Congratulations to Ronan McCarthy and Sam Newell (pictured right). The pair from North Down are the 2012 Northern Ireland Mens Doubles Champions. They came through a very strong field of 24 teams with some of the countries top players, to lift the title in the Ballymena United Social Club on Saturday 4th February.
But it looked very unlikely right up to the end of the 13th and deciding frame in the Final. Opponents Neil McKelvey and Darren Sterrett, who had been on top form all day led 5-1 and 6-4, but just couldn't get over the line as McCarthy and Newell regained the trophy they last held in 2010.
Final
Ronan McCarthy (Newtownards) & Sam Newell (Bangor) 7-6 Neil McKelvey (Larne) & Darren Sterrett (Bangor)
Frame 01 - 0-1 Tactical frame finished off by Sterrett
Frame 02 - 0-2 McKelvey takes advantage of a dry break with an 8 ball clearance
Frame 03 - 0-3 Pinpoint positional clearance from Sterrett
Frame 04 - 1-3 Break & Dish from McCarthy
Frame 05 - 1-4 Break & Dish from McKelvey
Frame 06 - 1-5 Again McKelvey clears the table from a dry break
Frame 07 - 2-5 McCarthy clears the table from opponents dry break
Frame 08 - 3-5 Newell finishes frame off to reduce the arrears to two
Frame 09 - 4-5 McCarthy sinks the black to pull another one back
Frame 10 - 4-6 Clinical finish from McKelvey puts his team on the hill
Frame 11 - 5-6 McCarthy with another 8 ball finish from a dry break
Frame 12 - 6-6 Hill, hill as a great pressure black from Newell takes it to the deciding frame
Frame 13 - 7-6 McCarthy and Newell looked in big trouble but a difficult red onto a yellow follow in changed the frame around and McCarthy went on to run them out to seal a tremendous comeback
Thanks to TD Pauline Lynch, to Referee Kathy Leddy and to the staff of the Ballymena United Social Club
