Talmondt pips Hunter for Seniors title

AN EX-PROFESSIONAL snooker player from Portsmouth has proved that class is permanent by being crowned champion of an over-40s circuit.

Mike Talmondt won his third straight tournament on the Cuestars South of England Seniors Tour to pip the pre-season favourite by just three points.

Following successes in Fareham and Woking, the 42-year-old taxi driver defeated Woking-based tennis coach John Monckton 2-1 in the final of the last leg at The Crucible Sports & Social Club, Newbury.

Andover cueman John Hunter, bidding for a fourth rankings title in a row, led by ten points going into the sixth event but was knocked out 2-1 by High Wycombe’s Nick Birney in the quarter-finals.

“I was obviously delighted to win, especially having to win the last three tournaments to catch John,” said Talmondt, who was on the pro-circuit in the late 1990s. “I’m happy to win the tour on my first attempt.”

Despite chalking up the highest break of 96, he added: “I felt like I struggled all day. I should’ve re-tipped my cue before Newbury but I didn’t.

“I wasn’t happy with my form. I didn’t score heavy enough but a win is a win.”

The top two actually lost their first frames of the day. Hunter, who won the first three legs, rallied from 1-0 down to Fawley accountant Nick Miles with breaks of 50 and 73 to win 2-1 and Talmondt lost 2-0 to Monckton.

Hunter was undefeated in his six-man group. Talmondt, who is based at Copnor Snooker Club, won his remaining four matches to qualify in second place.

A fourth semi-final exit this season secured the third-place trophy for Seniors Tour stalwart Martin Wallace, from Reading.

Another good entry of 22 runners demonstrated how the Seniors Tour has grown in stature over the last year.

And the high quality will rise even further next season when Cuestars Championship Tour winner Matt Ford enters the fray.

Picture by Tim Dunkley: Mike Talmondt (left) receives the championship trophy from runner-up John Hunter.

BREAKS

Mike Talmondt: 96, 45, 45, 44.
John Hunter: 73, 60, 53, 50.
Neil Herd: 71.
Martin Wallace: 49.
Phil Morgan: 46.
Paul Lawrence: 46.
David Farmer: 45.

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP POSITIONS

GROUP A: 1st, John Hunter (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Martin Wallace (Crowthorne RBL); 3rd, David Farmer (Potting Shed, Aldbourne); 4th, Phil Morgan (Chandler’s Ford SC); 5th, Nick Miles (Ashlett Club, Fawley); 6th, Pat Patel (Crucible, Newbury).

GROUP B: 1st, John Monckton (Woking SC); 2nd, Mike Talmondt (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 3rd, Paul Lawrence (Park Gate RBL, Southampton); 4th, Jean-Marc Bancilhon (Camphill Social Club, West Byfleet); 5th, Alan Thomas (Jesters, Swindon); 6th, Jonathan Walker (Potting Shed, Aldbourne).

GROUP C: 1st, Neil Carroll (Chandler’s Ford SC); 2nd, Stephen Hills (Traders, Northfleet); joint 3rd, David Stewart (Chandler’s Ford SC) & Trevor Thorn (Basingstoke Conservative Club) & Peter Chin (Woking SC).

GROUP D: 1st, Chris Stocker (Sunninghill Comrades Club, Ascot); 2nd, Nick Birney (Liberal Club, High Wycombe); 3rd, Wayne Muddiman (Chandlers Ford Central Club); 4th, Neil Herd (Frome, Somerset); 5th, Steve Tonks (Ashlett Club, Fawley).

KNOCKOUT RESULTS

QUARTER-FINALS (£10, 12 pts): Birney 2 Hunter 1, Monckton 2 Hills 0, Talmondt 2 Carroll 1, Wallace 2 Stocker 1.

SEMI-FINALS (£20, 15 pts): Monckton 2 Birney 1, Talmondt 2 Wallace 0.

FINAL (£90/£50 25/18 pts): Talmondt 2 Monckton 1.

Report by Tim Dunkley.