Caithness County Snooker Results - Last Ever In Viewfirth

22nd April 2006

It was for the very last time that the County Snooker Championships was held in the Viewfirth this year.21 competitors put their reputations on the line. First round results went according to the book. However the second round results sprang some surprising results, Victor Risbridger going down 3-2 to Fred Trueman, who hadn't picked up a snooker cue for several seasons. However family honour was restored for the Risbridger's when James defeated Fred in the next round, Fred had the match for the taking but lady luck deserted him and James took his chances well to move to the next round.

Another match that was hard to predict was between former champ Calum Hossack and Derek Johnston, however it was Derek that ran out a comfortable 3-1 winner. Meanwhile in the bottom half of the draw it was always looking like a semi final battle between Mark Mackay and Ian Macphee. It was always going to be a close call between these players, with two different styles, Mark with his attacking game against the grinding game Ian likes to adopt. The first two games went to Mark after Ian had missed golden opportunities to take the lead himself. However Ian recovered to take the next two to make it all square. However it was Ian's inability to close out a game that cost him in frame 5, having the game at his mercy he missed a easy blue to take the lead, which sparked Mark into top gear to run out a 4-2 win. Back in the
top half of the draw, breaks were flying in from both James Risbridger and Derek Johnston as they battled out the other semi, breaks of 54 and 35 from Derek wasn't enough to see off James as he started to get into his stride,

James hit back with 34,31,53,and 73 to run out a 4-2 win. So the final was set between the most consistent snooker player in the last twenty years, a man that has won more county championships than anybody recorded, James Risbridger, and Mark Mackay the pretender to the throne. Mark had reached the final before but didn't seem to have the fire power to topple James, and it looked as if history was going to repeat itself, James took a 3-1 lead and it looked as if James once again was going to put Mark in his place, Mark threw caution to the wind and started to go all out for his shots, which paid off, as he clawed his way back to 3-3. James having thought he had it in the bag had no answer for the comeback. Mark eventually won 4-3 in the small hours, around 3-30am Sunday morning.