O’Shea lifts Gold Standard
SWINDON’S Liam O’Shea claimed snooker gold at the Cuestars Section Championships.
In a full-blown trial for next season’s scratch competitions, this year’s end-of-season championships ditched the traditional handicap system.
Youngsters were divided into Gold, Silver or Bronze tournaments, depending on their standard.
O’Shea took advantage of home tables at Jesters Snooker Club in the Gold event, for players with a high break of 60 and over.
He accounted for Lee Roling (The Academy, Eastleigh) 3-1 in the final despite losing 3-2 to him in the group stages.
In the Silver event for players with a high break between 30 and 59, Lee Warner (Stoke SC, Gosport) defeated Lee Bell (The Academy, Eastleigh) 3-0 in the final.
Warner dropped just one of nine frames in the group stages and posted a 44 break.
He overcame Cuestars Under-15 Open Champion Bradley Chappell (Green Baize SC, Bournemouth) 2-1 in the last four. Bell, 15, beat Sam Jefferson (Jesters, Swindon) 2-1 in the second semi.
Bell’s taxi-driver dad Terry said: “It just goes to prove they can do it without the handicaps.”
Jesters pocketed another trophy in the Bronze event.
Joe Moon won all six group matches and beat Josh Evans (Stoke SC, Gosport) 2-0 in the final
Cuestars director John Hunter was delighted the round-robin format worked but admitted that a tweak was needed in the break bands. The lower limit for the Silver group will be raised to 40.
Hunter said: “It clearly needs to go to 40 because we’ve got a large number of players in the 40-59 break group.
“It means I can run the competitions that I’ve always wanted to do.”
Highest break amnesty
Hunter also revealed a “highest break amnesty” for established Cuestars members.
“Some have exaggerated their break,” he explained. “They may have made it in the line-up. What we don’t want is a player on a tour way above their standard because they’re going to get disheartened.”
Did you do something notable in the last Cuestars tournament? Or any other tournament? Have you just beaten your highest break? Have you got anything to say? E-mail me details at [email protected] and you could be on the Cuestars website.
Tim Dunkley (World Snooker Association coach)