Egan tops group- but falls at knockout stage.
Mick Egan was Roscommon's sole representative at The Ireland Players Championsghips Grand Finals to be held in The SpringhillCourt Hotel in Kilkenny on Sunday. Split into 8 groups of 4- the top 32 players on the island battled it out fore the €2,000 top prize. Egan made a very good start in his bid for the title by topping his group for the second year running. He started with the most impressive of his three group games. A 5-2 win over Campbell Jackson was followed by a 5-3 win over Alan Reilly. With those two wins Egan qualified for the knockout stages but another 5-4 win over Eugene Ryan in his final group game ensured Egan topped the group. Mick Barry was Egan's opposition in the last 16 and it was Barry who opened up a two leg lead. Egan responded with two of his own before both players missed doubles in the fifth which swung Barry's way. A few bounce outs after that didnt help Egan's cause and while he still managed to get to finishes he didnt get a chance at them. Barry winning out on a 5-2 scoreline.
The eventual winner was Cork's John O Shea who beat Limerick's Connie Finnan 6-3 in the final.