Close Snooker Championship enters its 35th year

The 2022 Mullingar Close Snooker Championship, run by St Mary’s Snooker Club, Mullingar, is sponsored Bill Collentine Plumbers Ltd, Railway House, Green Bridge, Mullingar.

1986 was the first year that this tournament was played, and the first ever winner was Sammy Smyth. Mick Kane has dominated the event ever since, and although 2004 was the last win Mick had in the event, he has continued to create snooker history by now winning the tournament for a record 17th time.

From early on Mr Bill Collentine has come on board as our main sponsor, and has continued his support for the last 20 years. 2022 is the 35th running of this event.

Historical winners

Mick Kane (17) – 1988-2002, 2004, 2017

Ger O’Connor (6) – 1987, 2005-2008, 2016

Terry Parker (5) – 2003, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2018

Richie Toal (4) – 2014, 2015, 2019, 2020

Sammy Smyth (1) – 1986

Gary Walsh (1) – 2012

No event – 2009, 2021

Delayed

The tournament was started over one week ago and has included the top 16 players on the Westmeath Snooker Ranking list drawn from the winners of two years of tournaments. The sixteen seeds were invited to play. Tournaments were delayed for the last couple of years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The club chairman, Mick Kane, welcomed Mr Bill Collentine of Collentine Plumbers, who presented the club with the funding required to organise this event. Billy said he was delighted to be back in our club and honoured to sponsor this prestige event. Mick thanked Billy for his support down the years.

Results from the 2022 Mullingar Close Snooker Championship will appear here next week.