SUNDAY 30TH MARCH BROUGHT THE FIRST OF THE JUNIOR N.IRELAND CHAMPIONSHIPS. THE U14 EVENT WAS PLAYED OUT IN TWO GROUP SECTIONS WITH THE TOP 2 QUALIFYING FOR THE SEMIS. THE TWO GROUP WINNERS WERE THE 147 CLUB’S LEWIS CLEWER AGE 10 AND MINNESOTA’S CONNOR MARROM AGE 10, THE GROUP RUNNER-UPS WERE MINNESOTA’S CALLUM KINNEY AND MACS OF KEADY RIAN HOEY.

THE FIRST SEMI- FINAL BROUGHT THE TWO BALLYMENA BOYS TOGETHER IN A TENSE DERBY AFFAIR IN WHICH CONNOR CAME OUT ON TOP WINNING 2-0, IN THE SECOND SEMI-FINAL LEWIS CLEWER DIDN’T KEEP UP HIS FINE FORM FROM THE GROUPS STAGES CAME UP AGAINST RIAN HOEY WHO PLAYED A VERY GOOD SEMI-FINAL, AFTER LOSING THE FIRST FRAME TO LEWIS, RIAN HIT HIS BEST FORM OF THE DAY WINNING THE NEXT TWO FRAMES.

THE FINAL BETWEEN CONNOR AND RIAN WAS A DIFFERENT MATTER WITH BOTH PLAYERS BEING VERY TENSE, YOUNG CONNOR JUST COULDN’T GET GOING WHILE RIAN PLAYED A STEADY GAME AND CAME THROUGH THE WINNER 2-0.

WELL DONE RIAN !!!