Donegal's big involvement at European Pool Championships

It has been a great week for Donegal Pool with representation on Irish teams and in singles events at the 2019 European 8 Ball Pool Championships, held in the Gleneagles Hotel, Killarney.
Donegal had two representatives on the Ireland Ladies B team - Mini Morris and Tina Reaney
Firstly it is worth acknowledging how far these ladies have come in the past 12 months. Just a year involved thanks to a local ladies league, they progressed to make the Ireland B team. While there was no success in Killarney, losing some really close matches, and a lot of those frames going down to the last ball, they will be back to do some damage at many competitions on the future!
On the Irish ladies A team now Donegal had the impressive Helena Sharkey. After annihilating everyone in her path in the plate event of the Irish Pool Cup preceding the Europeans, Helena continued her great form for her team, helping them reach the semi final, only to lose out in a super exciting match to Northern Ireland 8-6. Our top Donegal lady also decided to go on a deep run in the singles event, beating some top class players on her way to the quarter finals. After overcoming Ashleigh Dinsmore, Cathy Hunt and Sandra De Sousa, she came up against an in form England A player - Kate Wringe. All in all, a fantastic week for the Dungloe bride to be!
Next up was Rory Buchanan and the Ireland C team. After some great results in IPA events this season, Rory got to 8th in the rankings (10th in provisional rankings) to earn the honour of being picked for the Ireland C team. After a slightly shaky start, he settled in and took out some great finishes, helping his team reach the semi finals. Unfortunately they lost out to Ireland D in a cracker of a match, but I think Rory will be happy enough with getting to the semis in his first taste of international competition. No doubt it will be just the first of many times he will put on an Irish waistcoat!
Charlie Ruddy was rewarded for his many years in pool with the managerial role for Ireland D, who competed in the C section. Many of his players were new to the Ireland team, but Charlie did an amazing job of bonding his team, taking a very hands on approach with each and every player on the team.
They hit the ground running, only losing twice in the round robin stages. After some fantastic pool, and after overcoming Ireland C in the semis, they played some solid pool to take a 7-4 lead against France C in the final. France clawed it back to 7-6 to set up an exciting finish. The atmosphere was electric as the final 2 frames took place, with Maurice Cullen and Eoin Collins being entrusted with trying to get Charlies boys over the line. In the end, it was Eoin who sank the winning black for an historic victory.
Lastly it was Donegal and Ireland legend Shaun Sharkey. This guy has been an Ireland stalwart for many years, having been on the Home Nations winning team a few months ago, and also captaining Ireland at the World Championships last summer. Although it wasn't to be for Shaun's Ireland A team - falling short in a super tough A section - the Dungloe man did what he does best in the singles - win matches.
He beat France's Jerome Lebret, Belgium's Yassine Mellouli, France's David Thomas, Malta's Troy Zammit and England's Eric Webber only dropping 7 frames along the way.
In the quarter fin-ls Shaun met Giuseppe D'Imperio of England, who had dispatched the legend Mick Hill in the previous round. Shaun didn't miss a ball, destroying the Englishman 7-2 in what can only be described as the most electric match of the tournament.
Shaun undoubtedly fed off the cheers from the 150 odd fans watching on! On to the semi final, and again he played the highest level of pool in overcoming one of the best in the game, Shane Thompson of England by a scoreline of 7-4.
After reaching a European semi-final a couple of years ago, it was nice to go a step further at last. Unfortunately it wasn't to be in the final. Shaun barely got a look in against one of the best players in Europe over the past 18 months, Northern Ireland's Dylan Leary.
But Shaun will take a huge amount of positives from his week in Killarney, proving once again the he can mix it with the absolute best in the game. No doubt his time will come very soon,