Wexford pub finds itself snookered

March 1985

A Wexford pub has been snookered as it is not being allowed play in a local competition because its team is too good.

The team from Kelly’s of Barrack Street were refused entry into a pub snooker competition at Caesar’s Palace because their players are judged to be so good that they would have just walked away with the title.

The team from Kelly’s (formerly Matthew’s) is made up of members of the CYMS snooker team. And the CYMS are recent winners of a major championship, are running away with the county league, and boast current county champion Joe Delaney among their ranks.

Says Caesar’s Palace boss, Brian McManus – ‘we have to be fair about this, and strike a balance. We only allowed two members from any club on a pub team. It is just not on to load a team with players from a top club.’

But Kelly’s team captain, Dick Murphy, is sore at their exclusion. ‘It is unfair because it is not our fault we have so many good players,’ he said.

With Murphy on the Kelly’s team are Joe Delaney, Phil Siggins, Tom Mahoney, Sean Mahoney, Dermot O’Rourke, Terence Crosbie, and Fergie Kehoe – all members of the CYMS first or second teams.

Mr Murphy said the team was included in the original draw for the competiton, but was later told it could not take part. Mr McManus says this was because they did not at first know who was on the team.

‘In singles events, we handicap players, and we have to use some sort of system for team events to level the playing field too,’ he maintained.

But Kelly’s still insist this is unfair and that they should be allowed to enter their best team.