O’Callaghan recovers from bizarre snooker injury to win in Fareham
A BOURNEMOUTH teenager recovered from a horrific and bizarre snooker injury to claim his first regional winner’s trophy for over two years.
David O’Callaghan moved up to third place on the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Silver Tour after overcoming pictured rankings leader Charlie Pringle in the final of the seventh leg.
A well-crafted brown to black clearance wrapped up the 2-0 victory in the event hosted and sponsored by Fareham Snooker Club.
The 17-year-old, whose previous tournament success was on the Bronze Tour in Salisbury in October, 2014, admitted he was “shaking” on the black.
“It’s been a long time,” he said. “When I won that first one, I thought they’d come easier. But I’m so glad I’ve won.”
And he added: “Charlie played a lot better in the second frame but I just scrapped it out.”
O’Callaghan, who is studying business management at Bournemouth and Poole College, dislocated his left knee while competing in the Dorset Open at the Ambassador Club in Poole at the end of January.
Explaining the somewhat unusual injury, he said: “I was coming round to get the rest and I caught my pocket on the corner pocket and it twisted my knee.”
And he admitted: “It was painful.”
But a trip to hospital followed by physiotherapy meant he only missed the sixth leg in Havant.
Meanwhile, Pringle extended his lead over Chandler’s Ford clubmate Ryan Hughes to five points after knocking his title rival out 2-0 in the last-four. Hughes had progressed through his four group-stage matches without dropping a frame.
And Nat Kidner, appearing in his first Silver Tour semi-final since gaining promotion in 2014, was beaten 2-0 by his Greenbaize clubmate O’Callaghan.
The eight leg of ten is at Jesters Snooker Club, Swindon, on Sunday, March 19.
For more information about Fareham Snooker Club, visit www.farehamsnooker.co.uk.
SILVER RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Ryan Hughes (Chandler’s Ford SC); 2nd, Nat Kidner (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 3rd, Brett Wallace (Fareham SC); 4th, Evan Plummer (Frames, Coulsdon); 5th, Kaine Petty (Salisbury SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, David O’Callaghan (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 2nd, Charlie Pringle (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Keegan Reed (Salisbury SC); 4th, Ally Pollard (Salisbury SC).
SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Pringle 2 Hughes 0, O’Callaghan 2 Kidner 0.
FINAL (25/18 points): O’Callaghan 2 Pringle 0.
Pictures by Tim Dunkley
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Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)