Beebe retains O’Sullivan Cup in thriller
BRONZE Tour rankings winner Luke Beebe was forced to call upon all of his two-and-a-half years of experience to retain the O’Sullivan Cup for under-13s at Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club.
The Eastleigh potter (pictured left) admitted it was hard work overturning a 2-0 deficit in the final to defeat the much-improved Connor Benzey 3-2.
Clever safety play from the two 12-year-olds coupled with a few missed opportunities made for an absorbing encounter for the neutral but a stressful couple of hours for parents.
Receiving a four-point handicap start, Benzey, who lost last year’s final 2-0 to Beebe, took the second frame on the black but his opponent steadily asserted his authority over the next three.
A 20-strong field for the 11th running of the annual all-day handicapped event competed in round-robin group stages followed by a straight knockout and a plate.
Beebe, the Bronze Tour rankings winner with next Sunday’s last leg in Salisbury to spare, edged Silver Tour player Jamie Wilson 2-1 in the last-four.
In the second semi, Benzey, who compiled a new high break of 31 eight days previously and reached a Bronze Tour final at only his second attempt in March – only to lose to Beebe, beat Liam Thomson 2-0.
Ten-year-old Abhay Chopra (pictured above on the right) defeated eight-year-old Portsmouth lad Harry Wilson (left) in the plate final.
February Half-Term Cup champion Chopra recorded a personal best 23 break during the group stages. style=”text-align: left;”>RESULTSQuarter-finals: Luke Beebe 1 Billy Naismith 0, Jamie Wilson 1 Steven Hughes 0, Liam Thomson 1 Oliver Sykes 0, Connor Benzey 1 Bowen Zhu 0.
Semi-finals: Beebe 2 Wilson 1, Benzey 2 Thomson 0.
Final: Beebe 3 Benzey 2.
Frame scores: 19-52, 38-47, 55-36, 54-28, 70-20.
Referee: Steven Hughes.
PLATEPrelims: James Thomson 1 Jordan Clothier 0, Ryan Hughes 1 Charlie Pringle 0, Alex Thomson 1 Jake Parker 0, Harry Wilson 1 Blake Mitchell 0.
Quarter-finals: Abhay Chopra 1 J Thomson 0, Hughes 1 Luke Oliver 0, A Thomson 1 Oli Line 0, H Wilson 1 Lewis Wilson 0.
Semi-finals: Chopra 1 Hughes 0, H Wilson 1 A Thomson 0.
Final: Chopra 1 H Wilson 0.
Pictures by Tim Dunkley