Mulvany wins Mullingar Intermediate Snooker Championship

The 2020 Mullingar Intermediate Snooker Championship is the first tournament to be run since the Covid-19 lockdown. All matches were played in line with government regulations and no spectators were allowed – just officials.

The final was held in St Mary’s Snooker Club rooms on Bishopsgate Street, Mullingar last week.

Ger O’Connor, Honorary Club Secretary, invited Tournament Director and Club Treasurer Pat Donohoe to referee the final. It got under way between the in-form Keith Mulligan and Barry Mulvany. It was the best of five frames, and the final report is as follows:

Frame 1: The first frame got under way when Barry won the toss and broke off. Both players looked nervous and cautious as the frame developed. Neither man was able to pull ahead but Keith was looking quite strong and the frame eventually was won by Keith. The pity was that no audience was in attendance with Covid-19 restrictions and only the referee and marker were allowed in to adjudicate the match.

Frame 2: The loss of the first frame seemed to upset Barry and he could not find any form like he had in getting to the final and the scoring was not that impressive. Neither player was playing well and the final like most finals was not anything like the standard these two players can produce. Barry eventually got the upper hand as really Keith should have taken the frame but Barry levelled at one frame all.

Frame 3: Frame three was very exciting from a safety point of view and the players were playing good shots to try and snooker each other. The standard of safety play was extraordinarily high, and towards the end of the frame Barry got Keith in a near impossible snooker behind the pink ball on the cushion and the ball on was yellow. Keith tried a brilliant escape and he shaved the paint of the pink, but alas fouled. The referee, however, decided not to call a miss on this occasion, and he was correct. Barry won the frame and his safety play is starting to improve.

Frame 4: Frame four carried on from frame three and Barry’s potting was not as good as it usually is, but he played his B game and managed to confound Keith with a safety shot strategy. He must have got about eight snookers in a row, and Keith did manage to get out of most of them, but only on the third attempt in each case. Keith was falling further behind and kept playing, but Barry could see the winning post and he was going to take his first ever Mullingar title. Barry Mulvany beat Keith Mulligan 22-50, 66-53, 65-45 and 69-31.

Presentation

Ger O’Connor, Honorary Club Secretary, St Mary’s Snooker Club, asked sponsor Paul O’Shaughnessy of Keepsafe Alarms to come forward to make the presentations. Paul first presented Keith Mulligan, finalist, with his voucher.

Paul then presented the Mullingar Intermediate Snooker Championship Cup to the 2020 Champion Barry Mulvany. Ger and Pat on behalf of the club thanked Paul O’Shaughnessy for his sponsorship and hoped he would be on board again next year.

All social distancing guidelines were maintained at all times. This tournament with the support of the players was scheduled by Club Chairman Mick Kane, who could only keep in contact with the match via WhatsApp due to government advice and regulations.