newbury.

 

A run of 57 squared the match and the 26-year-old secured a 3-2 victory with a 47.

 

“To be honest, Billy was shattered and so was I,” admitted Finn. “So it wasn’t a great standard. Still, it was a good win considering how well he was playing. He had three centuries on the day so I was happy.”

 

Indeed, Castle, who the previous day had won his first ever EASB Pro-Ticket Tour leg at the South West Snooker Academy, Gloucester, complied a 100 against Ray Mears (Sovereign SC, Farnborough) in the second frame of his first group-stage match. And he missed the pink for a 113 clearance.

 

In his next match, the 19-year-old England international from Marchwood made a 102 against Mears’ clubmate Dominic Holmes. And he added a 108 against the home club’s Chris Rice in a 3-1 quarter-final victory.

 

It was the first time the Cue T’s Snooker Lounge teenager had ever made three tons in a day.

 

“I couldn’t have cued any better,” he said. “Everything fell into place. I’m just feeling good at the minute. I’ve got confidence and my break-building was good.”

 

But he added: “I was dead on my feet in the semis and final.”

 

Remarkably, the 17-strong field returned 21 half-century breaks including four tons.

 

Ryan Mears (Sovereign SC, Farnborough) also hit three figures. The 23-year-old constructed a 102 against Wasim Khan (Liberal Club, High Wycombe) having lost his first match to Finn’s clubmate Adam Nash.

 

There was a bizarre end to the final round-robin match in Group C. Trailing 2-1, Ben Tanner (The Academy, Eastleigh) led rankings leader Jon Charlton (Aldwick RBL, Bognor Regis) by seven points on the final black.

 

However, attempting to sink the black into a middle pocket, the 19-year-old forced it off the table. And then he went ‘in off’ on his second shot on the re-spotted black. 

 

Finn, who climbed to joint seventh in the rankings, dropped just one of nine frames to top Group A. He beat Holmes 3-0 in the quarter-finals, knocking in a 50 in the first frame and replying to his opponent’s 44 in the second by clearing the colours to win on the black.

 

And he reached the final on his first outing this season with a 3-1 win over Crucible player Neil Winkworth.

 

“It was a good day and a nice club,” said Finn. “I played OK.”

 

Winkworth had knocked out Group B winner Nash 3-2 in the last-eight while Ryan Mears ended Group C winner Charlton’s run with a 3-1 victory before losing 3-0 to third-placed Castle.

 

The sixth and final leg is on Sunday, April 22, at Jesters Snooker Hall, Swindon.

 

Billy Castle: 108, 102, 100, 78, 76, 74, 68, 61.

Ryan Mears: 102, 80, 75, 61, 60.                           

Mike Finn: 82, 74, 57, 50.                                       

Ben Tanner: 68, 53.                                                             

Adam King: 60.                                                                                

Dominic Holmes: 59.

GROUP A: 1st, Mike Finn (Churchills, Eastleigh); 2nd, Chris Rice (Crucible, Newbury); 3rd, Andrew Bolter (Crucible, Newbury); 4th, Kevin Ward (Hassocks Mens Club, West Sussex); 5th, Craig Marsh (Crucible, Newbury).

 

GROUP B: 1st, Adam Nash (Churchills, Eastleigh); 2nd, Ryan Mears (Sovereign SC, Farnborough); 3rd, Wasim Khan (Liberal Club, High Wycombe); 4th, Martin Wallace (Colours, Reading).

 

GROUP C: 1st, Jon Charlton (Aldwick RBL, Bognor Regis); 2nd, Neil Winkworth (Crucible, Newbury); 3rd, Vince Elphick (Hassocks Mens Club, West Sussex); 4th, Ben Tanner (The Academy, Eastleigh).

 

GROUP D: 1st, Billy Castle (Cue T’s, Marchwood); 2nd, Dominic Holmes (Sovereign SC, Farnborough); 3rd, Adam King (New Arches SC, Coventry); 4th, Ray Mears (Sovereign SC, Farnborough).

 

QUARTER-FINALS (8 points): Finn beat Holmes 3-0, Winkworth beat Nash 3-2, Ryan Mears beat Charlton 3-1, Castle beat Rice 3-1.   

SEMI-FINALS (12 points): Finn beat Winkworth 3-1, Castle beat Ryan Mears 3-0.

 

FINAL (25/18 points): Finn beat Castle 3-2.