CHAMPAGNE ON 'ACE'?

THE penultimate round of matches in the Ballymena and District Snooker League saw Fountain Aces and Fountain Jokers maintain their positions at the top of Divisions One and Two going into the final week of the league.

In Division One, Fountain Aces had a bye week but their hopes of lifting the title received a boost as nearest challengers Minnesota A were held to a 2-2 draw at home by Dunloy United.

The result sets up a title decider in the final week in the Fountain clubrooms with the host Aces requiring a point to be crowned champions. Minnesota A can still win the league but they will require a 4-0 victory in Antrim to take the title on frame difference.

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Elsewhere in the top flight, Minnesota B and Rafters Runners both had their slim hopes of winning the league finally extinguished as both teams were held to 2-2 draws by Dunloy Galaxy and Minnesota Strikers respectively.

In Dunloy, Andrew Hutchinson and Jordan Millar put Minnesota B 2-0 in front with deciding frame wins against Galaxy's Bobby Darragh and Paul McQuillan. The young Dunloy side hit back for a 2-2 draw thanks to wins by Michael McPoland and Miceal Murphy against William Dobbin and Davy Swann.

In the Minnesota club the host Strikers raced into a 2-0 lead on the back of wins from Dean Greer and Rodney Dunlop but Rafters Runners salvaged a 2-2 draw with victories from Hugh Ward and Stefan Christie. The result leaves Runners four points behind the leaders and unable to win the league on account of an inferior frame difference.

In Division Two, the race to be champions will also go down to the final games with Fountain Jokers needing to at least equal Rafters Potters' and Parochial Hawks' results in their last league match to win the Division.

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If Fountain slip up Rafters Potters can claim the title. Parochial Hawks, currently in third place, can also win the league but Danny McGarry's side must win on the final day and hope that other results fall in their favour.

In Antrim Fountain Jokers had to be content with a 2-2 draw from their match with the league's draw specialists 147 Rockets.

Calvin Brammeld continued his impressive form for Jokers with a 2-0 win over Richard Hayes. Nathan Curis secured a second point for Jokers with a win on the black ball in the deciding frame against Paul Brammeld.

Rockets, although not winning many matches in their debut season, are proving themselves a difficult team to beat and they earned their ninth draw in 13 league games thanks to wins by Robert Hamilton and Sean French.

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In Ballymoney Rafters Potters also had to settle for a 2-2 draw with their Hotshots clubmates.

All four games went to a deciding frame with Ryan O’Doherty's black ball win and Lee Gibson's more comfortable deciding frame win scoring the points for the Potters.

Andrew McAlonan's easy win over Mark Heggarty in the third frame of their game and Ryan Maxwell's victory on the black against Paddy McCook ensured the draw for Hotshots.

Parochial Hawks lost ground in the battle for the title when they lost 3-1 in Dunloy against the Cowboys.

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Gerard McAuley gave Cowboys the lead but Paul Casey restored parity for the Hawks shortly afterwards.

Randal McDonnell and John Joe O’Neill won third frame deciders for the Dunloy men against Niall McElroy and Danny McGarry to leave the Parochial side as very much outsiders in the three-team race to be champions.

In Ballymena, Ronnie McCart's Parochial Lions recorded their first league win of the campaign in some style with a 4-0 win over Rafters Aces.

Ronnie defeated Billy Moore in straight frames to balance out his loss to the Ballymoney man in their previous meeting earlier in the season.

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Dennis Curran and Billy Goodall also won in straight frames for the Lions. Richard Russell triumphed in a third frame against Jimmy Davidson to record the landmark first win for the Lions and enable them to swap places with Aces in the table.

DIVISION ONE

Dunloy Galaxy 2, Minnesota B 2: [65] B Darragh 1 [15] A Hutchinson 2 (72-96, 84-61, 59-83); [60] P McQuillan 1, [30] J Millar 2 (53-69, 65-7, 48-70); [65] M McPoland 2, [35] W Dobbin 1 (62-34, 68-56); [40] M Murphy 2, [20] D Swann 0 (74-56, 63-34). Breaks - Andrew Hutchinson 27, 33.

Minnesota A 2, Dunloy United 2: [5] G Erwin 1, [55] M Crilly 2 (78-81, 89-73, 47-96); [15] D McClintock 2, [55] C Cunning 0: (68-58, 88-66); [15] B Hannaway 0, [65] P Kelly 2 (69-78, 39-79); [15] R McFall 2, [25] M Crawley 1 (73-45, 27-53, 68-34). Breaks - Gary Erwin 43, 42; Michael Crilly 30c.

Minnesota Strikers 2, Rafters Runners 2: [60] R Dunlop 2, [30] L Corr 0 (63-44, 76-63); [45] D Greer 2, [55] D McCahon 0 (68-29, 66-44); [35] H Larkin 1, [35] H Ward 2 (12-54, 47-38, 18-64); [40] T Alexander 0, [40] S Christie 2 (37-51, 52-72). Break - Stefan Christie 30.

DIVISION TWO

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Fountain Jokers 2, 147 Rockets 2: [45] C Brammeld 2, [55] R Hayes 0 (61-52, 72-7); [65] N Curtis 2, [50] P Brammeld 1 (66-68, 47-36, 58-51); [50] J Bingham 0, [50] R Hamilton 2 (36-44, 48-49); [60] D Brammeld 0, [65] S French 2 (42-68, 38-54).

Rafters Hotshots 2, Rafters Potters 2: [60] C Hargin 1, [45] R O’Doherty 2 (54-65, 59-24, 58-65); [60] P Hargin 1, [35] L Gibson 2 (58-3, 52-66, 38-74); [50] A McAlonan 2, [50] M Heggarty 1 (24-60, 55-48, 81-35); [60] R Maxwell 2, [55] P McCook 1 (53-55, 62-8, 54-52).

Dunloy Cowboys 3, Parochial Hawks 1: [55] G McAuley 2 [60] P McNally 0 (41-33, 52-24); [75] A McErlaine 1, [45] P Casey 2 (46-69, 62-45, 56-68); [25] R McDonnell 2, [50] N McElroy 1 (48-71, 66-40, 81-54); [60] JJ O’Neill 2, [55] D McGarry 1 (26-58, 54-26, 45-19).

Parochial Lions 4, Rafters Aces 0: [25] R Russell 2, [55] J Davidson 1 (63-54, 45-60, 65-55); [75] B Goodall 2, [55] K Clarke 0 (63-41, 67-54); [80] R McCart 2, [45] B Moore 0 (82-46, 89-75); [75] D Curran 2, [50] P Hunter 0 (65-36, 61-59).

DIVISION ONE

PWDLPts

Fountain Aces1156028

Minnesota A1152424

Rafters Runners1153324

Minnesota B1144323

M'sota Strikers1134420

Dunloy Galaxy1117320

Dunloy United1004613

DIVISION TWO

PWDLPts

Fountain Jokers1358032

Rafters Potters1348131

Parochial Hawks1346329

Dunloy Cowboys1372428

Rafters Hotshots1337325

147 Rockets1319324

Parochial Lions1315720

Rafters Aces1333719