JAYSON'S
AWSOME SHOW IN KIRKCALDY
SHAW TAKES 2005 CARLSBERG SCOTTISH 9-BALL CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE
Glasgow’s Jayson Shaw became the youngest winner of the Carlsberg Scottish 9-Ball Championships at Styx in Kirkcaldy with a brilliant win over reigning champion and Scottish number one, Michael Valentine. It was a highly entertaining weekend with a number of top quality players travelling over from the Ireland’s American 8 and 9-Ball Tour to play in the event.
The
weekend began with an event solely for the Irish players, which was won by Paddy
Mc Laughlin, who defeated Michael Mc Laughlin 11 racks to 6 in the final.
There was also an international match held with teams representing Ireland and
Scotland going head-to-head in 16 race-to-7 matches. Unfortunately, for the
Scots, Ireland managed to come back from being 7 matches to 5 down to win 9
matches to 7.
A few of the players from the challenge match on Friday night (clockwise from top left): Tam Talent, Paul Bonner, Ronnie Boyle and John Owen
The Carlsberg Scottish 9-Ball Championships themselves started on the Saturday morning with a total of 71 players entering. The format was a Double Elimination tournament until 16 players were remaining – 8 from the Winners’ Bracket and 8 from the Losers’ side – and then the tournament would become Single Elimination to determine the winner. The matches in the Double Elimination phase were races to 8 on both sides of the chart.
The early rounds saw some cracking matches including Irish number 5 and Tour Organiser, Ronnie Boyle, against Ross McInnes with Boyle managing to squeeze through by the odd rack. McInnes would go 2-and-out, losing his first match in the Losers’ Bracket to 2005 All-Ireland Runner Up, Richard Berrie. The new EUKPF European 8-Ball Champion, Scott Ross, got the better of Irish number 1 Paddy Mc Laughlin in a great hill-hill match, which meant that Paddy would have to fight his way through the Losers’ Bracket to get to the last 16. As it was, Paddy fell a step short being put out by Arbroath’s Davy Jack.
Fourteen-year-old Ross Simpson of Cumbernauld gave a good account of himself managing to beat Dave McPherson of Falkirk in the Winners’ Bracket and Achilleas Chatzitheocharis of Edinburgh (via Greece) in the Losers’ Bracket, only to run into Stevie Capaldi, who ended Ross’ excellent run in the tournament. This young man is someone to be watched very closely.
Another excellent match arrived in the final round of the Winners’ Bracket prior to the last 16 when reigning Scottish Champion Michael Valentine came up against 8-Ball master Pat Holtz. While Pat’s win wasn’t exactly a surprise to many people – Pat has had many good results against Michael, including the final of the US Open Qualifier – it was the one-sided 8 – 3 result that made people look twice. It was clear from that result that Pat was most definitely on form and wanting to get the All Ireland and Scottish 9-Ball Championship double.
As it was, come about 5pm on Sunday, 16 players were left with a shot at the 2005 Carlsberg Scottish 9-Ball Championship title. They were:-
Winners' Bracket
Pat Holtz
Paul Bonner
Jayson Shaw
Clark Smith
Stevie Westwater
Scott Ross
Chris Fraser
John Ward
Losers' Bracket
Stevie Capaldi
Jim Smith
Charlie Murphy
John Owen
Michael Valentine
George Fagan
Davy Jack
Gareth Deegan
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Last 16 |
||||
Pat
Holtz |
8 |
v |
7 |
Stevie
Capaldi |
Paul
Bonner |
7 |
v |
8 |
Gareth
Deegan |
Jayson
Shaw |
8 |
v |
5 |
John
Owen |
Clark
Smith |
8 |
v |
2 |
Jim
Smith |
Stevie
Westwater |
4 |
v |
8 |
Michael
Valentine |
Scott
Ross |
4 |
v |
8 |
George
Fagan |
C.
Fraser |
3 |
v |
8 |
Davy
Jack |
John
Ward |
8 |
v |
2 |
Charlie
Murphy |
No real surprises in this round, although the apparent one-sidedness of George Fagan's result against Scott Ross did make people take note that he was one to be watched.
Clark
Smith in action in his match against Jayson Shaw
Pat
"Silky" Holtz during his Quarter Final against Gareth Deegan
Quarter Finals |
||||
Pat
Holtz |
9 |
v |
2 |
Gareth
Deegan |
Jayson
Shaw |
9 |
v |
6 |
Clark
Smith |
Michael
Valentine |
9 |
v |
1 |
George
Fagan |
Davy
Jack |
9 |
v |
5 |
John
Ward |
For the Quarter Finals, the races were now extended to 9 racks, but that didn't stop Pat Holtz and Michael Valentine destroying their opponents - Gareth Deegan and George Fagan - with 9-2 and 9-1 scorelines respectively. With Deegan's elimination from the tournament, Irish hopes were finally dashed for this year.
Quarter
Finalist Gareth Deegan - the last Irishman standing
George
Fagan tries to work out what he has to do to beat The Yeti
Shaw simply outlcassed Clark Smith with a brilliant display to advance by 9 racks to 6, while Davy Jack's experience in the latter stages of SAPPA events helped see him through to the Semi Finals with a 9 - 5 win over John Ward.
Semi Finals |
||||
Pat
Holtz |
7 |
v |
9 |
Jayson
Shaw |
Michael
Valentine |
9 |
v |
3 |
Davy
Jack |
The start of the Holtz - Shaw Semi Final saw Pat making too many mistakes, allowing Jayson to capitalise on them with ruthless efficiency and race off to a 6 - 0 lead. However, Holtz’s in-built “never say die” attitude would not allow him to go down without a fight, and fight he did as he brought the match back to being just 6 – 5 down. However, it wasn’t to be as Shaw eventually won 9 – 7 in a rack that included an outrageous fluke followed by a brilliant bank shot on the 1-ball to set himself up for the run out and a place in his first Scottish 9-Ball Championship Final.
The other Semi Final was a lot more one-sided as Valentine took control and did not allow Jack a clear look at a shot until the 7th rack of the match. Davy continued to try to fight his way back into the match, but Michael's all-round game was too strong for him this time around and it was The Yeti who made it through to his second straight Scottish Championship Final.
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THE FINAL
And so the 2005 Carlsberg 9-Ball Scottish Championship came down to 2 players - the reigning champion and Scottish number one, Michael Valentine of Falkirk, against the young pretender, Glasgow's Jayson Shaw. The final, a race to 10 racks, turned out to be one full of tension, excitement and drama.
Michael
Valentine (L) and Jayson Shaw prior to the
2005 Carlsberg Scottish 9-Ball
Championship Final
Rack 1
To the strains of New Order being played by the club DJ, a crowd of some 40 people stand around the centre table at Styx to watch the final, refereed by Tam Talent. Valentine wins the lag and breaks. He tries to play a 2-8 combination only to scratch, allowing Shaw in. Jayson studies the table for no more than 30 seconds, then gets to work on clearing the table only to come to a shuddering halt by missing a simple 7-ball. Michael steps up but, uncharacteristically fails to take advantage and allows Shaw to take the scrappy opening rack.
Score: Jayson Shaw 1 – 0 Michael Valentine
Rack 2
A thumping break from Michael won’t give him a shot at the 1-ball. From the push out, Valentine manages to make a 1-6 carom, but cannot get a shot on the 1-ball. His attempt to escape from the snooker he left himself leaves Shaw a chance which he capitalises on with a lightening quick run-out.
Score: Jayson Shaw 2 – 0 Michael Valentine
Rack 3
A good break from Jayson gives him a shot on the 1-ball, but the resultant position means that Jayson has to play safe on the 2. Valentine jumps and makes contact, leaving the 2-ball safe. Shaw plays a rash shot, leaving an easy safety for Michael. Jayson miscues the jump attempt allowing Michael to round out the remainder of the rack with ball in hand.
Score: Jayson Shaw 2 – 1 Michael Valentine
Rack 4
Michael scratches on the break. Jayson cannot take advantage of ball in hand and allows Michael in only for him to miss a table-length 5-ball. Shaw calmly mops up the few remaining balls to re-establish his 2-rack lead.
Score: Jayson Shaw 3 – 1 Michael Valentine
Rack 5
Jayson breaks and leaves a shot at the 1-ball. He hangs the 1-ball in the jaws of the pocket, but leaves the cueball perfectly safe behind a couple of balls. Valentine fails to hit the one and with ball in hand, Shaw makes a brilliant run out to extend his lead.
Score: Jayson Shaw 4 – 1 Michael Valentine
Rack 6
Jayson’s break comes up dry and Michael wins the safety battle that follows, clearing up with ball in hand.
Score: Jayson Shaw 4 – 2 Michael Valentine
Rack 7
Ross McInnes now takes over as referee. Valentine breaks and starts to run the table out, but misses an easy 6-ball in the side pocket, allowing Shaw to clear up to extend his lead.
Score: Jayson Shaw 5 – 2 Michael Valentine
Rack 8
Shaw breaks but misses the 1-ball. Valentine starts to run out, but mis-cues a table-length 5-ball allowing Jayson to finish the rack to extend his lead further.
Score: Jayson Shaw 6 – 2 Michael Valentine
Rack 9
A golden break by Jayson adds to Michael's woes.
Score: Jayson Shaw 7 – 2 Michael Valentine
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Rack 10
Jayson breaks, making 2 balls but then misses a tricky 1-5 combination. Valentine runs the rack out, including a phenomenal shot on the 6, drawing the cueball down the long rail for perfect position on the 7-ball.
Score: Jayson Shaw 7 – 3 Michael Valentine
Rack 11
A dry break from Valentine allows Shaw in with an attempt at a safety but he manages to leave half a chance for Michael on a table-length 1-ball. Valentine misses the shot, however, and allows Jayson to start running balls, including a fantastic combination shot which, sadly, leaves him straight on the 6-ball. Jayson tries to force the ball in, rattling it in the jaws of the pocket, leaving Michael with a tough shot. Michael makes a couple of brilliant shots to win the rack and close the gap on his young opponent.
Score: Jayson Shaw 7 – 4 Michael Valentine
Rack 12
A thunderous break from Valentine leads to the first break and dish of the match.
Score: Jayson Shaw 7 – 5 Michael Valentine
Rack 13
Valentine’s woes with the break show their face again with another dry break. The safety battle that follows is only ended by Shaw with an outrageous fluke that makes the 9-ball to regain control of the score.
Score: Jayson Shaw 8 – 5 Michael Valentine
Rack 14
A good break with excellent position on the 1-ball gives Jayson a break and dish that allows him to extend his lead and reach the hill first.
Score: Jayson Shaw 9 – 5 Michael Valentine
Rack 15
Shaw’s last break of the match gives him half a chance on the 1-ball. He misses the one, but manages to fluke the 8-ball only to miss a fairly straight-forward 1-ball. Could the young man be showing signs of nerves? Michael runs out the rack to get another rack back.
Score: Jayson Shaw 9 – 6 Michael Valentine
Rack 16
Valentine’s nightmare time with the break rears its ugly head again with yet another dry break. An excellent safety from Shaw allows him in, but he fails to take the opportunity that is handed to him after hooking himself on the 5-ball. After a couple of scrappy shots each, Valentine clears the table to get closer the youngster.
Score: Jayson Shaw 9 – 7 Michael Valentine
Rack 17
Another dry break from Valentine. Shaw’s nerves come to the surface as he tries a number of wild shots desperately trying to get the 9-ball to drop. His attempts leave Valentine a 2-9 combination, allowing Michael to claw yet another rack back.
Score: Jayson Shaw 9 – 8 Michael Valentine
Rack 18
Michael goes all out with a monster break, finally getting a ball in but he misses his next shot, allowing Shaw at the table with a clear-cut opportunity. Jayson manages to keep his nerves in check this time as he calmly runs the table out to take the 2005 Carlsberg Scottish 9-Ball Championship title.
Final Score: Jayson Shaw 10 – 8 Michael Valentine
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Tournament Organiser Ross McInnes makes a few
announcements and says a few thank yous
Michael Valentine receives his runner up prize
from Rangers defender Marvin Andrews
Rangers player Marvin Andrews shares a joke with Celtic supporter Jayson Shaw before handing him his prize as the 2005 Carlsberg Scottish 9-Ball Champion
Jayson
meets a few new fans!
A great final to finish off a cracking weekend. Thanks have to go to a bunch of people:-
- All the Irish players who made the effort to come over and play;
- Tam Talent and Ross McInnes for organising and running the event;
- Marvin Andrews for presenting the prizes after the final; and last, but by no means least
- Mario and all his staff at Styx American Pool Club for all their help.
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You can see the Double Elimination chart here and the Single Elimination Last 16 chart can be found here.
Too much excitement?
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