We often hear and read about the players, the coaches, the commentators, the officials and even the fans. But it isn’t often that we get a chance to learn about some of the other men behind the scenes at snooker events, exhibitions and clubs. Does each venue on the season’s[Read More…]
Features
Fin’s Fables: The 128 Debate
By Fin Ruane Since the climax of this year’s Masters, two probing questions have arisen among both players and fans alike regarding the current game of professional snooker. Many commentators and ex-players, namely the seven times world champion Stephen Hendry, have questioned whether the standard of play produced this season[Read More…]
Fin’s Fables: The future of Amateur Snooker in Ireland
By Fin Ruane With the cancellation of this year’s Irish section of the Snookerbacker Classic, Irish based snooker players now find themselves ruing the lost opportunity of a shot at the end of season Q School and a possible crack at the big time, or will they? This event was[Read More…]
FF: Where Are They Now…Paddy Browne
By Fin Ruane On Friday the old master Steve Davis again rolled back the years by qualifying for next month’s UK Championship. It has to go down as an incredible achievement for the 55-year-old who once again has defied the odds and the pundits by qualifying for one of snooker’s[Read More…]
Fin’s Fables: Snooker in The New World
By Fin Ruane This weekend sees the snooker roadshow move onto Sofia in Bulgaria for the fourth leg of the European PTC series. With two remaining events left to play in Scotland and Germany, the last few places are up for grabs for the Grand Finals in Galway (TBC) next[Read More…]
Fin’s Fables: Will the Rocket Fire Again?
By Fin Ruane Tuesday saw an extraordinary statement released from World Snooker regarding Ronnie O’Sullivan’s withdrawal from the remainder of the snooker season. I for one was truly astonished as I felt O’Sullivan was ready to resume his career at the UK Championship in York next month and continue on[Read More…]
Fin’s Fables: The Wildcard Question
By Fin Ruane At this week’s International Championship in Chengdu, China, the issue of wildcard rounds has once again been the subject of much heated conversation and debate. Originally introduced in invitation events such as the Benson & Hedges Masters and Irish Masters the wildcards were a way of the[Read More…]
Fin’s Fables: The Greatest Match Ever
By Fin Ruane With the snooker road show descending on Antwerp this weekend for the third instalment of the European Players Tour Championship, one recalls last season’s event in Belgium and to the final which many commentators claimed to be the finest they had witnessed in many a year. It[Read More…]
Fin’s Fables: The Greatest Comebacks
By Fin Ruane After Europe’s incredible Ryder Cup comeback last Sunday, comparisons were soon made alongside other great sporting comebacks. Liverpool’ amazing Champions League Final comeback in Instanbul in 2005 comes to mind as does Manchester United’s in the 1999 Final, but what of the great reverses in snooker? One[Read More…]
Fin’s Fables: A Chinese Snooker
By Fin Ruane In Shanghai this week, PTCs aside, the third full ranking event of the new season is taking place. The Bank of Communication Shanghai Masters is now a regular fixture on the calendar, more importantly however is that it’s the second of five ranking events in China this[Read More…]