Snookers best coming to Thurles for exhibition
The time is getting close for the appearance of current World Snooker champion Mark Williams and the 1997 World champion Ken Doherty in The Dome, Semple Stadium, Thurles on Wednesday 23rd January.
The night will be a mixture of snooker, stories, jokes, trick-shots and a Q & A session.
A big feature will be both stars playing the best of local talent. The local players include Freddie Chute from Thurles, a member of Thurles Snooker Club who will play Mark Williams. Fondly known as the milkman, Freddie is a driving force of snooker in Thurles and has his own table where the club is based.
Another local man taking part is Martin McElquinn. Martin is another member of Thurles snooker club and he will take on Ken Doherty, as will Templemore man Jimmy Quinn.
The legend that is Michael Bumster from Dungarvan, but now playing for Thurles, will also do battle against Ken. Ken and Michael are close friends so they both will want to get one over the other.
If the stars thought it was going to be an easy night then they are very much mistaken. Next up to play Ken will be Nenagh man Tommy Gleeson. Known as the postman, he has warned Ken that the postman always delivers. Tommy has a high break of 147, has been in 3 Irish senior finals, winning one. He was also a member of the professional challenge tour, reaching the semi-final of the European Championships and the quarter finals of the World Amatuer Championships. He has 1 All Ireland club title and 5 Munster club titles with his home club, New Institute in Nenagh.
Then the World champion taking on Brendan O'Donoghue, also from the New Institute in Nenagh. Brendan has been Irish senior champion on three occasions. He has won more Irish senior ranking titles than any other player in history 24 (including Ken Doherty). He has one 2 National amateur titles and 8 Munster club titles with his home club. He reached the European championship final in 2008 and the semi-final of the World Amatuer Championships in 2003. Last year in China he reached the World Championships quarter final. Brendan has compiled hundreds of century breaks and has made 39 maximum breaks. Both will play best of 3 matches against the professionals.
Tickets are going fast with VIP Tickets nearly sold out. Tickets are available at Lar na bPairce, Thurles by contacting 0504 22702 or on Ticketstop.ie