First Senior title for Birney
HIGH Wycombe’s Nick Birney, a beaten finalist last year, returned to Jesters Snooker Hall, Swindon, and ended a long day as Cuestars South of England Senior (40+) Champion.
Birney dropped just one frame in four matches and accounted for Reading’s Martin Wallace 3-0 in the play-off final, which finished after 8pm.
But the 42-year-old admitted: “The three frames could’ve gone either way.
“It’s been a long one and I can’t wait to get home and put my feet up.”
Birney lost 3-1 to old sparring partner Colin Norton in the 2011 final AND was pipped to this season’s rankings title by five points by Cuestars director John Hunter at the sixth and final leg in Newbury last month,
But surely he was pleased to see the defending champion couldn’t make this year’s event.
Birney laughed: “It’s good not to see Colin but in another way it’s nice to beat Colin. If you beat Colin, you’re either going to win it or be there or thereabouts.”
RESULTS (BREAKS)
LAST-16: Nick Birney (Liberal Club, High Wycombe) 3 Wayne Hamilton (Hassocks Mens Club, West Sussex) 1, Gary Hart (Salisbury SC) 3 Alan Grainger (Liberal Club, High Wycombe) 1, Steve Ashton (Salisbury SC) 3 Nick Miles (Ashlett Club, near Fawley) 0, Neil Carroll (Salisbury SC) 3 Ray Mears (Sovereign SC, Farnborough) 0, Martin Wallace (Colours, Reading) 3 Paul Rose (Jesters, Swindon) 0, Alan Thomas (Jesters, Swindon) w/o Colin Norton (Fareham SC), Vince Elphick (Hassocks Mens Club, West Sussex) 3 Steve Tonks (Ashlett Club, near Fawley) 1, Wayne Muddiman (Chandlers Ford Central Club) 3 Mike Thatcher (Shirley Conservative Club) 0.
QUARTER-FINALS (£10): Birney 3 Hart 0, Carroll 3 Ashton 1, Wallace 3 Thomas 1, Elphick beat Muddiman (no score recorded).
SEMI-FINALS (£20): Birney 3 Carroll 0, Wallace 3 Elphick 1.
FINAL (£100/£40): Birney 3 Wallace 0.