Owenies Bar, Dungloe, won the country’s premier pub-team pool event in The Newbury Hotel, Mullingar, over the weekend.
Runner-up in the event last year, the Dungloe team were pitted in a very tough round-robin group that included last year’s champions, Balreask from Meath. The lads struggled at times and just managed to scrape through in second place and qualify for the Sunday knockout stages.
A comfortable 11-5 victory over The Fiddlers Bar, Athlone, got the confidence going and set up a massive match against Clarkes, Mullingar, winners of the inaugural event two years ago. Shaun Sharkey led his team in scintillating fashion, playing the sort of pool that demonstrates why he’s an International and the Donegal team emerged victorious from a high quality match.
In the final they faced The Carnaross Inn from Kells, a team chock-a-block with international experience. The Owenies lads raced into a 8-2 lead with some great finishes from Liam Travers and Marty Boyle in particular. Their opponents slowly but surely closed the gap and were starting to look stronger when Shaun Sharkey took out another superb finish to steady the ship before Matthew Mahon potted an outrageous black to take the match on a 15-12 scoreline.
The team would like to thank Finnian and Bridie Sharkey for all their support and C&C Windows and Doors for sponsoring tops. Also, great credit must go to the Westmeath Pool Association for running a great competition to a real professional standard.
