Ireland’s American 8 & 9 Ball Pool Tour
Frames Snooker & Pool Club
2-14 Little Donegal Street
City Centre
BELFAST
BT1 2JD
Tel: 0044 (0)7918787147
www.rballsports.com
www.framescomplex.com
www.click.ie
Saturday 26 July 2008
Declan Hughes congratulated by organiser Ronnie Boyle.
Declan Hughes Click.ie All Ireland 9-Ball Champion
Declan Hughes who hails from Co. Armagh and who has recently qualified to get back on the main professional snooker circuit proved at the weekend in Belfast that he is one, if not the best all round cue-sport players in Ireland with a dazzling display on route to winning the 6th annual Click.ie All Ireland Open 9Ball Championship in Frames Snooker & Pool Club Belfast, recognised as the biggest and most prestige event on Ireland’s American 8 & 9 Ball Pool Tour.
Declan picked up the winner's cheque and the beautiful crystal trophy with a sensational performance over a top class field which included some fantastic players that made the trip from England, and also over the former 2004 champion John Wims from Kildare, who his now based and playing his 9ball pool in Australia.
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Semi-finalists in the 2008 Click.ie All Ireland Open 9Ball Championships
Daniel Gorman (Antrim) and Declan Hughes (Armagh, winner).
Semi-finalists in the 2008 Click.ie All Ireland Open 9Ball Championships
Brendan Mc Dermott (Donegal), and John Wims (Kildare, runner-up).
Finalists in the 2008 Click.ie All Ireland Open 9Ball Championships
Declan Hughes (Armagh, winner), and John Wims (Kildare, runner-up).
2008 Click.ie All Ireland Open 9Ball Champion Declan Hughes (Armagh).
On route to claming the Click.ie All Ireland Open 9Ball Championship Declan was in cracking form recording fantastic victories over top class players on route to be crowned champion Leslie Walsh (Wexford, last-32, 10-1), Tony Burton (England, lat-16, 10-4), Gary Johnson (Antrim, ¼-finals, 10-5), Daniel Gorman (Antrim, semi-finals, 11-10) before overcoming former champion John Wims (Kildare) in a classic final resulting in a 13-9 score-line.
Another fantastic achievement from Declan in his cue-sport career which sees him become the sixth individual winner of these prestigious All Ireland 9Ball Championships becoming another player to be inducted into Ireland’s American 8 & 9 Ball Pool Tour's Hall of Fame gallery.
All-in-all, another fantastic All Ireland 9Ball Championship with a quality field of players present at this 6th annual event, and the organisers would like thank all the players and helpers who made it a great tournament, with a special thanks going to Gerald Magee for providing a wonderful playing venue for these prestigious championships and also to Maurice Muldoon managing Director of click.ie who were the main sponsors of the Click.ie All Ireland Open 9Ball Championship.
Highlights:
There were a few highlights that came in the tournament with the first coming from young Daniel Gorman who was playing in both tournaments open & under-21 and reached the semi-finals in both events with some great results in the open, over top class players Paul Bonner (Donegal, 10-9), Stephen Johnson (Antrim, 10-7), Sean Donnelly (Armagh, 10-6) before losing to Declan Hughes in the semi-final by a single rack 11-10.
Another fine performance came from Paul Strawbridge (Derry) in the last-16 when the Derry player put in his best performance to date to defeat the current 2007 champion Paddy Mc Loughlin (Down) on a 10-8 score-line.
Sean Donnelly (Co. Armagh) also put in a great performance only playing in his second 9ball tournament on Ireland’s American 8 & 9 Ball Pool Tour by reaching the ¼-finals recording great results over Michael Mc Loughlin (Donegal, 10-3), Ronnie Boyle (Tyrone, 10-4), Mark Mc Donald (Antrim, 10-9) before losing to the in-form Daniel Gorman 10-6.
Past Champions:
2003: Kevin Smith (England)
2004: John Wims (Kildare)
2005: Pat Holtz (Scotland)
2006: Sam Gibson (Antrim)
2007: Paddy Mc Laughlin (Down)
2008: Declan Hughes (Armagh)
Last-32:
Paddy Mc Loughlin (Down) 10-7 Dharam Singh (England)
Paul Strawbridge (Derry 10-9 Kevin Mc Kee (Antrim)
Brendan Mc Dermott (Donegal) 10-8 Gavin Mc Shane (Louth)
Gareth Deegan (Dublin) 10-5 Adam Mc Mackin (Tyrone)
John Wims (Kildare) 10-5 Paul Tierney (Meath)
Ciolean Massey (Antrim) 10-8 Liam Mc Veigh (Antrim)
Charlie Hanlon (Meath) 10-8 Gerald Elli man (Antrim)
Manny Byrne (Down) 10-5 Wayne Lewis (Derry)
Sean Donnelly (Armagh) 10-4 Ronnie Boyle (Tyrone)
Mark Mc Donald (Antrim) 10-6 Geoff Doran (Limerick)
Daniel Gorman (Antrim) 10-9 Paul Bonner (Donegal)
Stephen Johnson (Antrim) 10-4 Sean Darcup (England)
Gary Johnson (Antrim) 10-7 Sean Judge (Antrim)
Chris Sittlington (Down) 10-9 Carl Martin (Tyrone)
Tony Burton (England) 10-4 Billy Gorman (Antrim)
Declan Hughes (Armagh) 10-4 Leslie Walsh (Wexford)
Last-16:
Paul Strawbridge 10-8 Paddy Mc Loughlin
Brendan Mc Dermott 10-8 Gareth Deegan
John Wims 10-3 Ciolean Massey
Manny Byrne 10-7 Charlie Hanlon
Sean Donnelly 10-9 Mark Mc Donald
Daniel Gorman 10-7 Stephen Johnson
Gary Johnson 10-1 Chris Sittlington
Declan Hughes 10-4 Tony Burton
¼-Finals:
Brendan Me Dermott 10-7 Paul Strawbridge
John Wims 10-4 Manny Byrne
Daniel Gorman 10-6 Sean Donnelly
Declan Hughes 10-5 Gary Johnson
Semi-Finals:
John Wims 11-3 Brendan Mc Dermott
Declan Hughes 11-10 Daniel Gorman
Final:
Declan Hughes 13-9 John Wims
Ronnie Boyle (organiser) is pictured with Maurice Muldoon, Managing Director of click.ie
the main sponsors of the 2008 All Ireland Open 9Ball Championship.