McGlinchey and Wallace lead Tyrone charge

DERMOT McGlinchey and Patrick Wallace are leading the Tyrone charge for a place at the European Amateur Snooker Championships in Poland later this year after both reached the quarter-finals of the qualifier in Limavady at the weekend.

Castlederg’s two-time Northern Ireland champion, McGlinchey, was in action on Saturday when the number eight seed defeated Paschal McKenna 3-2 in the last-64 before ousting Kevin McGlinchey 3-0 in the next round.

That moved him into the last-16 where he eased past Connell Doherty 3-0 and he threw in a 50 break in the process to progress to the quarter-finals where he faces the daunting task of playing reigning Northern Ireland champion, Robbie McGuigan this coming Saturday.

Also in action on the same day as McGlinchey was his practice partner and protégé, Dunamanagh’s Jamie Gardiner, who took on former World Championship semi-finalist, Joe Swail, in the first round and the teenager achieved a confidence-boosting 3-0 victory over his vastly experienced opponent.

Unfortunately for Gardiner, he then fell to Doherty 3-1 in the last-32 to miss out on a clash with McGlinchey for a place in the quarter-finals.

Also playing on Saturday was fifth seed, Brocagh’s Fergal Quinn who exited at the hands of Stephen Brady 3-1 in the last-16 after ousting Peter Logue 3-0 courtesy of a 66 break in the second round, having received a bye through round one.

Dungannon’s Wallace also earned a free pass into the last-32 where he came up against Paul Lindsay in what turned into a thrilling encounter.

Trailing 2-1 and 55-0 down in the deciding frame, Wallace, who had played Jimmy White in the UK Seniors Championship in Hull on Tuesday night of last week, battled back to secure a 3-2 victory.

That set him up with another tough tie against the experienced Anto Sweeney in the last-16. Again, Wallace found the early going tough, trailing 2-0 before he found his rhythm and breaks of 90, 130 and 74 to set up a last eight clash with Declan Lavery this coming Saturday.