Right On Cue

Kevin Firth enjoyed a productive weekend at the St Michael’s Snooker Centre in Wakefield as he competed in the third event of the ENGLISH SENIORS SNOOKER TOUR.

Having missed the previous two events, the Bradford potter made up for lost time and climbed the rankings ladder by reaching the final, where he eventually fell 3-1 to John Welsh of Liverpool.

Firth made a top break of 91 in qualifying from his group and added a 73 and two runs of 66 while beating 1991 English amateur champion Steve Judd 3-1 in the quarter-finals.

This was the same score by which he ousted former professional and 1987 English amateur champion Mark Rowing in the semis, aided by breaks of 69, 57 and 51.

Firth made a break of 90 in the final but could not contain in-form Welsh.

Defending champion Gareth Green faces a tough test in his opening qualifying match for the Northern Snooker Centre-sponsored YORKSHIRE SNOOKER CHAMPIONSHIPS.

The draw paired the Bradford youngster against experienced Jon Knipe, an outstanding player in his day.

Lifeline Leisure-based Green plays on Sunday, March 13 along with several fellow Bradfordians, namely two-time Yorkshire champion Wayne Cooper (v Tommy Doherty), Howard Mawson (v Martin Lawrence) and Lee Atkinson (v Andy Blamire).

The other qualifying date of Sunday, February 27 sees Kevin Firth taking on Colin Hawkins and Damian Wilks facing Leeds youngster Kishan Kotecha.

Sanderson Lam of Leeds came through a strong field in the YORKSHIRE UNDER-19 SNOOKER CHAMPIONSHIPS to claim the title.

The Northern Snooker Centre in Leeds was again the venue and Lam beat Leeds professional Peter Lines’ 14-year-old son Oliver 3-0 in the final.

Lam played outstandingly well all day and was consistent in the final. Lines junior did not perform to his best in that particular match but he did gain the day’s highest break of 111.

Bradford’s Oliver Mulchay, at 11 the youngest player in the tournament, performed well against a much older opponent and was unlucky to lose his first-round match.

Eight-times champion Wayne Cooper saw off Paul Rawlings of Great Horton Cons 4-0 in the BRADFORD SNOOKER CHAMPIONSHIPS, which included the competition’s highest break to date of 117.

Cooper also made the highest pairs break of 91 as he and Lee Atkinson beat Richard Hagerty and Roy Beckford 3-1.

Bradford Moor’s Adam Tipper beat Chris Sneddon of Windhill Cons 4-2, while Eddie Ratcliffe and Chris Richards (East Ward) reached the pairs quarter-finals with a 3-1 victory against Anthony Herdsman and Andy Ward (Undercliffe CC).

The deadline for completing matches is Saturday and results must be with Richard Hagerty (07740-145777) by this date.