New Institute are the Kings of Irish Snooker once more

New Institute Snooker Club Nenagh were crowned All Ireland Club champions for the third time in Killarney on Saturday.

Hopefully a portent of things to come in another code this year, the team of Mark Walsh, Brendan O'Donoghue, Tony Seymour, Tom Gleeson and Mark Gleeson defeated Kilkenny Shed 3-1 in the final win the title for the second time in four years to become the kings of Kerry and Ireland once more.

It is the third time in eleven years that the club has won the blue ribboned team event in club snooker, with previous successes in 2008 and 2016, and club chairman and team member Tony Seymour described this title “as the best ever win as far as All Ireland's are concerned.”

He added: “We were missing a former European champion in David Hogan who would be a big loss to any team but it shows the strength in depth we have as a club.”

Indeed Hogan was the only change to the side that won the All Ireland four years ago with young Mark Gleeson taking his place and the rising star played extremely well and contributed handsomely to the overall victory.

And they had to show no little mettle to to claim All Ireland glory, after losing their opening game 3-2 to Cue Club Killarney on Thursday morning, meaning they had no margin for error in their efforts to make the knockout stages.

 

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