NOTICE

The NIBSA web site will still be available for members for reference purposes but will no longer be updated.

I know that the Northern Ireland Billiards and Snooker Association and the snooker fraternity in general here in Northern Ireland and also in Europe and further afield will have been shocked and saddened to learn of the death of Billy Telford.

He was a good snooker player himself, although in later years concentrated most of his energies into the administration and refereeing side of the sport.

It may not be well known in snooker circles but in his early years whilst at the same time playing snooker he was quite a keen gymnast and not only competed himself, but also coached gymnastics at local level.  In his early twenties he turned his attention to Table Tennis, and was a member of the “Dodgers” Table Tennis Team.  He was also the Treasurer of the Ballymena and District League.

In the mid sixties he started his own Plumbing and Heating Business, and whilst keeping busy with that, he always managed to fit in a few games of snooker.

Then in 1970 he became interested in golf, and over a period of time he became more and more involved until ultimately he was honoured with the captaincy of Ballymena Golf Club in 1980.  Luckily the Club had a snooker table as well so he was able to indulge in two of favourite pastimes in the same place.

In the early to mid eighties he devoted more time to playing snooker but found his biggest talent was when he turned his hand to the administration side of snooker.  He then passed his Referees examination even refereeing matches in places as far away as Singapore.  As most of the snooker fraternity know he was involved in various capacities of the administration of snooker and was the treasurer of the Northern Ireland Billiards & Snooker Association.  Other posts included Treasurer of the World snooker body (I.B.S.F.).  He was also Chairman of the Referees Association for some years.  As you know at the time of his passing he held the post of Life Presidency of the Northern Ireland Billiards & Snooker Association.

In the last few years he mastered computers and set up this web site to which he dedicated immense amounts of time, and like everything else he was involved in, he gave it his very best.

Throughout his life he was heavily involved in various sports, but he was also a husband, father and grandfather, and was naturally a big influence in all of their lives.

In the world of snooker Billy Telford was a colleague and friend to many, but to my brother Brian and myself he was ‘Dad’.

He will be greatly missed.

The Telford family would like to thank everyone who sent cards, called at the house or attended the funeral.  It was very much appreciated.

Leonard Telford

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dylan Murray takes the junior highly-acclaimed Title

                        Rafter's player is the 2008 / 2009

   Northern Ireland Under 19 SNOOKER CHAMPION.

B Richmond.

88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

          New -- JUNIOR BILLIARDS CHAMPION

On Sunday 5/04/09 in St Patrick's Billiards Club in Newtownards a new junior champion emerged.

     Kenny Campbell from Crossgar became the 2008 / 09 Billiards Junior Champion.

In a closely contested final Kenny had a skilful victory over William Lowes of Newtownards  200 to 188

At the Semi-final stage, both players showed good powers of concentration to defeat very formidable opponents,

                                                  Kenny beat Taylor Smyth       -        150 to 139.

                                                  William beat Hugh Murdock   -        150 to 116.
 

The final was a close encounter from the outset which could have gone to either lad, Kenny Campbell held his nerve when William Lowes missed his finish to win by 200 -188.

Thanks is due to St Pats billiards club for the use of the facilities and Christian Kirk the junior co-ordinator for organising the event. 

Oliver McGuigan

Senior Manager.

**********************************************************************************     

       The Jock McGregor Senior’s Billiards International

                          NORTHERN IRELAND        V        ENGLAND

Classic Billiards and Snooker Club – Glengormley – 21st and 22^nd March 2009

 No   Northern Ireland     3 x 150 Game     POINTS                  England          3 x 150 Game      POINTS

                                            2 HOUR TIME FRAME MATCH  - 2 Points per Win.

FINAL SCORE :

NORTHERN IRELAND  26  Points       v      ENGLAND  19  Points

****************************************************************************************************************************

           Darren Dornan from the Drumaness club became the

  * New Northern Ireland Billiards Champion *

  by conquering his formidable opponent Roy Lattimer

   from the Queens Hall - Newtownards: 750 to 587 - at

   Gervins Billiards & Snooker Complex in the final of the

                                 2009 - Championship

  Match report now on Billiards Page

************************************************************************

   THE MAGICAL SPELLBINDING 147 MAXIMUM BREAK

       MARK ALLEN EXHIBITION 

              FRIDAY 6^TH MARCH 2009

              FOUNTAIN CLUB, ANTRIM

  PHOTO --   Mark Allen with Gareth Harman (Charity representative) and Nigel and Leanne Clewer    

Friday 6^th March 2009 saw an exhibition match in the Fountain Snooker Club in Antrim by local professional Mark Allen. It will go down as truly a night to remember as in Frame (8) of the exhibition Mark produced a magical 147 maximum break.

His opponent, fellow Fountain Club member, Tommy Skelton, broke off and from there the break started as Mark got off by initially maintaining tight, top of the table position taking blacks with the first eight reds. However on 64 the position went awry with Mark facing only an extremely fine cut to the middle pocket bridging over other reds. However he managed to pot the ball made even more difficult by the fact he had to play it with a lot of left hand check side in order to stay on the black.

Mark then cleared all of the remaining reds and blacks but found himself with a tricky yellow with the rest and extension. Again Mark was up to the task and played it perfectly and proceeded to clear the remaining five colours to a tremendous roar from the 70 strong crowd who were in the Club for the exhibition.

The large crowd were royally entertained throughout the night with a tremendous display of snooker – long potting, superb positional shots, big breaks and trick shots as Mark showed just why he has risen to a provisional ranking of Number 12 in the World. Anyone in the audience who had not seen Mark play before in the flesh will have been astonished by just how good he is and the incredible things he can do on a snooker table.

Mark played 11 local players each of whom were representing one of the evening’s sponsors. The night was not just about the exhibition but was in order to raise money for the Charity – MacMillan Cancer Support. Each frame was sponsored and a raffle took place in addition. The raffle prizes included two frames with Mark on the night and in addition a Star Prize of a £250 cue with case kindly and generously donated by leading cue and table supplier Mr Keith Williams of Ballymena.

In the 11 frames mark had breaks of 64, 54, 65, 62, 72, 50, 62, 54, 103c, 147c, 89, 78.

                                                       Remarkable snooker indeed !

The exhibition was Mark’s first in his home town of Antrim since turning professional in 2005 and he was absolutely delighted to have given his home crowd such a wonderful display. In the end, the night also raised £900 for MacMillan Cancer Support and hence goes down as an resounding success.

Thanks go to Mark himself for giving his time freely during his hectic schedule, Colin Bingham and the Fountain Club for hosting the event. All the night’s Sponsors – Simpsons News Agents, Leos Cabs, Harmans Furniture, The Meat Joint, DS Autos, Antrim Times, Fountain Snooker Club, Maddens Bar, Bingham Blinds, Moes Grill, Terrys Barbers and PcEmperor.co.uk all of whom are local businesses in Antrim Town.

Thanks also go to Gareth Harman representing the Charity, those who donated to the raffle, Vera Bingham for the food and special thanks to Nigel and Leanne Clewer who organised the whole thing from the beginning. Thanks also to Marty Brammeld and Campbell Faulkner for refereeing and Campbell was particularly chuffed as he was the man who refereed the 147 break.

The Master of Ceremonies for the occasion was Gary Morton who also blue-pencilled this report.

Thanks Gary.

               +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

                                 DATES for your DIARY  

                               ...................................................

                EUROPEAN SNOOKER CHAMPIONSHIPS

                          LADIES / MASTER'S / MEN

                              3rd  to 13th June 2009

                                 Duffel - BELGIUM

                                                 .......................................................................

           H.I.B.S.F  --  HOME INTERNATIONAL SERIES

                LADIES / MASTER'S / MEN & BILLIARDS

                          4th to 11th September 2009

                    Pontin's - Prestatyn - North Wales

N.B    Men and Billiards events will include both senior and junior competitions.

                                    All Senior events played between Fri 4th and Mon 7th.

                            All Junior (under 21) events played between Tue 8th and Fri 11th.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

*************************************************************************

MASTERS GUIDELINES

1 Entry fee for each Ranking event will be £ 7.00

Entry fee for the NI Championship will be £ 10.00.

2 Prize fund will be as follows :---

Winner 40% of entry fees collected.

Runner-up 25% of entry fees collected.

2 semi-finalists 15% each of entry fees collected.

3 Ranking points will be awarded to each participating player.

4 All players will automatically receive (10) points for each ranking tournament

they participate in.

5 Each player will receive an additional (10) points for every game won.

6 Each event winner will (as a bonus) receive an additional (10) points.

7 Records will be published on the website nisnooker.org in table pattern.

8 This ranking table will be used in the selection of players to play on the

Home International over forties team.

9 The 2 top ranked players at the end of the 4^th event will have the choice to

represent N.I. at the European Masters Championships.

10 The winner and the runner-up of the N.I. Championship will have the choice

to represent N.I. at the IBSF World Masters Championship.

Note --- No player can represent N.I. at both events 

£5.00 Membership fee will entitle a player to play in the Masters ONLY.

£10.00 Membership fee will entitle a player to play in all events (i.e);---

Intermediate Competitions --- Ranking Tournaments and Masters.

          The Master’s events are intended to give “THE YESTERYEAR PLAYERS”

a renewed interest and challenge in their sport, the prize money may not be

tremendous but the enjoyment in this age group could be excellent.

     .............................................................................................................

ALL IRELAND CLUB TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

                  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------            

                            INTERESTED CLUBS please TAKE NOTE