Last updated 19:24, Thursday, 20 November 2008

THE second season proper of winter snooker in the West Cumbria Snooker League got under way last week.

This season sees the championship sponsored by Maryport-based carpets and home furnishings business Eddie Shimmings while the individual knockout competition is again sponsored by Workington-based Intrim Fitness Centres Ltd in the form of the Intrim Trophy.

Last year’s champion Peter O’Hagan, of Workington, will be looking to retain his title but can expect stiff competition from last season’s runner-up Robert Sim and dogged resistance from a host of other competitors.

In the Eddie Shimmings premiership, current champion Peter O’Hagan got off to the best possible start with a 5-0 victory over Workington’s Mark Tunstall with breaks of 72, 45 and 41 from O’Hagan and a contribution of a 34 break from Tunstall.

Tunstall tore up the form book though when coming up against Sim, taking a 2-0 lead against this year’s county champion before Sim replied with the highest league break to date of 79 to go to 2-1.

But even a 31 break in the next frame was not enough to stop Tunstall obtaining a very valuable win over Sim who compiled a 57 break to win the final frame for a 3-2 defeat.

It was back to business as usual though in Sim’s other match when he went 4-0 up against Whitehaven’s Stuart Shepherd with the aid of 78, 43, 38, 36 and 34 breaks.

This year’s losing county semi-finalist Mike Park, of Maryport, got off to a winning start against former county doubles champion Steven O’Hagan, of Workington.

Park took the opening frame with the help of a 45 break. O’Hagan replied by grinding out the second frame and was well on his way to winning the third for a 2-1 lead when Park completed a 27 clearance to pinch the frame.

O’Hagan then took a tight fourth to pull the match back to 2-2 but Park compiled a frame-winning 46 break in the deciding frame to earn the win bonus point.

Newly promoted division one champion Alan Stephenson, of Workington, was up against former county champion and league veteran Mike Dawson, also of Workington.

Dawson took the three opening frames comfortably before Stephenson began to work his way into the match but could not prevent Dawson taking a 5-0 win.

Stephenson fared slightly better against Whitehaven’s Vito Shipley. Shipley got off to a flyer with the opening two frames. Stephenson took the third but Shipley clinched the others to win 4-1.

Shipley also beat former county champion Alan Moore, of Workington. They shared the first two frames but then Shipley moved on to 3-1. Moore took the final frame.

In division one Workington’s Stuart Ryan was against summer league division two champion Mark Johnson, also from Workington.

Ryan took the two opening frames comfortably before Johnson got himself back into the match, taking a black-ball third frame, followed by an easy fourth frame win for 2-2.

However, in the final frame it was Ryan who held his nerve best to come through to take the match 3-2 and collect the win bonus point.

Johnson fared better against Workington’s Dave Chapman. Johnson went 3-0 up, including a black-ball second frame, before Chapman stepped up his game to take the last two frames, which also included a black-ball final frame, to go down 3-2.

Chapman reversed that result when facing Whitehaven’s Ryan Henry. Chapman took the opening frame, only for Henry to reply equally well to take the second for 1-1.

Henry went on to win the third very comfortably before Chapman began his comeback, taking a tight fourth and then the final frame of the evening to win 3-2.

Henry repeated that scoreline when taking on Cleator Moor's John Madine.

Madine kept his unbeaten run intact by defeating Cleator Moor's Alex Chiesa by the same score.

Maryport young cueist Ryan Ismay earned a hard-fought 3-2 victory after being 2-0 down against newcomer Stephen Buchanan, of Workington.

In the Intrim Trophy the preliminary round ties were drawn by Steven O’Hagan and Mike Dawson.

The ties, which must be completed by December 12, are: Alan Stephenson (John St) v Stuart Ryan (John St), Ryan Ismay (Maryport Soc) v Dave Chapman (Glasson).

All rounds are best of five frames.