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For all details on entering our Events and other information visit our Facebook Page at Nipa Pool
NIPA ON FACEBOOK
For all details on entering our Events and other information visit our Facebook Page at Nipa Pool
INTERNATIONAL QUALIFYING PROCESS 2025
DO YOU WANT THE CHANCE TO PLAY ON TEAM NI ON THE 2025 INTERNATIONAL STAGE AT THE EBA NATIONS CUP & OR EBA EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS, BOTH EVENTS ARE FOR A & B TEAMS. DATES & VENUES TBC BUT MAYBE A MEMORABLE TRIP TO AN EVENT SOMEWHERE ON MAINLAND EUROPE, IRELAND OR THE UK !!!
CLOSING DEADLINE FOR EVENT 1 IS TOMORROW THURSDAY AT 1.00pm
RANKING #1 EVENTS START AT 12.00 noon in EACH CLUB
NEW NIPA RANKING EVENTS FOR MENS, LADIES, SENIORS & MASTERS !!
EVENT 1 OF EACH RANKING SECTION IS THIS COMING SUNDAY, DEADLINE TO ENTER IS THIS THURSDAY AT 1.00pm
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6TH RANKING EVENT ADDED !!!
To give players more flexibility, we are now making it BEST 4/6 EVENTS instead of BEST 4/5 EVENTS to determine points and ranking positions towards selection for 2025 International events.
The Northern Ireland Individual Championships in Mens, Ladies, Seniors & Masters sections will now carry ranking points.
Dates as follows (all played in Antrim Sports Club)
Mens NI Individual - Saturday 5th and Sunday 6th October 2024
Ladies NI Individual - Saturday 12th October 2024
Masters (Over 50s) NI Individual - Sunday 13th October2024
Seniors (Over 40s) NI Individual - Sunday 27th October 2024
RANKING EVENT 1 PAID ENTRIES
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MENS - Jack Carson, Gavin Armstrong, David Lam, Daniel Connor, Chris Cork, Paddy McDowell, Stevie Quinn, Aaron Rolston, Krzys Kusa, Paddy Lynch
LADIES - Katrina McVeigh, Roisin Smith, Maryjo McCourt, Alex Babb, Ashleigh Dinsmore, Elise Richardson, Siobhan Rainey, Ciara Furgrove-Crawley, Kira Kriuova
SENIORS (OVER 40s) - Andy Mackey, Paul Roberts, Tristan Scott-Heyes, Sean Gourley, Rab Butler, Gareth Fears, Steven Higgins, Simon McConnell, Gee Crawley, Iain Britton, Davy Blair Mark Millar, Aaron Leslie, Gerry McCorry, Ian McCalmont, Wayne Lewis, Jason Heffron, Roger Smyth
MASTERS (OVER 50s) - Jason Hunter, Andy Spiers, Chris Foster, Stevie Ferris, Gary Wylie, Jonathan McKeever, Adrian Darragh, Marty Goudie, Willie Brown, Stephen McLaughlin, Aaron Farr, Paul Kerr
EVENT 1 is on Sunday 28th APRIL. Anyone wishing to be considered for International Pool in 2025 please get your name and payment in asap. Details on poster. Any questions, send us a PM please.
IMPORTANT !! - THESE EVENTS ARE FOR INTERNATIONAL SELECTION PURPOSES ONLY. DO NOT ENTER IF YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO TRAVEL WITH TEAM NI TO AN INTERNATIONAL EVENT IN 2025. ONLY 30% OF ANY MONIES WON WILL BE PAID OUT PER EVENT, THE BALANCE WILL ONLY BE PAID TO PLAYERS ON ARRIVAL AT A 2025 INTERNATIONAL EVENT.
Eligibility to represent Northern Ireland at Blackball on the International stage in 2025
Players must play in minimum 3 of the following events in 2024
In any of above 5 Ranking events
In one or more Northern Ireland Individual Championship event
In one or more NIPA Grand Prix event
In either the Towns Cup or Willie Lucas Super 7s
Player Managers, Wild cards or Retained players must still meet the eligibility criteria and have participated in a minimum of three events. The format for the 5 ranking events will be announced once final numbers are confirmed per event.
RANKING EVENT DATES AND VENUES ON ATTACHED POSTER (Best 4/6 Events determine a players ranking)
Entry fee is £25 per person per event (Includes £5 registration).
Entry fees for each ranking event must be paid in advance before draw made, ie not on the day
Players can only play in ONE category of ranking event.
On selection for a Team, players will have 7 days to confirm they will attend the next International event and a further 7 days to forward on a non refundable £50 deposit which will be returned at said event.
‘A’ TEAM SELECTION PER CATEGORY (5 PERSON TEAM)
Player/Manager
Northern Ireland Champion
1x Managers retention
1x Managers wild card
Players ranked 1 and 2
If the Northern Ireland Champion is unable to go then Players ranked 1,2 & 3 will be invited onto the 'A' Team. with 4,5 & 6 for the 'B' Team and 7,8 & 9 for the 'B1' Team.
‘B’ TEAM SELECTION PER CATEGORY (5 PERSON TEAM)
Player/Manager
1x Managers retention
1x Managers Wild card
Players ranked 3, 4 and 5
‘B1’ TEAM SELECTION PER CATEGORY (5 PERSON TEAM)
Player/Manager
1x Managers retention
1x Managers Wild card
Players ranked 6, 7 and 8
GRANDMASTERS 'A' - (3 person team from 2025)
Player/Manager
Northern Ireland Champion
Wild card
Trial Winner (Trial held Saturday 31st August 2024)
GRANDMASTERS 'B'
TBC if enough interest
UNDER 15/18 Teams picked from their Tour events
AGE ELIGIBILITY FOR ALL RANKING EVENTS
In age defined sections (Seniors, Masters & Grandmasters) players can enter at under the specified category age as long as they turn 40, 50 or 60 respectively before the International event in 2025 that they aspire to play in.
This is a new system for us and as such will need tweaked as we go along before it becomes a finished product but a complaint by players was that they can’t get considered for a place so this gives committed players a pathway to qualify for a team.
2024 NIPA AGM
The venue is Antrim Sports Club
NIPA DRESS CODE
Dressy trousers any colour, no jeans, combats, cords, chinos etc.
Dress and casual Shoes or Smart Trainers. Smart Trainers to be all the same colour (sole and upper) and dark in colour.
Shirt with collar, polo shirt acceptable, no football tops or logos
Dress code applies to all NIPA events unless otherwise stated
2023 / 2024 SEASON CALENDAR
Details on how to enter will be posted in the run up to each event on our Facebook Page Nipa Pool. Any questions or queries send us a message, also to Nipa Pool.
WELCOME ON BOARD MARY
2023 NIPA AGM
2022 NORTHERN IRELAND SPECIAL POOL LADIES TEAM & INDIVIDUALS
On Tuesday 22nd November it was the turn of our lady players to take centre stage as they competed in the 2022 NI Ladies Individual and Team Championships. In the team event old rivals Maghera and Mountfern contested the final with Maghera emerging winners by 5 frames to 4 after a truly epic match. In the Team Plate event Greystone were out gunned in the final by an impressive select team of Joanne Kerr, Brenda Delargy and Natash Thursby.
In the top half of the individuals draw the much improved Natasha Thursby made her way to the semi-final with a notable win over multiple World Champion Valeria Taggart in the quarter final. Things didn’t get any easier for Natasha in the semi final as she came up against former N.Ireland champion Susan O’Kane which proved to be just one step too far for her to overcome. In the bottom half of the draw past winner Briege McFaul overcame Francis McCann and Patricia McTasney as she progressed to the semi final but unfortunately had to withdraw from the event at this stage. This handed her semi-final opponent Branda Healy a walk over to the final. Brenda had reached the semi-final with comfortable wins over Leona Harrison and Catherine McDonald. In the final Susan played immaculate pool to be crowned the 2002 Ladies Individual Champion.
In the plate event Jacqueline Gault competing in her first N.Ireland Championship had 3 good wins to make the final where she came up against the vastly experienced Francis McCann. In the evenly contested final Francis’s experience proved to be the difference as she came out on top with a two frames to one win.
With a record 22 lady players entering the individuals all players should be proud of their achievements on the day.
The committee and players would once again like to thanks the staff of Antrim Sports Club for hosting the event.
RATHMOYLE 'A' WIN NI SPECIALS TITLE
NORTHERN IRELAND SPECIAL POOL
MENS 2022 TEAM EVENT REPORT
Eight teams made their way to the Antrim Sports Club to take part in the 2022 Men’s Team Event. The pick of the 1st Round matches was the clash of the Independents 2 (Clifford Healy, Kevin Walsh, John Henderson, Johnny McAuley) and Independents 1 (John Brown, Phillip Haveron, Sammy Johnston). In a high standard match the Independents 1 ran out the winners 5 frames to 3 with Sammy Johnston winning all of his 3 frames. The other notable result in Round one was a creditable win for the George Sloan team from Ballymena who overcame Mountfern A by 5 frames to 4. In the Semi-Finals Ballycastle’s Rathmoyle A made their way to the Final with a win over George Sloan where they were joined by the Independents 1 who defeated the Independents 3 team in the other Semi-Final. In the Final itself the Rathmoyle team of Paddy Reid, Clifford McKendry and Eammon McKillop played exceptional high standard of pool with the Player of the Tournament Eammon taking out a fantastic finish to secure a 5 frames to 2 win.
The Final of the Plate competition which was for all 1st Round losers was contested by Mountfern A and the Independents 2 who ran out comfortable winners.
The Committee and players would once again like to thank the Antrim Sports Club, notably Kyle and Rab, for the hospitality shown to everyone who attended.
Photo 1 - Rathmoyle A - Team Winners
Photo 2 - Independents 1 - Team Runners Up
Photo 3 - Independents 2 - Plate Winners
Photo 4 - Mountfern A - Plate Runners Up
Trophies presented by John Clarke, the Northern Ireland Specials 'A' Team Manager
NORTHERN IRELAND SPECIAL POOL 2022 MENS INDVIDUAL
PADDY IS CHAMPION AGAIN
A total of 20 players travelled to the Antrim Sport Club to compete in NISP’s NI 2022 Men’s Individual Championships. While the field of 20 included all of our top international players it was encouraging to see some new players attending.. The standout match of the 1st round was between Alan Bell and Clifford Healy with Clifford winning 3 frames to 1. Clifford continued his winning ways until he came up against his old rival Paddy Reid in the semi-finals. Paddy could not have had a harder route to the semi-final and had to be playing his best pool to defeat John McKillop, John Brown and John Henderson to get there. In what was the match of the tournament Paddy triumphed by 4 frames to 3.
In the bottom half of the draw Sammy Johnston progressed to the semi final with a comfortable win over Johnny McAuley and a hard-earned win against Eammon McKillop. In the semi final Sammy meet the surprise player of the day, Alan Mills, who was competing at his first NISP event. On his way to the semi final Alan beat Bobby McAllister and Johnny McClurg both of whom are international players. In the semi final it was apparent that the occasion got to Alan and Sammy ran out a comfortable 4 frames to 1 winner.
When it came to final the experienced head of Paddy stood him in good stead and despite Sammy playing pool of a high standard Paddy was crowned the NI champion for the 6th time.
In the plate competition the favourite was undoubtedly Alan Bell and he lived up to this tag as he progressed to the final with wins over Johnny McAuley and Eddie Huey. His opponent in the final was international Phillip Haveron who had very impressive wins against Adrian Loga, Sean Fleming and Jason McAfee in the previous rounds. With two international players in the final the expectation of a high standard final was meet by both players with Phillip winning by 3 frames to 1.
Finally the players and NISP committee would like to thank Clarie and Rab Fee not only for hosting the event but also for the support and encouragement given to all the players. who attended.
Next up the NISP calendar is the NSPA 2022 NI Senior team event which will be played in the Antrim Sports Club on Tuesday 22nd November.
THE 2022 -2023 NORTHERN IRELAND INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
Please note a couple of date changes from original poster.
THE 2023 EBA NATIONS CUP OF POOL
Please note date changes for the 2023 European Blackball Association Nations Cup of Pool. Great to be going back to the fantastic Spa Arena in Bridlington to meet friends old and new. Hard to believe it's 2019 since we were last there.
2022 WORLD BLACKBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS PROGRAMME
Fantastic Programme for the 2022 World Blackball Championships in Albi. watch this for space for the upcoming detailed day to day schedule.
OUR SINCERE CONDOLENCES
The NIPA Committee are devastated to learn of the passing of our long time member Gary Johnston early this morning on Sunday 19th June. We would like to pass on our sincere condolences to Gary's brother Stephen and the whole family circle at this very sad time.
Gary who represented Northern Ireland at Men's and Seniors level had just turned 50 and was looking forward to playing in our Masters section.
He will be sadly missed. RIP Gary
NEW TEAM NI SPONSORSHIP DEAL
We are absolutely delighted to announce a fantastic new sponsorship deal for Team NI shirts for the upcoming 2022 World Blackball Championships in Albi, France.
"JUST MIST" Vaping Products will provide every player in every section with new Team polo shirts supplied by Onboard Sportswear. Robert also donated £500 to our Under 15 Team & Under 23 Team costs for France. We really cannot thank owner Robert Clarke enough, thank you, thank you, thank you Rab.
EBA 2023 UK SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Northern Ireland Pool Association have been allocated spaces for the 2023 EBA UK Singles Championships on 3rd - 5th February. It will take place in the splendid Grand Hotel in Blackpool on 20 Blackball Tables with Hainsworth Match Cloth and Aramith Pro Cup Balls. There will be a qualified referee on duty at all times.
Spaces are limited so we are asking players who are interested in going to let us know by Friday 10th June 2022. If we get more interest than spaces allocated in any of the four sections (Mens, Ladies, Seniors & Masters) then we may have to run qualifiers. Cost of entry is £100 (Limited to one event per player).
The event will start on Friday 3rd February and finish on Sunday 5th February. There is also an 11 person team event taking place on Thursday 2nd February in memory of the former Scotland legend Gavin Phillips who won the World Blackball Individual Championship at the age of 51 in 2012. What a fantastic player and ambassador for Scottish Pool Gavin was. If we get at least 11 players travelling TEAM NI will be able to enter that too.
Players must stay minimum two night (Friday & Saturday) based on £60 per person sharing or £95 per person single room. Both rates include bed & breakfast.
Each event scheduled to a Double Elimination format, Races to 8 in Winners section and 5 in Losers section.
EVENTS
THURSDAY EVENING
- The Gavin Phillips Memorial 11 Person Team Event
FRIDAY AFTERNOON
- The Trevor Harte Mens UK EBA Singles
- The Jenny Leavens EBA UK Ladies Singles
- The Alan Marshall EBA UK Seniors Singles
- The Gavin Phillips EBA UK Masters Singles
Please contact an NIPA Committee Member if you would like to go
Further details to follow when we get them.
OUR SINCERE CONDOLENCES
The Committee of the NIPA would like to pass on our sincere condolences to the family circle and friends of Anton Arthurs who sadly passed away last night at the young age of 34.
Anton represented Northern Ireland at 'B' Level and was a regular player in the Newtownards League.
RIP Anton
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