What a fantastic final we had as Ed McDowell ousted the old warhorse Bill McIlroy Sr by 7-5 in the Final of the SRM Larne & District Pool League Individual Championship. After a gruelling two days it was the Ibrox player who put his name on the trophy for the second time, his last success being back in 2010. For McIlroy who has his name on the trophy five times with the last in 2013 it brings to and end his bid for what would have been a unique treble of Open, Seniors and Masters Individual titles in the same year. A fantastic effort indeed by the big man. Well done to outsider Colin Wilson on reaching the Semi Final and to Saints cueist Shaun McAlister in also making the last four. Back to the Final and McDowell who was 5/2 favourite before the event started went behind for the first time in the match at 3-4 but he took the next two to lead 5-4 and missed a good chance to go 6-4 for McIlroy to level at 5-5. A superb long black put the Carrick man 6-5 in front and from an open table in Frame 12 McDowell cleared up to become 2016 Champion. His win also gains him automatic entry into the NIPA Invitational in June.
Top Photo - Winner Ed McDowell (left) receives the trophy from sponsor Stephen McWhirter of SRM Services
Bottom photo - Finalists Ed McDowell and Bill McIlroy Sr with event sponsor Stephen McWhirter (cente) of SRM Services
PRELIMS
Rab Butler 5-1 Ellis Martin
Gary Johnston 5-1 Paul McAlister
Colin Wilson 5-0 Kenny English
Wayne Lewis 5-1 Craig Johnston
LAST
32
Rab Butler 4-5 Gary Johnston
Colin Wilson 5-4 Wayne Lewis
Lee McCormick 2-5 Ed McDowell
Gerry McCorry 5-3 Michael Douglas
Alan Johnston 5-1 Ryan Marcus
Micky O'Boyle 3-5 Lee Hogg
Bill McIlroy Jr 5-0 Jean McIlroy
Neil McFaul 4-5 Dean McDonagh
Shaun McAlister 5-1 Stephen Burns
Stuart Houston 5-1 Tyler McKee
Bill McIlroy Sr 5-2 Stephen
McWhirter
Ryan McKillop 5-4 Glenn McLaughlin
Rodney McIlhinney 5-0 Ryan Scott
Ian McCalmont 4-5 Darren Lowe
Lenny Swan 2-5 Aaron Rolston
Alan Murray 5-2 Stephen Reid
LAST
16
Gerry McCorry 2-5 Dean McDonagh
Lee Hogg 5-3 Gary Johnston
Bill McIlroy Jr 5-0 Stuart Houston
Darren Lowe 3-5 Rodney McIlhinney
Shaun McAlister 5-0 Alan Murray
Ed McDowell 5-3 Alan Johnston
Bill McIlroy Sr 5-2 Ryan McKillop
Aaron Rolston 0-5 Colin Wilson
LAST
8
Lee Hogg 4-5 Shaun McAlister
Bill McIlroy Jr 4-5 Ed McDowell
Bill McIlroy Sr 5-0 Dean McDonagh
Colin Wilson 5-4 Rodney McIlhinney
SEMI
FINALS
Ed McDowell 6-2 Shaun McAlister
Bill McIlroy Sr 6-4 Colin Wilson
FINAL (Race to 7)
Ed McDowell 7-5 Bill McIlroy SrFINAL FRAMES
McDowell McIlroy McDowell McIlroy McDowell McIlroy McIlroy McDowell McDowell McIlroy McDowell McDowell
All early rounds "best of 9", Semi Finals "best of 11", Final "best of 13"
Each round redrawn
Played down to last eight stage on Day 1
Players lose 1 frame every 5 minutes late when called to table
