Minnesota trio retain three-a-side title

The Minnesota Eight-Ballers trio successfully defended the championship which they won 12 months ago in the Ballymena United Sports and Social Club.

But they were pushed all the way in a closely-contested final by The Inn-Offs ‘A’ team of Stewart Frew, Gary Neeson and Sean McNally.

Indeed, the Eight-Ballers triple were one frame away from defeat at 4-3 down before Foster defeated Frew to tie the scores and send it into the all-important final frame.

In that game, Clarke held his nerve to beat Neeson and ensure his side hold onto the silverware for another year.

The beaten semi-finalists were Paul McAuley, Darren Gibson and Drew Sloan (Michelin Premier) and Robert Hargan, Derek Dunlop and Gary Ormandy, representing Social Inbetweeners ‘A’.

RESULTS

Round one: Minnesota ‘A’ 5, Social Inbetweeners ‘B’ 2; Michelin ‘B’ 5, Social CObwebs 3; Anything 2, Michelin Premier 5; Social Sports ‘B’ 0, Weary Ones 5; Social Sports ‘A’ 4, Inn-Offs ‘A’ 5; Michelin ‘A’ 1, Moat Aces 5; Fairhill 0, Inn-Offs ‘B’ 5; Social Inbetweeners ‘A’ 5, Slemish Hotshots 3.

Quarter-finals: Minnesota ‘A’ 5, Michelin ‘B’ 1; MIchelin Premier 5, Weary Ones 1; Inn-Offs ‘A’ 5, Moat Aces 0; Inn-Offs ‘B’ 3, Social Inbetweeners 5.

Semi-finals: Minnesota ‘A’ 5, Michelin Premier 1; Inn-Offs ‘A’ 5, Social Inbetweeners 3.

Final: Minnesota ‘A’ 5, Inn-Offs ‘A’ 4.

LEAGUE FIXTURES

Meanwhile, the second half of the league campaign resumes next Tuesday evening, February 16, with the league now having split into a Premier Division of six teams and a First Division of eight. The remaining fixtures are:

PREMIER

February 16: Fairhill Hustlers v The Coach; Social Cobwebs v The Inn-Offs; Minnesota Eight-Ballers v Michelin Masters.

February 23: The Coach v Michelin Masters; Social Cobwebs v Minnesota Eight-Ballers; The Inn-Offs v Fairhill Hustlers.

March 2: Fairhill Hustlers v Social Cobwebs; Minnesota Eight-Ballers v The Coach; Michelin Masters v The Inn-Offs.

March 9: Fairhill Hustlers v Michelin Masters; Social Cobwebs v The Coach; The Inn-Offs v Minnesota Eight-Ballers.

March 16: Michelin Masters v Social Cobwebs; Minnesota Eight-Ballers v Fairhill Hustlers; The Coach v The Inn-Offs.

March 23: The Coach v Fairhill Hustlers; The Inn-Offs v Social Cobwebs; Michelin Masters v Minnesota Eight-Ballers.

March 30: Michelin Masters v The Coach; Minnesota Eight-Ballers v Social Cobwebs; Fairhill Hustlers v The Inn-Offs.

April 13: Social Cobwebs v Fairhill Hustlers; The Coach v Minnesota Eight-Ballers; The Inn-Offs v Michelin Masters.

April 20: Michelin Masters v Fairhill Hustlers; The Coach v Social Cobwebs; Minnesota Eight-Ballers v The Inn-Offs.

April 27: Social Cobwebs v Michelin Masters; Fairhill Hustlers v Minnesota Eight-Ballers; The Inn-Offs v The Coach.

FIRST DIVISION

February 16: Rolling Stoners v Hardly Potters; Moat Aces v Horse and Jockey; Knockeden Jokers v Social InBetweeners; Slemish Hotshots v Social Sports.

February 23: Slemish Hotshots v Moat Aces; Hardly Potters v Horse and Jockey; Knockeden Jokers v Rolling Stoners; Social Sports v Social Inbetweeners.

March 2: Knockeden Jokers v Slemish Hotshots; Hardly Potters v Moat Aces; Rolling Stoners v Social Sports; Social Inbetweeners v Horse and Jockey.

March 9: Horse and Jockey v Slemish Hotshots; Social Inbetweeners v Moat Aces; Hardly Potters v Social Sports.

March 16: Slemish Hotshots v Social Inbetweeners; Social Sports v Moat Aces; Knockeden Jokers v Hardly Potters; Horse and Jockey v Rolling Stoners.

March 23: Rolling Stoners v Slemish Hotshots; Social Inbetweeners v Hardly Potters; Horse and Jockey v Social Sports; Moat Aces v Knockeden Jokers.

March 30: Slemish Hotshots v Hardly Potters; Rolling Stoners v Moat Aces; Social Sports v Knockeden Jokers.

April 6: Horse and Jockey v Knockeden Jokers; Rolling Stoners v Social Inbetweeners.