HIGH Wycombe star Nick Birney admitted it had been a long wait to win his first event on the Cuestars South of England Seniors Tour for two years.
But the 46-year-old was one stroke of fortune from making a group-stage exit in the seventh and final leg of the 40-plus circuit at The Crucible Sports & Social Club, Newbury.
Birney cleared the last five colours to take the opening frame of the final on the black to counter a 30 break by Neil Herd and left his Frome-based opponent needing snookers with one red left in the second.
Herd had dispatched first time semi-finalist Paul Stenning (Southampton) 2-1 to progress to his first Seniors final for 27 months.
Speaking after his 2-0 victory, Birney said: Its been a long wait. Ive been putting in a bit of practice lately so I was hoping to do well today.
But he added: I should have been knocked out by Paul Lawrence. In the last frame, he missed the black all together.
Indeed. Birney lost his first round-robin match 2-1 to Southamptons Ram Birring, beat Herd 2-1 and edged his third game 2-1 on the final black after Lawrence, also from Southampton, completely missed it.
Birney, who is based at High Wycombes Liberal Club and won the Seniors Championship play-off in 2011/12, then accounted for this seasons runner-up John Hunter (Andover) 2-1 and newly-crowned champion Mike Talmondt (Portsmouth) by the same score in the knockout rounds.
Reflecting on life on the Seniors Tour, he said: Ill be back. I love it.
I love competing against Matt (Ford) and John and even Wayne (Muddiman). Anybody can beat anybody on their day.
It was at Woking Snooker Centre on April 27, 2014, that Birney beat Neil Carroll (Rownhams) 2-0 to win his last final. And he had beaten Herd 2-1 in the last-four.
Before the event in Newbury, Ford was presented with his Championship Tour trophy and then crashed out in the group stages.
BREAKS
Mike Talmondt: 69, 53, 46, 40, 40.
John Hunter: 69.
Matt Ford: 66, 47, 46, 40.
Nick Birney: 58, 51.
Martin Wallace: 57.
Ram Birring: 46.
Wayne Muddiman: 41
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP POSITIONS
GROUP A: 1st, Mike Talmondt (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 2nd, Dave Pullman (Sunninghill Comrades Club, Ascot); 3rd, Jon Monckton (Woking SC); 4th, Jonathan Walker (Potting Shed, Aldbourne).
GROUP B: 1st, John Hunter (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Wayne Muddiman (Chandlers Ford Central); 3rd, Matt Ford (Sunninghill Comrades Club, Ascot); 4th, Alan Thomas (Jesters, Swindon).
GROUP C: 1st, Neil Herd (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Nick Birney (Liberal Club, High Wycombe); 3rd, Paul Lawrence (Park Gate RBL); 4th, Ram Birring (Chandlers Ford SC).
GROUP D: 1st, Paul Stenning (Park Gate RBL); 2nd, Martin Wallace (Crowthorne RBL); 3rd, David Stewart (Chandlers Ford SC); 4th, Martin Luker (Jesters, Swindon).
KNOCKOUT RESULTS
QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Talmondt 2 Wallace 0, Birney 2 Hunter 1, Herd 2 Muddiman 1, Stenning 2 Pullman 1.
SEMI-FINALS (£20, 15 points): Birney 2 Talmondt 1, Herd 2 Stenning 0.
FINAL (£80/£40, 25/18 points): Birney 2 Herd 0.
Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)
Birney's two-year wait over
But the 46-year-old was one stroke of fortune from making a group-stage exit in the seventh and final leg of the 40-plus circuit at The Crucible Sports & Social Club, Newbury.
Birney cleared the last five colours to take the opening frame of the final on the black to counter a 30 break by Neil Herd and left his Frome-based opponent needing snookers with one red left in the second.
Herd had dispatched first time semi-finalist Paul Stenning (Southampton) 2-1 to progress to his first Seniors final for 27 months.
Speaking after his 2-0 victory, Birney said: Its been a long wait. Ive been putting in a bit of practice lately so I was hoping to do well today.
But he added: I should have been knocked out by Paul Lawrence. In the last frame, he missed the black all together.
Indeed. Birney lost his first round-robin match 2-1 to Southamptons Ram Birring, beat Herd 2-1 and edged his third game 2-1 on the final black after Lawrence, also from Southampton, completely missed it.
Birney, who is based at High Wycombes Liberal Club and won the Seniors Championship play-off in 2011/12, then accounted for this seasons runner-up John Hunter (Andover) 2-1 and newly-crowned champion Mike Talmondt (Portsmouth) by the same score in the knockout rounds.
Reflecting on life on the Seniors Tour, he said: Ill be back. I love it.
I love competing against Matt (Ford) and John and even Wayne (Muddiman). Anybody can beat anybody on their day.
It was at Woking Snooker Centre on April 27, 2014, that Birney beat Neil Carroll (Rownhams) 2-0 to win his last final. And he had beaten Herd 2-1 in the last-four.
Before the event in Newbury, Ford was presented with his Championship Tour trophy and then crashed out in the group stages.
BREAKS
Mike Talmondt: 69, 53, 46, 40, 40.
John Hunter: 69.
Matt Ford: 66, 47, 46, 40.
Nick Birney: 58, 51.
Martin Wallace: 57.
Ram Birring: 46.
Wayne Muddiman: 41
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP POSITIONS
GROUP A: 1st, Mike Talmondt (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 2nd, Dave Pullman (Sunninghill Comrades Club, Ascot); 3rd, Jon Monckton (Woking SC); 4th, Jonathan Walker (Potting Shed, Aldbourne).
GROUP B: 1st, John Hunter (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Wayne Muddiman (Chandlers Ford Central); 3rd, Matt Ford (Sunninghill Comrades Club, Ascot); 4th, Alan Thomas (Jesters, Swindon).
GROUP C: 1st, Neil Herd (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Nick Birney (Liberal Club, High Wycombe); 3rd, Paul Lawrence (Park Gate RBL); 4th, Ram Birring (Chandlers Ford SC).
GROUP D: 1st, Paul Stenning (Park Gate RBL); 2nd, Martin Wallace (Crowthorne RBL); 3rd, David Stewart (Chandlers Ford SC); 4th, Martin Luker (Jesters, Swindon).
KNOCKOUT RESULTS
QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Talmondt 2 Wallace 0, Birney 2 Hunter 1, Herd 2 Muddiman 1, Stenning 2 Pullman 1.
SEMI-FINALS (£20, 15 points): Birney 2 Talmondt 1, Herd 2 Stenning 0.
FINAL (£80/£40, 25/18 points): Birney 2 Herd 0.
Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)
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