Middlesbrough’s Darren Kell triumphs as Billiards returns to YBSA calendar.
A field of 24 players took part in the Yorkshire Billiards Championship which made a return yesterday after a gap of a few years. The field was bolstered by a strong contingent from the Middlesbrough area, a hotbed for Billiards, which until 1996 was classed as “Cleveland” but is now officially part of the “ceremonial” county of North Yorkshire.
Kell sailed through the initial group stage, his 3 victories ending in an impressive plus 938 points tally, including breaks of 51, 104u, 51,99, and the days highest of 122. He was joined in the quarter-finals by group winners Kyle Cunningham (78), Brian Barnett, Mark Hirst (51), Jonathan Marwood (60,76, 57,68) Craig Fitzpatrick (53,63) and best runners-up, Chris Jarvis and Paul Roberts.
The quarter-final results were as follows-
Kyle Cunningham 266 v 199 Brian Barnett
Mark Hirst 330 (54) v 163 Paul Roberts
Darren Kell 282 (84) v 167 Jonathan Marwood
Craig Fitzpatrick 249 v 239 Chris Jarvis
Semi-Finals-
Kyle Cunningham 90 v 376 (79,58,53) Mark Hirst
Craig Fitzpatrick 210 (86) v 239 Darren Kell
So the final was between Darren Kell and the last winner of this event Bradford’s Mark Hirst. Common consensus amongst those watching was that it was too close to call and after Hirst took an early lead the match was fairly even at the halfway stage. With no big breaks it was Kell who gradually pulled clear in the second half of the match and at the “buzzer” he held a 317-239 lead and the title was his.
Many thanks to Steve Harrison for his help with the officiating and general organisation and of course to our sponsors the Northern Snooker Centre.
Paul Marlow
General Secretary & Tournament Director
