THE semi finals line-up for the Golden Cue competitions are now complete – with a big shock coming in the last of the quarter finals clashes.
Dave Howe, runner-up in the large table event two years ago, was among the favourites to go all the way this year and possible win it.
However Ben Hindle had other ideas as he produced a stunning victory.
The Burnley Snooker Club player, playing off a plus 15 handicap was expected to go down to the vastly experienced Howe, runner-up to Farak Ajaib in 2011.
But Hindle produced some excellent snooker and, using his handicap to his advantage, didn’t give Howe a chance as he produced a 3-0 victory – one of the biggest shock results of this year’s competition.
The last of the small table quarter finals was equally as one sided as Paul Averill coasted to an unexpected 3-0 win against Rik Nelson. Averill’s victory keeps up the prospect of an all-St Andrew’s final as he was kept apart from club-mate Darren Cregg in the semi final draw made immediately after the quarter final ties.
Cregg, playing off a handicap of +5 will face Sam Shepherd of Lamb Club who, on +15, is the highest handicapped player remaining in the small table competition.
In the other semi final, Averill will play Brian Collinge of Briercliffe.
On the large table, Hindle’s heroics have been rewarded with a semi final clash against Andy Dibb of Ighten Leigh. Like his quarter final victim, Dibb also plays off a plus five handicap.
The other semi final sees ‘comeback’ kid Lee Bannister take of Colne Snooker Club take on Jonny Clark of Padiham Snooker Club.
Clark, playing off plus five, will be wary of the ability of Bannister – playing off a plus 10 handicap – to comeback from the dead as he did in the quarter final, coming from 2-0 down to beat club-mate Dominic Emery 3-0.
n Draw - Large table: L Bannister v J Clark, Sunday, August 11; B Hindle v A Dibb, Tuesday, August 13.
Small table: S Shepherd v D Cregg, Thursday, August 8; B Collinge v P Averill, Saturday, August 10.
All to be played at Ighten Leigh SC
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