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A BUDDING snooker star from Sedgley whose game was given a massive boost when a top-40 professional joined his club has claimed a first tournament win on a prestigious junior circuit.
Potting sensation Richie Haney lost only one frame all day en route to claiming the £100 prize money at the second Midlands leg of the EASB (English Association of Billiards & Snooker) Regional Junior Tour.
The 17-year-old, playing on home tables at the Golden Cue Snooker Club, Bilston, defeated Cannock-based Riley Parsons 2-0 in the final.
He also pocketed £20 for the day’s high break of 60.
Stuart Langford, the youngster’s manager and sponsor, reckons his protégé’s game improved dramatically after world number 39 Mark Joyce joined the club and became his practice partner.
“(Mark) has been a massive inspiration to Richie,” said Langford.
“On the day, Richie played some of his best snooker. Only dropping a single frame all day just proved how good his game was.”
The one frame out of 12 that Haney lost was to leg-one winner Keiran Phillips (Broughton Astley, Leics) in the round-robin group stages.
Parsons dug deep to account for Connor Rollo (Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Notts) in the quarter-finals. Trailing by 51 points in the first frame, he compiled a break of 42 up to and including the blue but ran out of position when a frame-winning clearance was on.
The break appeared to give him confidence as he went on to win the next two frames to progress to the last-four where he beat Hugo Tomas (Lincoln) 2-0. Finishing runner-up was his best result so far on the tour.
Haney dropped only twelve points to Dom Cooney (Huntingdon), who had been performing well all day, in the second semi.
Strong break building and safety play saw him through a good-spirited final.
Haney - who has compiled eight century breaks, with a high of 133 - first appeared on the feeder circuit for the national Premier Junior Tour in 2012/13. He reached two finals and finished the season ranked fourth.
Langford has since entered him in three Players Tour Championship events, professional tournaments that are also open to amateurs, including a trip to Mülheim, Germany.
“He has so much talent and potential I believe he will make it as a professional as he not only has passion for the game but he has the determination to get there,” said Langford.
The third leg of eight is at the Cueball Snooker Club, Derby, on Sunday, February 2.
Tim Dunkley
EASB Media Officer South and World Snooker coach
The English Association of Snooker & Billiards is the national governing body for the amateur game in this country. For more information about competitions, rankings lists and results, see www.easb.co.uk.
Potting sensation Richie Haney lost only one frame all day en route to claiming the £100 prize money at the second Midlands leg of the EASB (English Association of Billiards & Snooker) Regional Junior Tour.
The 17-year-old, playing on home tables at the Golden Cue Snooker Club, Bilston, defeated Cannock-based Riley Parsons 2-0 in the final.
He also pocketed £20 for the day’s high break of 60.
Stuart Langford, the youngster’s manager and sponsor, reckons his protégé’s game improved dramatically after world number 39 Mark Joyce joined the club and became his practice partner.
“(Mark) has been a massive inspiration to Richie,” said Langford.
“On the day, Richie played some of his best snooker. Only dropping a single frame all day just proved how good his game was.”
The one frame out of 12 that Haney lost was to leg-one winner Keiran Phillips (Broughton Astley, Leics) in the round-robin group stages.
Parsons dug deep to account for Connor Rollo (Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Notts) in the quarter-finals. Trailing by 51 points in the first frame, he compiled a break of 42 up to and including the blue but ran out of position when a frame-winning clearance was on.
The break appeared to give him confidence as he went on to win the next two frames to progress to the last-four where he beat Hugo Tomas (Lincoln) 2-0. Finishing runner-up was his best result so far on the tour.
Haney dropped only twelve points to Dom Cooney (Huntingdon), who had been performing well all day, in the second semi.
Strong break building and safety play saw him through a good-spirited final.
Haney - who has compiled eight century breaks, with a high of 133 - first appeared on the feeder circuit for the national Premier Junior Tour in 2012/13. He reached two finals and finished the season ranked fourth.
Langford has since entered him in three Players Tour Championship events, professional tournaments that are also open to amateurs, including a trip to Mülheim, Germany.
“He has so much talent and potential I believe he will make it as a professional as he not only has passion for the game but he has the determination to get there,” said Langford.
The third leg of eight is at the Cueball Snooker Club, Derby, on Sunday, February 2.
Tim Dunkley
EASB Media Officer South and World Snooker coach
The English Association of Snooker & Billiards is the national governing body for the amateur game in this country. For more information about competitions, rankings lists and results, see www.easb.co.uk.