Embassy title for Thompson right on cue
ALAN Thompson has been crowned Embassy Christmas Handicap champion after coming out on top in last Wednesday night’s final against Dominic O’Connor.
The Embassy played host to the decider, which was sponsored by the Bodhrain Bar in Bridge Street.
It was best of nine and the first frame was a tense affair, with both players having their chances, but Thompson nicked it to go one up.
in the next O’Connor started well, opening up a nice lead, but Thompson dug in and found himself 13 ahead with pink and black remaining. O’Connor took advantage of a poor safety to pot both pink and black and force a respotted black.
O’Connor had the first tempter at the black but missed, allowing Thompson to win the frame - to rapturous applause from daughter Emily in the crowd!
In frame three that missed black seemed to be on O’Connor’s mind, and the dominant Thompson took it and the next frame as well to leave him within reach of victory.
Frame five started well for O’Connor, though, as he opened with a 24 and was unlucky when trying to open the pack in terms of the break being bigger. Thompson did try and fight back in the frame, but with the help of an array of long and short pots O’Connor got his first frame on the board.
Suddenly O’Connor was looking inspired and in the next he showed again why he was in this final, playing some great snooker and securing the frame. At 4-2, was a comeback on?
Thompson looked rattled for a time, especially when he missed a red by a wide margin when 11 points ahead in the next. His head sunk to the baize and the crowd cheered O’Connor to the table, but in those couple of seconds that wild red had bounced off three cushions and nestled in the green pocket. Perhaps this was the stroke of luck all champions need.
Thompson capitalised on his good fortune, making a break of 24 until the break came to an end with just brown, blue, pink and black remaining. A glance at the scoreboard from his opponent was met with a handshake and Thompson was crowned the champion on a scoreline of 5-2, to rapturous cheers from the crowd.
Earlier, Thompson’s route to the final saw him beat newcomer Ken Byrne 3-0 in the quarter-finals, showing the class his decorated local snooker career reflects. He would need that class in abundance in his semi-final as he took on John Dugdale, conqueror of David J Mcardle in the previous round. However, after some close frames played at a high standard Thompson ran out a 4-2 winner and booked his place in the final.
In the other half of the draw O’Connor went into his quarter-final full of confidence after knocking in a wonderful 142 total clearance in practice and he duly dispatched Derek Hernon 3-0. In the form of his life, O’Connor then took on Duncan Liew for a place in the final and continued that good form to inflict a 4-1 defeat on the Chinese sensation.