Roadstone snooker set for All-Irelands

Roadstone Snooker Club are quietly confident that they can come back with some silverware from the All-Ireland Championships in Killarney this weekend, reports Stephen Farrell.

Club Chairman, Stephen Merrigan is particularly hopeful that the players on their A team can bring their good form to the Gleneagle Hotel in Killarney.

“The lads are playing well, doing well in practice,” he said.

Roadstone will also have two teams competing in the B competition.

The All-Ireland’s are the highlight of the amateur snooker calendar where 44 club teams from the four provinces and Dublin compete against each other.

“The All-Ireland’s have been held for the last 35 years in the Gleneagle,” said Stephen.

The hotel will be a hive of activity during the All-Irelands.

“Each team has five players. Players from each team will be competing simultaneously and a team has to win three matches [to progress],” he said.

Indeed, it will have been a busy fortnight for the hotel as the Munster Club Championships were also held there last weekend.

Two teams from the Pioneer club, Mountjoy Square, Dublin will also be taking part in the All-Ireland’s which will take place from January 25 to 28.

Stephen, who is also Chairman of the Dublin Billiard and Snooker League (DBSL), said that the All-Ireland Club Championship qualifiers for Dublin took place in November.

Players of clubs that are affiliated with the DBSL play every Tuesday and Thursday from September to April on a home and away basis in individual, cup and team competitions.

Monkstown won the All-Ireland’s in 1999 and were the last Dublin team to do so, said Stephen.

Roadstone have a good record in the All-Ireland’s with their A team, captained by Stephen, having reached the final in 2008.

“We had a number of lean years then, but got to the semi-final two years ago,” he said, adding that the standard is very high as only the best amateur players compete.

Stephen, who has played for many years, has of late taken a step back from playing as he unfortunately suffered an injury, with Paul McGrane stepping in as Captain of the A team.

John McDonald and Dave Goddard are the captains of the Roadstone B teams.

Previously the Roadstone club was located at the Belgard Snooker Club, beside the Belgard pub, but has been at the Roadstone Group Sports Club, Kingswood Cross, Naas Road since 2007.

While the Roadstone players do not have a coach some players have received coaching from the former international player, Fergal O’Brien.

“Fergal did a coaching clinic last year, he helps both the casual player and the more advanced player,” said Stephen.