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MIKE Talmondt is close to retaining his Cuestars South of England Seniors Tour title after bouncing back from his worst ever performance on the 40-plus circuit.
The ex-professional from Portsmouth claimed his third tournament win of the season in the sixth leg at Woking Snooker Centre to replace Matt Ford at the top of the rankings.
“I’m happy to get a win,” said Talmondt, who defeated Southampton’s Ram Birring 2-1 in the final.
“I had a bad last two tournaments. I didn’t even get out of the group in Chandler’s Ford!”
The 43-year-old broke the back of the first frame with a 48 break and went on a run of 28 in the next from a fluked red that missed a black corner pocket, careered back down the table, cannoned the brown on its spot and disappeared into the yellow pocket.
But as the rain from Storm Katie pounded the roof of the one-storey building, Birring, also 43, squared the match with a well-crafted green to black clearance that was acknowledged by his opponent.
Both missed pots in the decider - which was heading towards a tense, scrappy ending - until Talmondt cleared the table for 69, the highest break of the day.
“We both had chances and both missed silly balls,” he said. “But it was a good game. I was happy to clear up in the last frame.”
Following his wins in Fareham and Salisbury, Talmondt lost in the quarter-finals in Swindon and - for the first time ever in his 11 Seniors Tour outings - failed to qualify from his group in Chandler’s Ford
Ford (Bracknell) or John Hunter (Andover) will need to win the final leg in Newbury next month and hope that Talmondt fails to enter or finishes no higher than fifth in his round-robin group.
Earlier, Talmondt, who was beaten 2-1 in the group stages by Martin Wallace, and former champion Hunter compiled a 64 break apiece to share the first two frames of their semi-final.
“It was a slow start as normal but it got better as the day went on,” said Talmondt. “I played well against John.”
For the first time in 11 months, Wallace (Reading) reached the last-four where he took Birring to a third-frame decider.
David Stewart (Odiham) survived a three-way play-off (one frame, aggregate points) to progress to the knockout for the first time since his debut on home tables at Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club in October, 2012. But he was knocked out 2-0 by clubmate Birring.
The Crucible Sports & Social Club, Newbury, hosts the seventh and final leg on Sunday, April 24.
BREAKS
Mike Talmondt: 69, 64, 49, 43.
John Hunter: 64, 58, 51, 47, 47, 44, 41.
Jon Monckton: 54.
Martin Wallace: 49.
Nick Birney: 47.
Ram Birring: 40.
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP POSITIONS
GROUP A: 1st, Mike Talmondt (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 2nd, Martin Wallace (Crowthorne RBL); 3rd, Chris Stocker (Sunninghill Comrades Club, Ascot); Marc Russell (Chandlers Ford Central) scratched.
GROUP B: 1st, Nick Birney (Liberal Club, High Wycombe); 2nd, David Stewart (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Stephen Hills (Traders, Northfleet); 4th, Nick Miles (Ashlett Club, Fawley).
GROUP C: 1st, Ram Birring (Chandler’s Ford SC); 2nd, John Hunter (Salisbury SC); 3rd, Jon Monckton (Woking SC); 4th, Christopher Howie (Shirley Cons); 5th, Peter Chin (Woking SC).
GROUP D: 1st, Paul Stenning (Park Gate RBL); 2nd, Neil Carroll (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Trevor Thorn (Basingstoke Cons); 4th, Dave Pullman (Sunninghill Comrades Club, Ascot).
KNOCKOUT RESULTS
QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Talmondt 2 Carroll 0, Hunter 2 Birney 0, Birring 2 Stewart 0, Wallace 2 Stenning 0.
SEMI-FINALS (£20, 15 points): Talmondt 2 Hunter 1, Birring 2 Wallace 1.
FINAL (£90/£40, 25/18 points): Talmondt 2 Birring 1.
Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)
The ex-professional from Portsmouth claimed his third tournament win of the season in the sixth leg at Woking Snooker Centre to replace Matt Ford at the top of the rankings.
“I’m happy to get a win,” said Talmondt, who defeated Southampton’s Ram Birring 2-1 in the final.
“I had a bad last two tournaments. I didn’t even get out of the group in Chandler’s Ford!”
The 43-year-old broke the back of the first frame with a 48 break and went on a run of 28 in the next from a fluked red that missed a black corner pocket, careered back down the table, cannoned the brown on its spot and disappeared into the yellow pocket.
But as the rain from Storm Katie pounded the roof of the one-storey building, Birring, also 43, squared the match with a well-crafted green to black clearance that was acknowledged by his opponent.
Both missed pots in the decider - which was heading towards a tense, scrappy ending - until Talmondt cleared the table for 69, the highest break of the day.
“We both had chances and both missed silly balls,” he said. “But it was a good game. I was happy to clear up in the last frame.”
Following his wins in Fareham and Salisbury, Talmondt lost in the quarter-finals in Swindon and - for the first time ever in his 11 Seniors Tour outings - failed to qualify from his group in Chandler’s Ford
Ford (Bracknell) or John Hunter (Andover) will need to win the final leg in Newbury next month and hope that Talmondt fails to enter or finishes no higher than fifth in his round-robin group.
Earlier, Talmondt, who was beaten 2-1 in the group stages by Martin Wallace, and former champion Hunter compiled a 64 break apiece to share the first two frames of their semi-final.
“It was a slow start as normal but it got better as the day went on,” said Talmondt. “I played well against John.”
For the first time in 11 months, Wallace (Reading) reached the last-four where he took Birring to a third-frame decider.
David Stewart (Odiham) survived a three-way play-off (one frame, aggregate points) to progress to the knockout for the first time since his debut on home tables at Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club in October, 2012. But he was knocked out 2-0 by clubmate Birring.
The Crucible Sports & Social Club, Newbury, hosts the seventh and final leg on Sunday, April 24.
BREAKS
Mike Talmondt: 69, 64, 49, 43.
John Hunter: 64, 58, 51, 47, 47, 44, 41.
Jon Monckton: 54.
Martin Wallace: 49.
Nick Birney: 47.
Ram Birring: 40.
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP POSITIONS
GROUP A: 1st, Mike Talmondt (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 2nd, Martin Wallace (Crowthorne RBL); 3rd, Chris Stocker (Sunninghill Comrades Club, Ascot); Marc Russell (Chandlers Ford Central) scratched.
GROUP B: 1st, Nick Birney (Liberal Club, High Wycombe); 2nd, David Stewart (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Stephen Hills (Traders, Northfleet); 4th, Nick Miles (Ashlett Club, Fawley).
GROUP C: 1st, Ram Birring (Chandler’s Ford SC); 2nd, John Hunter (Salisbury SC); 3rd, Jon Monckton (Woking SC); 4th, Christopher Howie (Shirley Cons); 5th, Peter Chin (Woking SC).
GROUP D: 1st, Paul Stenning (Park Gate RBL); 2nd, Neil Carroll (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Trevor Thorn (Basingstoke Cons); 4th, Dave Pullman (Sunninghill Comrades Club, Ascot).
KNOCKOUT RESULTS
QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Talmondt 2 Carroll 0, Hunter 2 Birney 0, Birring 2 Stewart 0, Wallace 2 Stenning 0.
SEMI-FINALS (£20, 15 points): Talmondt 2 Hunter 1, Birring 2 Wallace 1.
FINAL (£90/£40, 25/18 points): Talmondt 2 Birring 1.
Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)