Breaks

Twm Sion Jones 50 (Fairwater Cons)

Congratulations to Caerphilly A as they defended their Malcolm Keenor Trophy title with a 3-0 win against Taff’s Well to complete a league and cup double on an entertaining night at Mackintosh Sports, that also featured the final of the CDSA Plate as Fairwater Cons defeated Canton Libs 3-2.

The opening frame saw a repeat of the 2024 final decider as Khurram Khan was drawn against Rob Hayes, and the former Cardiff Open champion took control early on with good potting and solid matchplay. However, Hayes reduced the deficit as the frame reached the midway point, and then had a good chance on the last red but a missed brown gave Khan the opportunity to seal the frame and he potted the yellow to leave Hayes needing snookers, before sealing the win on the blue to give Caerphilly the lead.

The second frame saw fluent potting from Dave Hartnell build an early lead over Justin Jones as Caerphilly looked to double their advantage, but Jones stayed in the frame with some good safety play as the frame got to the colours. Both players had chances before Jones potted a very good brown near the baulk cushion to leave a tricky cut-back on the blue, with pink and black in the open. However, he jawed it and Hartnell finished things off to leave the holders one frame from victory.

With Taff’s Well knowing only a win would keep them in the match, Jimmy Llewellyn found himself 30 points behind early on as Rob McKenna started strongly as he took advantage of a few early opportunities. Llewellyn managed to stay in the frame with some good long potting and had a frame-winning chance with two reds remaining, but after potting a red and black he snookered himself on the last red and a foul put him 36 behind. However, a prolonged period of very good safety from both players ensued with Llewellyn laying numerous snookers, but with only one gaining penalty points the concession came after McKenna potted the green to seal the match 3-0 and with it the Malcolm Keenor Trophy.

The CDSA Plate final was between Fairwater Cons and Canton Libs with Steve Flanagan up against Tony Chick in the opening frame. After a cagey start, a 29 break from the Fairwater captain gave him control of the table, but some good snookers and solid potting from Chick saw them all square on the pink. Flanagan managed to pot a very good pink in the middle before missing a tricky black, but Chick gave Canton the lead with an excellent long pot to clinch the win.

Some good single ball potting was on show in the next frame as Luke Pitman faced Rory Wigmore, and there was nothing in it as the frame entered the colours. With the pink and black tied up, Wigmore tried to cannon them after potting the blue but unfortunately snookered himself instead and the resulting penalty points gave Pitman the win to level the match at 1-1. A 26 break at the start of the third frame saw Jason Hewett gain an early advantage over Luke Haines, but two good contributions from the 2025 Open Plate champion meant the frame was close with a handful of reds remaining. However, Hewett potted the last red and the 7-time Cardiff Open winner cleared to the pink to give his side a 2-1 lead.

With Canton trailing they needed a big performance in the next and CDSA legend Ronnie Allen providing it as he dominated the frame against Terry Garland with a tremendous potting display featuring an entertaining array of doubles to comfortably win and take the match to a decider. With the momentum now with Canton, their captain James Wigmore started the next strongly and built a 30-point lead over Twm Sion Jones, but the ‘Welsh Robin Hood’ took control of the frame with three scoring visits including a frame-winning 50 break to clinch the the match on the last red and with it the CDSA Plate for Fairwater.