CARDIFF & DISTRICT SNOOKER ASSOCIATION

The Cardiff Open reached a thrilling conclusion at Taff’s Well, ultimately seeing Ryan Rowlands crowned the new champion after the closest of finishes against Huw Carpenter.

Huw made a good start to the 7 frame clash, with a run of 25, and when Ryan responded with 24, the omens looked very promising for a very well balanced match. Huw edged the opening frame on the pink, looking the slightly better player, but then had to watch as Ryan’s scoring power showed. Three frames in quite quick succession went his way, with runs of 42 and 59.

Huw had the presence of mind to see that his area of strength was in the safety play, and from 1-3 down, he noted also that his potting was not as strong as he might have liked,so took a more careful approach. Tougher frames, with fewer heavy scores, followed, and at 3-3, Huw looked to have ridden out the storm, expecially when he built a good lead in the final frame. A snooker laid by Ryan behind a spotted pink, with 2 reds remaining, was called miss, but, in the good spirit in which the whole event was played, Ryan opted to go for the clearance. It went sweetly until he was slightly the wrong side of the brown. The blue was then dispatched, trickily, to a corner pocket, and the pink off its spot with the rest, leaving the white on the top cushion, behind the black, a slow roll to the middle the only real potting option. The clearance of 35 made the younger player the new Cardiff Open champion.

Thanks to Taff’s Well, who provided a venue and part of the audience, to Tom Cross for sharing the refereeing duties, and to all CDSA members who attended what was a gripping event. Credit to both players for a good quality and very close final.