30/10/2026
On Saturday, the Cavan Pool Association 2027 County Team Trials held their third qualifying event, with strong representation from members of the Cavan Pub Pool League. Several players delivered outstanding performances against some of the county's top talent.
Five players from the Cavan Pub Pool League progressed from the round-robin stage to the Knockout Cup quarter-finals. Among them were Paul Cassidy of Lizzie Buggies B and Colm Geraghty of Lizzie Buggies A, both of whom reached the last eight. Going a step further was Aoife King of The Cross, who continued her impressive recent form by advancing to the semi-finals.
The final proved to be an all-Pub League showdown between the much-talked-about "Storm" Gary Lynch of Barney Macs and Mattie Reilly of Barney's Lounge. After sweeping through the earlier rounds in dominant fashion, Storm Gary finally ran out of momentum in the decider as Mattie produced a masterclass performance to secure a convincing 3-0 victory and claim the title.
The result carried an extra layer of significance for Reilly. Remarkably, exactly 30 years after lining out for the inaugural County Cavan pool team in its first-ever inter-county match against Roscommon, Mattie remains one of the county's leading players. It was a fitting reminder of the old sporting saying: form is temporary, class is permanent.
A special mention must also go to Adam H***e of High Stool, who overcame the disappointment of narrowly missing out on qualification for the Knockout Cup. Undeterred, H***e entered the Shield competition and responded in impressive fashion, winning four consecutive matches to take the title. His superb run culminated in a final victory over Cavan county player Patrick Hanratty, capping off an excellent day for the High Stool man.
The road to county selection continues on Saturday, 28th November, when the next trial event takes place at Cue Action. All players are encouraged to come along, test themselves against the county's best competitors, and potentially earn the opportunity to represent County Cavan at the All-Ireland Pool Championships in Killarney in May 2027.
With the quality on display so far, competition for places on the county panel is shaping up to be as fierce as ever. The Cavan Pub Pool League has become a valuable asset to the Cavan Pool Association, providing a highly competitive environment where emerging talent can develop alongside some of the county's most experienced players.
The performances of Pub League players throughout this year's trials once again highlight the important role the league plays in identifying and nurturing players capable of representing County Cavan on the national stage. With several trial events still to come, many more league stars will have the opportunity to stake their claim for a coveted place on the county teams travelling to Killarney for the 2027 All-Ireland Championships.
Barney Lounge 13 - 5 Lizzie Buggies B
With both teams sitting inside the top six heading into the match, this was an important fixture in the battle to establish an early position near the top of the league table.
The home side got off to the perfect start through Mattie Reilly, who carried his excellent form from the weekend into the match by taking the opening frame. That set the tone for a dominant first session, with Barney Lounge winning all five opening frames to establish a commanding 5-0 lead.
Barney's momentum continued as they claimed both Scotch Doubles matches, before Reilly added his second singles win of the night to leave the score at 8-0.
Lizzie Buggies B finally got on the scoreboard when Darren Donohue defeated Paul McGovern, but the home side quickly responded. Strong victories from John Langan and Tristan Graham put Barney Lounge firmly in control, extending their lead to 10-1 and securing the overall match win with seven frames still to play.
With the result effectively decided, the visitors showed great character and played for pride. Jamie McDonald picked up two singles victories, with Lizzie Buggies B also claiming a Scotch Doubles frame as they reduced the deficit to 10-4.
However, this was Barney Lounge's night. The hosts closed out the fixture strongly, taking three of the final four frames to seal an impressive 13-5 victory.
For the visitors, Jamie McDonald and Badr Amiche contributed valuable frames. Barney Lounge's success was built on an outstanding team display, with standout performances from John Langan, who went 2/2 in singles and 1/1 in doubles, while Mattie Reilly, Karl Dunne, Richie Graham and Eamon McEvoy all recorded perfect 2/2 records on the night.
The result continues an impressive run of form for Ritchie Graham, who now climbs to seventh place in the individual player rankings from the 108 players who have competed in the league so far this season.
Following the victory, Barney Lounge move into a share of fourth place after recovering from an opening-day defeat. Lizzie Buggies B slip to joint seventh in the league standings, just outside the Cup qualification places, and will be looking to bounce back quickly to keep themselves in contention for a knockout berth.
Drumlane 9 - 9 Lizzie Buggie’s A
It was the 2025 champions against the reigning 2026 champions, with both sides entering the contest unbeaten and level at the top of the league table. Something had to give when these two powerhouses met, with top spot potentially on the line in one of the most eagerly anticipated fixtures of the season.
For the third consecutive year, this rivalry lived up to its billing, producing another fiercely contested encounter in which neither side could gain a decisive advantage.
With All-Ireland Pool Champion Martin Dunne back in action, Drumlane made a strong start. Dunne claimed the opening frame before Ray Igoe maintained his perfect record for the season by taking the second to put the home side 2-0 ahead.
The reigning champions responded immediately. Victories from Colm Geraghty, Damien Moane and Paul Morton swung the momentum back in Lizzie Buggies A's favour as they edged ahead 3-2 at the end of the opening singles session.
Drumlane regained control by claiming both Scotch Doubles frames to move 4-3 in front, and further wins from Dunne and Igoe stretched the lead to 6-3.
Once again, however, Lizzie Buggies A demonstrated why they are champions. Liam McElgunn, Stephen Donohue and Colm Geraghty all won their respective frames to level the match at 6-6.
The home side then took both Scotch Trebles to restore their advantage and move 8-6 ahead heading into the final singles session. Dunne continued his outstanding night by claiming his third frame to put Drumlane on the hill at 8-6.
The experienced Paul Morton then delivered a crucial point for the visitors, recording his second win of the night and ending Ray Igoe's unbeaten start to the season. Stephen Donohue followed up by taking the next frame to tie the match once again at 8-8.
Anthony McGurren was next up for Drumlane and, fresh from an impressive run to the Flyer Final at Cue Action on Wednesday night, he produced a composed performance to defeat Lizzie Buggies A star Liam McElgunn and restore the home side's lead at 9-8.
That left everything resting on the final frame. Drumlane captain Ronan Kennedy faced Damien Moane in a dramatic conclusion to a classic encounter. After Moane broke dry, Kennedy took control of the table and looked set to secure victory for the hosts with an excellent clearance of his yellows. However, with the winning black in sight, he narrowly missed the decisive pot.
The missed opportunity handed Moane a lifeline. Showing all the qualities of a county champion, he carefully developed his balls into pottable positions while repeatedly placing his opponent under pressure. Kennedy produced a superb escape from a difficult snooker and even rattled the black in the jaws of the pocket, but fortune favoured the visitors as it stayed on the table. Moane then stepped in to clear expertly and secure the frame, ensuring the spoils were shared in a thrilling 9-9 draw.
The result leaves both teams still unbeaten and firmly established among the early pace-setters in the title race. If this contest is any indication, the battle for league honours could once again come down to these familiar rivals.
The result continues an impressive run of form for Stephen Donohue, who now climbs to third place in the individual player rankings and colleague Paul Morton now in fifth from the 108 players who have competed in the league so far this season.
The Cross 8– 10 The Orchard A
With Drumlane and Lizzie Buggies A sharing the spoils in their heavyweight clash, The Orchard A had a golden opportunity to seize top spot in the league table and strengthen their early title credentials with another away victory.
The home side understood the importance of the occasion and had their full panel in attendance, ready to play their part in what promised to be a closely fought contest.
Steven McGurn made his debut for The Cross and wasted no time in making an impression. The opening frame set the tone for the evening, developing into a tense tactical battle. After almost ten minutes of strategic play, McGurn crafted an opportunity to clear the table and went for the finish. However, to the disappointment of the home crowd, he missed the final yellow, allowing John Slattery to step in and clear the remaining balls to give The Orchard A an early 1-0 lead.
Over the next six frames, honours were shared as both teams created opportunities but struggled to fully capitalise. Several missed chances added to the drama and tension, with neither side able to gain a decisive advantage. By the time the opening singles sessions concluded, The Orchard A held a narrow 4-3 lead.
McGurn quickly made amends for his opening-frame disappointment by claiming his first singles victory for his new club to level the match once again. However, The Orchard debutant Kieran McMahon continued his impressive start to life with the visitors by securing his second frame of the night.
That result sparked a strong run from The Orchard A, who reeled off four consecutive frames to seize control of the match. Heading into the Scotch Triples, the visitors looked to be cruising with an 8-4 advantage and appeared well placed to claim both the match victory and top spot in the league standings.
As has become a recurring theme this season, the Scotch Triples proved to be a pivotal turning point. Steven McGurn marshalled his troops to victory to kickstart The Cross comeback. McGurn then followed up by claiming his second singles win of the night, before his doubles and triples teammate Sean Maguire added another frame to suddenly reduce the deficit to a single point.
With momentum firmly behind the home side, Michael Meehan then produced a cool finish under pressure to put The Orchard A on the hill at 9-7, continuing his strong run of form over recent weeks.
Then the away team turned to John "Slatts" Slattery. Coming into the match with a perfect 11 wins from 11 frames, The Orchard A were confident he would get them over the line against old rival Simon Trent. The pair had shared many battles in the Cavan leagues throughout the 1990s, adding another layer of intrigue to the contest.
Simon adopted a simple but effective strategy for the frame: don't give your opponent a shot. He started brilliantly, potting three reds from the break and following up with another three reds in a controlled visit. However, he finished slightly out of position on the white and, although he successfully potted the red, he found himself snookered on the black.
Slattery chalked his cue and began plotting what looked like a possible counter-clearance. But Trent used every bit of his 40-plus years of experience to produce the shot of the night. Playing cushion first, he struck the black, which was sitting on its spot, with the perfect combination of angle and pace to complete a remarkable clearance.
The finish sparked huge celebrations from the home support, with applause ringing around the venue. Among the loudest cheers came from Eoin Slattery, who couldn't resist shouting "Great shooting!" to his father's bemusement as his unbeaten record finally came to an end.
The victory not only ended Slattery's 100% start to the season but also dragged The Cross right back into the contest, setting up a dramatic finish to an already enthralling encounter.
The final pairing saw Darragh King, a Cavan County player, take on Kieran McMahon. It proved to be the most tactical and nerve-racking frame of the night, with both players exchanging clever safety shots and sacrificing opportunities to gain positional advantage around the corner pockets. The frame quickly developed into a game of chess.
Both players created chances to win, with Kieran missing a black that would have secured victory. Another tactical battle then unfolded as Darragh was left with just two yellows remaining. In the end, Kieran edged the contest through a combination of skill and a slice of good fortune, leaving Darragh with no option but to play a foul shot and concede ball in hand.
Even then, the away team held back their celebrations, still stunned by the earlier missed black. Their fears were short-lived as Kieran calmly potted the black second time around to secure victory and maintain his side's position at the top of the league.
For the home side, Steven McGurn enjoyed an excellent debut, winning two of his three singles matches while also contributing to victories in both the doubles and Scotch triples. Sean Maguire produced a flawless display, claiming victory in his only singles outing before adding wins in both the doubles and triples, with some superb potting throughout the night.
For The Orchard A, Michael Meehan continued his strong recent form, winning two of his three singles matches and adding a valuable doubles victory. However, the standout performer for the visitors was debutant Kieran McMahon, who maintained his perfect start for the club with a flawless three wins from three singles matches, including the decisive final frame that secured a hard-fought 10-8 victory and sent The Orchard A to the top of the league table.
Fitzpatrick’s Tavern 14 – 4 Lee’s Bar
Lee's made the journey to Gowna looking to get their season up and running and open their account for the campaign. Still searching for their first points of the season, they viewed the away fixture as an excellent opportunity to kickstart their year.
However, the home side had other ideas and made a flying start to the contest. Clifford Brady opened proceedings with the first of what would become three victories on the night, before Oisin Pierson followed suit to put the hosts 2-0 ahead.
The visitors responded through Daithi Reilly, who claimed Lee's first frame of the evening, but Ciaran Fitzpatrick and DJ Madden quickly restored the home side's control by adding two more frames. The Scotch Doubles were shared, leaving Gowna holding a commanding 5-2 advantage after the opening session.
The match was effectively decided during the second block of singles, as the home team produced a ruthless display to claim all five frames. That run stretched their lead to 10-2 and secured victory with six frames still left to play.
To their credit, the visitors continued battling until the end. The trio of Clive Neil, Larry Lee and Daithi Reilly combined effectively to capture the Scotch Triples frame and reduce the deficit. Several other frames were tightly contested, but Gowna maintained their composure and went on to win four of the final five frames to complete an emphatic 14-4 success.
For the home side, Clifford Brady, Oisin Pierson and DJ Madden all enjoyed perfect nights, each recording a flawless 3 wins from 3 singles matches. TJ Fitzpatrick and Ciaran Fitzpatrick also made valuable contributions, both finishing with 2 wins from 3 outings.
The result continues an impressive run of form for DJ Madden, who now climbs to eighth place in the individual player rankings from the 108 players who have competed in the league so far this season.
For Lee's, the frames came courtesy of Clive Neil, Larry Lee and Daithi Reilly, but they were unable to prevent a dominant Gowna side from recording one of the most comprehensive victories of the campaign.
The High Stool 12 - 6 The Kesh Bar
Having come agonisingly close to victory against Orchard B the previous week, only to lose out in the final frame, The High Stool were determined to bounce back and secure their second league win of the campaign.
The visitors began brightly, taking the opening session 3-2 thanks to fine performances from Neil Reilly, Darragh Lovett and Adrian McCabe. The early signs suggested another closely fought contest, with the away side carrying plenty of confidence after their strong start.
However, as has been the case so often this season, the Scotch doubles proved to be a crucial turning point. The High Stool claimed both doubles frames to move into the lead and carried that momentum into the second singles session. The home side produced a dominant spell, reeling off four consecutive frames before Brian Conaty finally halted the run, leaving the score at 8-4.
The hosts then added the Scotch triples frame to move onto the hill and within touching distance of victory. Fresh from his success in the recent County Trial Plate, Adam H***e continued his excellent week by winning his final singles frame of the night to guarantee victory for The High Stool.
With the result settled, the final four frames were shared between the teams, leaving the home side comfortable 12-6 winners by the close of play.
Once again, the doubles and triples had a major influence on the outcome of the match. The High Stool won every team event on the night, a clean sweep that ultimately proved decisive. Had those frames gone the other way, the contest would have ended in a draw, underlining the growing importance of the team disciplines in this season's league campaign.
For the winners, Jack Smith was the standout performer, recording a flawless 3 wins from 3 singles matches and adding a doubles victory alongside Adam H***e. H***e himself finished with an impressive 2 wins from 3 singles outings, while Adrian Daly also contributed strongly with 2 wins from 3.
The result continues an impressive run of form for Jack Smith, who now climbs to fourth place in the individual player rankings among the 108 players who have competed in the league so far this season.
For Kesh Bar, both Neil Reilly and Adrian McCabe finished the evening with solid records of 2 wins from 3 singles matches, but their efforts were not enough to prevent The High Stool from recording a valuable victory and moving further up the table.
The Hillside Tavern 5- 13 Barney Macs
Following an impressive display against The Cross last week, Barney Macs travel with confidence and will be fancied to add another win to their growing tally. Their recent form suggests they will take some stopping if they can reproduce that level of performance. Adding to their optimism is the form of Mattie Reilly, who claimed victory at the County Team Trials qualifying event on Saturday. Fresh from that success, Reilly will enter this fixture full of confidence and looking to continue his excellent run of form.
Bryan McEntee at last started to get reward for his consistent high performance and took the opening frame for the visitors before Cormac Smith, Alan Dunne and Brian McEvoy gave Barney Macs a 1-4 lead then the scotch doubles were shared 2-5.
The 2nd singles round again the visitors took 1-4 and leaving them on the hill at 3-9 before Daragh Freehill, Oisin Shanley and Dylan Kiernan took the triple frame for the Hillside. Shane Cawley won his first single of the night to give the away side the win and again the final single rond went 1-4 for the visitors leaving it 5-13.
This win puts Barney Macs tied for fourth place with Barney Lounge and there will be good competion in this weeks Fridays weekly competion in Ballinagh.
Bryan McEntee, Brian McEvoy, Cormac Smith, Alan Dunne and Colin Sheridan all added 2 frames on the night for Barney Macs. And Dylan Kiernan add 2 frames for the Hillside.
The result continues an impressive run of form for Brian McEvoy, who now climbs to tenth place in the individual player rankings from the 108 players who have competed in the league so far this season.
The Orchard Bar B 0 – 0 MacSeains
Following last week's heroics from Gerry Brady and Mark Dempsey, this fixture has been postponed and will now be played on Tuesday, 3rd November.
The rumour is that the postponement comes after both players were drafted into the Ultimate Pool Professional Championships taking place in the UK this weekend, earning the opportunity to compete on one of the sport's biggest stages.
The Orchard Bar B and MacSeains will instead resume their league campaigns next Tuesday, with both sides hoping to build on their starts to the season when the postponed fixture is finally contested.
Week 4 Summary
The fourth round of the Cavan Pub Pool League produced another thrilling week of action both on and off the table. At county level, league players continued to make their mark in the Cavan Pool Association 2027 County Team Trials, with Mattie Reilly of Barney's Lounge claiming the qualifying title and Adam H***e of The High Stool capturing the Shield event, while several other league players progressed deep into the knockout stages. In league action, The Orchard A moved to the top of the table after a hard-fought 10-8 victory over The Cross, while defending champions Lizzie Buggies A and former champions Drumlane played out a dramatic 9-9 draw in a clash that again highlighted why they remain the benchmark teams in the competition. Elsewhere, Barney Lounge, Fitzpatrick's Tavern, The High Stool and Barney Macs all recorded impressive victories to strengthen their positions in the league standings. The week's results once again underlined the importance of the doubles and triples formats, with several matches swinging decisively on the team frames, while individual performances from players such as Kieran McMahon, Jack Smith, DJ Madden, Mattie Reilly and Martin Dunne ensured the race for both league honours and county selection remains as competitive as ever.
