Wallace is Northern Ireland Record Breaker

Patrick Wallace created domestic history when he won his seventh Northern Irish National Snooker Championship title after a 10-2 final defeat of Jordan Brown at the Pot Black Club in Cookstown.

Former professional Wallace – quarter-finalist in the 2001 World Championship at the Crucible Theatre – established an 8-1 first session advantage over his Antrim opponent, who himself is a former professional and two-time winner of this event.

On resumption, the 45-year-old from Dungannon completed the task, closing proceedings with an 85 break – the highest of the match. It is the fourth consecutive year that Wallace has claimed the title.

Championship number seven means he overtakes the previous all-time record holder, Jack McNally, who enjoyed his success between 1931-1946. A competition that was first contested in 1927, this national accolade has been won by Alex Higgins (1968) and Mark Allen (2003 & 2005).

Elsewhere in Northern Ireland, Connell Doherty ousted fellow Belfast cueist Peter Berryman in the final to win the national under-19 snooker championship.

Held at the Blackstaff Snooker Club in the capital city, Connell fluked the brown ball in the deciding frame and made it count by clearing the remaining colours to take the title.

Berryman made the tournament’s highest break – a 98.