Collumb Conquers Scottish Snooker’s Premier Event
Several national championship titles were decided at Scottish Snooker’s recent 2018/19 Finals Weekend held at the Minnesota Fats Snooker Club in Glasgow.
In the weekend’s main event, Michael Collumb won his maiden Scottish National Snooker Championship following a victory over Gary Thomson in the final.
Runner-up in 2015, 30-year-old Collumb progressed through the early rounds to reach the quarter-finals. Breaks of 74, 62, 108 and 52 helped him defeat Darren Ellis, 5-0, in the last eight, and then a 6-3 elimination of Ross Vallance put him through to another final.
Thomson was looking to again lift the trophy that in the past has been won by Scottish greats such as Stephen Hendry, Alan McManus and Graeme Dott. The 2001 champion secured his final berth via a 6-5 success against Craig MacGillivray where he crafted a top effort of 110. In the previous round MacGillivray was on the right side of a deciding frame finish when he dethroned defending champion Fraser Patrick.
The best-of-13 final brought together the top two ranked players from this season’s domestic ranking circuit. Thomson took a 2-0 lead before a 73 break got Collumb on the board. He then chalked up the next two frames to lead going into the interval.
On resumption Collumb extended his advantage but a break of 108 from Thomson stopped the rot. The pair traded frames again (71 break from Collumb in frame eight) before Collumb claimed what would be the last two frames of the match to confirm a 7-4 triumph. The new champion’s next action will be at the upcoming Q-School in Wigan where he aims to achieve a main tour card for the first time.
Whilst Thomson may be disappointed at missing out on the silverware, he will be consoled by the fact that he finished the campaign top of the rankings and therefore receives a wildcard into the Scottish Open professional event in December.
Elsewhere throughout the weekend Richy McDonald won the Masters Championship when he dispatched last year’s winner Michael Philbin, 6-0. Dean Young defended the Scottish Under-21 title after defeating Aaron Graham 5-0 in the final.
Sam McKay went home with a pair of trophies. First, he ousted Amaan Iqbal 3-2 to secure the Under-14s and he doubled up the next day with a 4-1 win against Kieran Kay for the Under-16s top prize.
In the three-ball sport, Davie Sneddon further strengthened his incredible record in the Scottish National Billiards Championship. Despite being over 100 points down half way through the final, Sneddon recovered to get the better of Paul McGowan 526-449 to retain and claim the title for a mind-boggling 31st time.
2019 Scottish National Snooker Championship
Results (from the quarter-finals onwards – breaks in brackets)
Gary Thomson (98, 54, 88) 5-1 Lee Mein (54)
Fraser Patrick 4-5 Craig MacGillivray
Michael Collumb (74, 62, 108, 52) 5-0 Darren Ellis
Dean Young (76) 2-5 Ross Vallance (51)
Semi-Finals
Gary Thomson (110) 6-5 Craig MacGillivray
Michael Collumb 6-3 Ross Vallance
Final
Gary Thomson (108) 4-7 Michael Collumb (73, 71)
