Neil Tomkins became Cardiff champion for the fourth time with a tense 4-3 win over Newport champion and team-mate Alun Squire in the final. There was a decent turnout for the match at Tredegar Cons including double world champion Mark Williams.
The first frame was the closest of the night. Alun took a 49 lead through a 40 break. Neil mopped up the remaining balls up to the black however with a 24 and 20 break, and sunk the black after Alun’s safety just ran on towards the middle pocket. The players exchanged 30 breaks in the next two frames, Neil winning the second frame and Alun getting into the match with the third. In the fourth frame Neil ensured he went into the interval with a 3-1 lead by clearing from the last red to pink.
It’s fair to say that Alun came out fighting after the break. In the fifth frame he knocked in a superb 73 break, and then bettered that break in the sixth frame with an 84 to level the match at 3-3. He looked to be on for a ton but just left himself a tricky last red.
The decider was arguably the tensest frame of the match. Both players missed good chances but Neil just kept the scoreboard ticking over enough to take a healthy lead and a fluked red late in the frame helped him towards a winning margin. It’s a cliche but neither player deserved to lose.
You can view photos from the evening here
FINAL (best of 7, date and venue tbc)
NEIL TOMKINS (Penarth BL) 4
v
ALUN SQUIRE (Penarth BL) 3
Highest breaks: Steve Rees 85, Alun Squire 80 & 73, Neil Tomkins 67, Kishan Hirani 66
| 1st round (best of 3, by Feb 24) | 2nd round (best of 3, by March 23) | Quarter-finals (best of 3, by Apr 22nd) | Semi-finals (best of 5, by May 20th) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terry Garland (Fairwater) 0 | Robert Evans (SW Snooker) 0 | Spencer Symmons (Mackintosh) 2 | Spencer Symmons (Mackintosh) 1 |
| Robert Evans (SW Snooker) 2 | |||
| Spencer Symmons (Mackintosh) 2 | Spencer Symmons (Mackintosh) 2 | ||
| Daryl Wilson (SW Snooker) | |||
| Graham Bailey (Savoy) | Travis Furnish (Fairwater) 2 | Travis Furnish (Fairwater) 0 | |
| Travis Furnish (Fairwater) 2 | |||
| Renato Ridolini (Mackintosh) w/o | Renato Ridolini (Mackintosh) 1 | ||
| Twm Jones (Fairwater) | |||
| Steve Flanagan (Fairwater) | Colin Lane (Savoy) | Kishan Hirani (Fairwater) 0 (66 and 50 breaks) | Neil Tomkins (Penarth BL) 3 |
| Colin Lane (Savoy) 2 | |||
| Ryan Rowlands (Penarth Rd) 0 | Kishan Hirani (Fairwater) 2 | ||
| Kishan Hirani (Fairwater) 2 | |||
| Neil Tomkins (Penarth BL) w/o | Neil Tomkins (Penarth BL) 2 | Neil Tomkins (Penarth BL) 2 (67 and 60 breaks) | |
| Huw Carpenter (University) | |||
| Dan Peacey (University) 1 | Chris Richards (Penarth Rd) 0 | ||
| Chris Richards (Penarth Rd) 2 | |||
| Shane Virgin (Wellington) 2 | Shane Virgin (Wellington) | Shane Virgin (Wellington) 0 | Alun Squire (Penarth BL) 3 |
| Huw Thomas (Fairwater) | |||
| Dave Richards (Fairwater) scr | BYE | ||
| Mike Howe (Wellington) scr | |||
| Alun Squire (Penarth BL) 2 | Alun Squire (Penarth BL) 2 | Alun Squire (Penarth BL) 2 | |
| Steve Wellbeloved (Mackintosh) 1 | |||
| Rhys Carpenter (University) 0 | Kevin Jones (Taff's Well) 0 | ||
| Kevin Jones (Taff's Well) 2 | |||
| James Facey (Penarth Rd) 2 | James Facey (Penarth Rd) 2 | James Facey (Penarth Rd) 1 | Tom Cross (County) 0 |
| Chris Crookes (Wellington) 1 | |||
| Kevin Brown (County) 0 | Steve Rees (Taff's Well) 1 | ||
| Steve Rees (Taff's Well) 2 (85 break) | |||
| Alan Morgan (County) 2 | Alan Morgan (County) 0 | Tom Cross (County) 2 | |
| Dan Lines (Wellington) 0 | |||
| Tom Cross (County) | Tom Cross (County) 2 | ||
| BYE |
rhys carpenter 0 kevin jones 2
open singles – chris 1 – 2 james facey
handi singles dan lines 1 – 2 james facey
Alun Squire 2 – Steve Wellbeloved 1
james facey 2 – 1 steve rees
Tom Cross beat Allan Morgan 2-0
Travis Furnish beat Renato Ridolini 2-1
Tom Cross beat James Facey 2-0
Sorry correction, TC beat JF 2-1