Cormac Kerr vs Ronan McCarthy | Pro Series 7 2024

and this promises to be a cracker. I'm Tony Holgate and I'm pleased to be joined who's still here Nick Finn and Nick a real battle this is going to be young young pretender versus I don't want to say the old world champion but the battle-hardened man that is Ronan McCarthy. That's a polite way of putting it. I always like to be polite when it comes to Ronan. Some would say old fart but no you can't say that. Never. And here he is at the table. I can say that because I'm older than him. Are you? I am yeah. Wow. I mean I don't know. I don't know anybody older than Ronan. I know I don't look it but the babe. From the world title this year being Carl Sutton in the final incredible comeback and dead and buried it. The interval came back and played just out of this world but anyway this is another day. Here he is at the ultimate pool pro series event seven. He shot there as he keep that red off the rail. This match calls first to seven and a 50 minute match clock. Were you on the old Don Cooney John McAllister match then? Yeah yeah. Good game. I was up in my room. I saw the scores as they flashed over. Yeah I mean it wasn't a classic. They both took a while to get going but yeah Don was pretty good value I guess for the win. I mean he had a bit of a slice of fortune in a key frame but you know John had his opportunity to win the frame earlier on and didn't take it so I think yeah I think Don deserved the win there. It wasn't a classic John McAllister. As I walk back into the arena prior to coming in here with you sir I did just see Kyle Cope knock out Luke Gilbert which I thought I'll just watch him clear up the last frame which is a big win for Kyle Cope. Yeah he got guns. Well as we talk about that Ronan McCarthy making a very short work of these reds. It's black into the left-hand center and it'll be the world champion drawing first blood here in this all-island affair. Carl Morris has just gone on the hill against Greg Patton 6-4 up. Dry from McCarthy. Yeah there's no good I mean seemed to be a good solid connection but yeah decent split as well. Doesn't find the ball. Well if he's going to attack he can only cut this red into the top left-hand corner. Tricky little shot. Now you see the new Ras on Apollo table coming into play there. He missed the ball. Didn't go in. Some of them used to drop on the old table but it's now becoming apparent if you're gonna get rewarded you're gonna have to be accurate. Now it's Ronan McCarthy steps up to try and punish his younger counterpart and he too misses. Well scrappy start to the second frame Nick. It is indeed yeah and still not an incredible opportunity. Not a great chance from here but one reds tied up. It's got red over the top left. He could use that to break out straight away but he's gonna go for yellows. That's not too bad. I mean don't think he can pot the yellow at the top right. If he can't then he's got and I don't mean now. I'm not sure he can get the potting angle later. I was gonna say he had an angle there he could have just come across and dropped on it so he must feel that yellow goes. Or there just to load up with right-hand side and come across and give it a nudge. So the fact that he hasn't tells me it must go. Plant there from Cormac Kerr. Yellow at the top is his toughest ball. Right behind it. Not gonna be able to get as close to the 8 ball as he'd like. So he's gonna be forced. Unless he can screw back. Great shot. Yeah really good cue. He could get that far back down the table. Cued it really well. Lovely finish there from Kerr. Nothing looked like going in. No and it's very nice split as well Nick. Just took a glance as it as it came round. That ball wasn't gonna go in if you see. It's a ball the yellow on the bottom cushion and this red just glances it. Yeah I like the break. I like the way the keyboard just popped up. Had a couple of little bounces in the middle of the table. Never in danger of going in off anywhere. Has he just nudged that red too far? If he has he's careless. It still goes to middle but it's it's not great. He's left he's left a plant now. It's okay. See that red still does pass to middle. So you can screw straight back. Pocket here. Screw straight across. What he wanted to screw out. Come back out Nick. Clean himself straight on that in the middle. So you get on the one in the corner. Down the rail into the corner. Now he's given himself a bit of a problem. That that ball on the rail is could be his undoing now. Don't know how. Double from there. No chance. Not a chance on earth. Not from that angle. I think there is a gap between the yellows but he's just not got any kind of angle to be able to get it. That one. Couple of unwanted kisses. It's gonna be his undoing. The only thing I can see is a very thin double into the top right-hand corner. Well bizarrely that that red will drop in the middle. It didn't. I know because he didn't get it right. No. But but I watched Cole Bedford drop a couple of them in last night. I mean he was right behind them admittedly. I mean it's horrible from where he was but but they will go. Almost exactly this shot Cole Bedford was playing last night and as I say admittedly he was right behind it but if you get exactly just brush that knuckle on the way past. If you get it to middle pocket gravity takes over and it will drop in. Behind it makes it obviously yeah look a heck of a lot easier than that. That was a cheeky attempt. It was. I think maybe the double up into the top was a better option but now it's Ronan McCarthy obviously his problem is the yellow that's now next to that red that Cormac goes left. But he's gonna try and play off it into the centre here and he could free up the back. Played it perfectly and now what was a bit of a sticky one for Ronan McCarthy has now become very easy. Just enough. All the hard work's done. Mark Fleming's now on the hill against Tom Cousins. Six frames to two up. Christoph Lambert 6-3 against David Hogan. Cousins just having a bit of a USA headache you think? Switching back? Possibly. Possibly. I mean there's a number of factors in play. You don't imagine the table to be a factor and it could just be a brilliant performance from Mark Fleming. It could be a bit of Tom just tracking towards that middle. McCarthy gave that due care and attention that black ball there. It took a little bit longer than he normally would to make sure but it is a man from Northern Ireland. Now 2-1 in the front against Cormac Kerr. You know it's just a table of six pockets but when you get to this level as daft as it sounds you know there's club players sat at home going well you know I turn up to the dog and duck on a Wednesday and they've got a very different table to the Winchester down the road you know and we're playing on different tables every week when you get to the this level the nuances they really make a huge difference. I've never played pool in a dog and duck at any time in my life. I don't believe that. It's true. You've been in just about every pub in this country. That's a fair statement to make that isn't it? I've been in one or two. Do you like a pub lunch? Oh yeah. Don't we all. Liquor we'd love to. Well I mean my idea of a pub lunch was a packet of crisps and a pickled egg. You were spoilt. Just as a total side turner I remember going into a pub many years ago and there was a big green star on the back wall and it said today's special offer salt, vinegar, crisps and a pickled egg 60 pence. I just thought normally you walk into a pub and it's like today's special offer steak and a bottle of wine for a tenner and it was a packet of crisps and a pickled egg. That really tickled me. My kind of pub. Cormac opting to move the ball off the rail then get behind it and play it down there. Very nice, very effective. He's on good position here just get onto the yellow that's next to the red now at the bottom of the table. This is gonna be a quick fire response from Cormac. He's got a can on the red here. He just needs to judge it. There's nothing to do now with the cue. We'll just drag this off the rail back a bit left hand side just so he leaves it straight so it's just a little roll in and perfect. What's he going to do with this? He's just checking he can drop this in dead weight and he's on the black, which he will be. We're going to see this go back level once again. Nothing to separate these two Irishmen. It's 2-2 Cormac Kerr and Rona McCarthy which you know in pool terms I mean he's less than less than half a goals age. In pool terms that's a very young man. He's got a lot of years ahead of him. You don't really see, I mean you see poor players win in their matches but you don't really see poor players properly mature until maybe late 20s and into their 30s. Someone like Tom Cousins is probably at the peak of his game now. He's in his 30s. A few exceptions to that. Nice plant there from Cormac Kerr. I mean you're still going at 68 Tony. Where am I going? I'm not 68 Michailo. Where am I going? I'm playing the Seniors Tour. Yeah exactly. He's in the over 50s and I'm just over 50 by six years. 68. Really? We're sinking that low now are we Nick? No one else to pick on over here. Well he's got a lot to do here is Cormac Kerr. He's going to have to get back up for that yellow. Just where he's landed now. He must be able, surely he can get past. Can he get past the black under the yellow over the corner? I'd rather go that way and then off the yellow to the right of the black to try and get into this top area by the bolt line. Yeah I think he's looking now. He's going to try and get on it now and leave the ball over the bag till last. Well no he's not. I mean he's been, I think he's been a bit fortunate there. He's going to have to pull out a shot here though. He's going to have to pull one out here. He's been flirting with danger all the way through this but he's in position. That's not bad at all. Just chop this in dead weight. Trace it right hand side and can't fail to be on the aid. Well there's black for free too. Navigated that clearance really well in the end. He's gone around the houses a bit. Yeah. But yeah no don't mean this potting's been sublime. And in goes the black. Cormac Kerr now leads three frames to two. Gave a little bit extra into that one didn't McCarthy and he's been rewarded. He's made a yellow from the break. I can tell you that. Decent little split there as well. Yeah TC's currently at the table as well so it looks like that one's going 6-4. I wonder where you'd gone. I thought I'd had a result. I thought you'd just gone home. But no I can't be that lucky. Pretty good this yeah. As you say it's a decent layout. They all link. Can't imagine what else he's picked there but he's tried to hunt for this one. If he has it's just off angle slightly. Wanted to finish so he could get across the one on the right hand side. So he's having to go up into the bulk area. I don't think this was ever plan A but he's um. I don't know he pumps a bit of side on so I have to get over there. He has an angle to come back out now. It all depends on the cue ball. If the cue ball obviously now as he bridges over looking at the angle he's going to catch into that yellow on the side rail. Nicely go away. He's going to have to play one now. He's got a long red into the top right. Bit of a tester. There's not too much to do with the cue ball. Just stun it in. It is a whistle. Back in prime. He can leave the one up the top right to last. I think he might roll this one into the middle. There's a lot of flies out. Dom Cooney killed about three. Smashing them into the bed of the table. At the moment there's fly juice all over that cloth out there. It's like a blood bath. He's going to have to play a couple of shots now. I mean he's going to he's going to drop this to the middle but he's going to have a he's going to have a long tester. Decided. Decided to double it just so he could hold the cue ball but even that. But where he's holding the cue ball he's bridging over slightly. It was hampered yeah. Yeah I'm not sure on the decision there. I'd have rather he played that one that the red he played before into the middle and played the one down the rail next because the last red what you do is pop it into the corner. If you land it straight it just stopped the white dead and the black's in the bottom left. Not absolutely plain sailing here for Cormac though. He's got I mean now an event ago we'd have been looking at the two on the cushion thinking they're kidneys but these are real challenges. And look at Roland's reds as well if he does come back to the table. Yeah yeah this is about as good as you can get on this partner. It all does its own work so you can just focus 100% on the putt. Makes it so much easier when you land with the the perfect angle. Played that nicely. Now then what does he have to get on the yellow that's nearest the bag if he does have to play this with a lot of right hand side. Now you see he's bringing the cue ball up the table. Played that to perfection. Yeah he's hit a stride here. He's um he looks good. I know he's been offered this chance up from Roland but. Yeah we've got to take him though haven't you. Taking it well. Just seems to have. Just seems to have. Cue ball I'll tell you it's come far enough he's got it into the middle but he did not play to be there. Just seems to have found a gear. In goes the black. Cormac Kerr gets a two-frame cushion over Ronan McCarthy. 4-2 now to the man. Yeah it looked to be going against him at the start didn't it. Joe Prince came out firing. Big frame he pulled out a great big finish to go 7-5 up did Sheppey but it'll be interesting to see how he also on his return back to blighty fares going on to this new Ras and Apollo table. Yeah he's another one that's not hit a ball. One of a chance. Spoke to him this morning and uh I mean he's looking forward he wants he wants it he was one of the players who wanted a tighter table. Yeah well he's one of the the big potters of the game and one of the quickest players out there as well in the arena. The Welsh wizard. Always box office when he's about. Nice little snip into the middle there from Cormac. Had a little leg dip as he hit it. It's like a body swerve you try and try and help it into the pocket. We've all done that. Got a belt for the match coming up after this one as well. Chris Melling Clayton Castaldi. Yeah I saw Chris uh he's just recently arrived checking in to reception. Another player's just got fat for the US as well. Yeah. On his many travels. Yeah I think he put a post up saying it's flight number 50 of the year. I know. Just don't ask him about it that's all I can tell you. He'll chew your ear off. Bless him. He's my old mate. Do you know. Have you done much traveling Chris? Then take a seat for a couple of hours. The worst thing was um at the last event where he had a um he had a uh. Spit it out Nick. What do you call it a um. I've no idea. We're gonna call it a deathly silence in a minute. When he goes into the pub and um and does his uh an exhibition. He had an exhibition in Great Yarmouth and um got in the car and had to drive all the way to Great Yarmouth on Saturday afternoon to do an exhibition to get back in the car and drive back here. Yeah. To play a semi-final in the morning. That was in June. That was that's insane. I think he slept for about two hours. In the meantime um. Oh. How's your form Cormac? All day long you think that's gonna fall. You're waiting for it to fall and it's hung. Maybe last time. Always playing. Where's the best place to leave this? It's remotely safe. There isn't I mean. If he could clip off the red at the top and put the cue ball directly behind the red that's near the right hand side cushion on that line. I don't like it. No I don't. It's hard to shut the plate. He's played it too soft. He's left him straight out of the. I think. So he'll go now right hand side of the left hand middle with left at low the left hand side on the cue ball. So there you go. He's just he's telling you where he's going with it. Did Ronan not have to pull the trigger there? Either that or get that cue ball to that bolt line. You know you see the line next to that red. If you get it in there to stop this shot because you've got to fancy. I mean the only thing you can follow in if he hits it plump. He's not going to hear it. Well I was giving him that ball. Me too. But again new table. Just trying to judge the pace. Well it's the side. What it didn't lack. I mean he saw the spin there but it didn't have. When you play those I always prefer to get the cue up a little bit in the air almost like a swerve into the it's already taken as it goes. It sort of skids into the cloth. Yeah. That way you sort of widen the angle. And when you get them right you see them come off the cushion they bend. Yeah. They bend into the line that you want. It's almost like a 10 pin bowling where they bend it into the middle pin. Ronan would have liked to been a bit further away from the rail than this but I'd just be glad he's at the table. Especially at 4-3 down. Massive frame there. I mean you know common absolute odds on there to go 5-2. That's a that's a big big lead in the race to seven. Now he's opened the door for Ronan. Ronan just tripped over his own shoelace but I mean there was nothing on the floor. He tripped over and looked as if there was something there. I'm telling you now there's something on that floor because I'll tell you another player earlier today. Luke Sanchez tripped over on the same spot. So there's something out there. Do you think there's a ghost there? Is there a joint in the carpet perhaps? I know I don't think there is. I think it's one it's one piece. It is one piece. Maybe it's a fly. I don't know but it's it's definitely something there. There's a lot of residual energy of a former ghost. He just sort of wafted another fly out the way there. I mean I know it's a it's a balmy day here in in Blackpool but. Oh what a break. He'd have just loved that that extra yellow not to be behind the red there. He'd have had a right tap in finish but yeah got loads into that McCarthy. Reds aren't a disaster though are they? I mean it's the black though. It's the black. It's the eight yeah. Yeah I think he's got to go reds to be fair. I mean there's an option where if you can get an angle on this red that's going to be below the cue ball there. If you can get anything on that and kick that black out. I don't think he's got the two reds near the middle bag as well. They need sorting out a little bit so you don't want to leave them sort of stuck together too late in the finish. The top one actually you can get the potty angle of it. You can drop it in. It'll go off the far knuckle. He's on it now. So you want rid of this and it's near the yellow now. Yeah just while you're on it. Leave an angle on either the one to middle or the one to bottom left to come across and and then you've got the choice. He's come down to try and do it now. I'll tell you what does it go off the yellow in the middle? It was either or there. Either pop the yellow or take the eight ball. It's just nudged it up. Okay I think that goes off the yellow in the middle. Maybe. Yellow's quite high but either way it's easier than what it was because you can play the doubly but I'll tell you what he's going to have to now chop this into the middle. He didn't want to be there. He wanted to go further up and play that red that was on the top rail. I mean it's just past the the centre line in the middle so I mean. I think he might play it in the corner. Yeah he's going to play it in the corner. It's suicide to play in the centre. Perfect. Depending what angle he leaves himself here on his last red will determine what he does as he played to get on the double with black into the other middle. Does he get behind it? I think he's got a double. I think he has to. I think with that angle yes. I mean you could smash this in and come off three rails get behind it but that's you know it's easy to get on the double. It's exactly what he's done. I'll tell you what he'd be doubling in the corner rather than the middle now and that wasn't his preferred option. Great shot from McCarthy. Great double. Clean as a whistle. See Colmax break. Made a yellow up into the top right hand corner there. Reds should not pose a problem here. Just what Rona didn't want to see after getting back to four each is a pretty simple finish for his opponent. He's got to be careful with the cue ball. Do nothing silly. It's pretty easy tracking. I'll pop this in the middle screw back a little bit. I can tell you that Tom Cousins is out of event seven. Wow. The first hurdle. Yeah. The number one is gone. A lot of people in this field who won't mind seeing that. Bookies would be happy. Well that would do him. As you screw back and play into the top left as you run forward into the yellow. Perfect. Cormac Kerr's going to get his nose back in front. David McNamara 4-1 up against Josh Chahaz. Luke Sanchez 2-0 against Hitter Patel. Sean Storey 2-0 against Brian Halcro. Ryan Fleming and Rob Ward two each. Cole Bedford from 1-0 down is now 2-1 up against the Joker. Well this match has certainly been played at a decent pace. 5-4. Plenty of time on the clock. That's a fair break. Balls racing into the pocket. He can take his pick. Yeah three reds he's taken. He's on a simple red into the middle but then it's the one that there's one foot at the table. This is a very quick glance I had by the way. He's taken the yellows. So don't judge me Nick. He might not put that red so close to that yellow in the middle of the table. He'll get on it now. Yeah land a bit straight and then you can just screw back into the into the gap. I mean he can take the one through the gap now. Just run through for the yellow and opposite centre. Yeah yellow into the centre next. The two yellows at the top and you feel that he's going to try and get onto the black into the bottom left hand corner. So he'll track down the right hand side of the table from his last yellow. This is what Brent does so well. I mean it's it's a simple enough finish. It's one that he would always fancy getting but he's one of the players that when he has these finishes he rarely makes a mistake. No I mean he's played you know to make sure he leans at this angle. Keyboard off the top rail. Such a tiny bit right hand side. Keyboard towards the you know in the line of the middle bag on the right hand side to have the black in the bottom left. Such a clever player. This for five each. In it goes. Ronan McCarthy pulls up level once again with Cormac Kerr. I mean he's dry but what a I mean. I'm sure that's some comfort. Yeah I know but I mean there's only three balls at this end of the table. Everything's gone up the far end. I mean he's timed that so well. What else effort is Ronan McCarthy going to pick out of this? Yellows is the option then. Convinced he played through the cannon. In fact certainly didn't but it's not worked out too bad. Well the ball he's cannoned into he's landed on it in the middle. I'll tell you what he's close. Does it even go? I think he's just going to drop it. He could make probably make the pot if he played it rail first but then he's going to be on nothing unless he get the cue ball to follow through a bit. Try to creep it along and just cover the baggy. Stick the cue ball to the red leaving Cormac not a lot to go at. Well no option there for Cormac really. Had nothing to play out to basically give McCarthy a chance where he didn't like. Well he does. The buzzer started he sort of he leapt up off that didn't he? Yeah I mean the two yellows. They're a plant easily. They're a plant. Definitely. I mean they're just set to the near knuckle but if you drop it in dead weight it will go so that was a real chance there but he just totally hashed the one to middle. He played he wasn't ready to play that and the buzzer started. He had an extension there. I was just about to say well he still has extension but I think it just it all got the two it all got the better of him there just slightly. Does he have an angle to top through for the one on the side cushion? No. To break it out? No. No? No. If he does now I'm leaving. That was a firm no. He does now. He was just about to say he doesn't. Now he can. I'm sure he'll have a little pop at this. He's got it. Great shot. Really good shot there. Still not easy though is it? Where it's landed. One thing that Ronan did do when he missed that yellow of the middle at least he left it there as a sort of goalkeeper. Yeah I mean if he if he can get across the left hand side of the table and then then he's in great shape but he's just I mean what if he can get well the bottom red goes past this yellow but the thing is he can't move the yellow out the way so he has got the outside he's just got to drip this in. Well is it not one of those you go knuckle first come off the back of the that's what that's what he played because there's a little grimace on his face. Yeah but he's trying to get the cue ball past to two reds without the contact and now he's well can he get a plant? Is he looking at that? The plant goes but wow this is a tough shot. The cut's very very thin into the top right and those are his two options. He's going for the thin cut instead. No cue ball went and stopped it. Defender came in. Cue ball acting as a sweeper. Yeah he would have liked that red just to travel another roll. I might have just saved him. Give Ronan something to think about but well Ronan now has a great opportunity. He's going to pop this yellow that's he's nearest to into this top corner. He wants to screw the cue ball back and get on the yellow into the center bag which make that plant available and he's done just that. Dead weight roll from McCarthy. Now then we know this plant it's the second ball and the cue ball now we're going to worry about. I think the second ball would probably stay still. Yeah yeah they're touching. I think he just screws back off of it. Stays where it is. Can't hit it too hard. Yeah that's okay. Has he got an angle? In an idea world he wanted just about to screw this out. Take your medicine here. Just oh Ronan. I'll tell you what he's left. He's left that cut into the corner and the natural angle with the cue ball is to go off the side rail and kick the other red. Yeah a bit of a huff and a puff there from Ronan. He cannot believe it. Tried to force it in and the pocket was having none of it. He's gone for the combo yeah but if you've done. I'm gonna say you have to get it because you leave him plumb on the yellow and he's done just that. Well I thought he would have gone for the cut and try and kick the red out. You can tell by the way he's sat in his chair he's not a happy bunny and Ronan McCarthy when he thought he just lobbed the frame away has had a huge reprieve. This for 6-5 and on the hill and in it goes and the world champion is now one away from a place in the last 32. Great match mouth-watering time but this has got plenty of pull in it and drama. McCarthy one away. Great break from the Northern Irishman. This table's been breaking well isn't it? We've seen lots lots of balls off breaks. You can understand I mean my natural instincts to look at reds and think uh I quite like them but you can understand why he's gone yellows. He had the red to middle but he couldn't get on anything else. No. So he's forced into taking yellows. He's tried to get on the one on the left hand side. May have to leave that till last now. Definitely leaving it till last. He's coming upstairs. Yeah. Long yellow. He's trying to get over there but just got a little glance on the way over which took the pace off the ball. Goes in the middle now and then if he drops into that gap with the two yellows he'll pick those both off and like you just said Nick the yellow down the left hand side that's going to be his last pull. He's fine. It's okay. Yeah. He's fine. The only concern is the cue ball I think is going to be going slightly away actually now. If you look at the I do have an overhead view of this as well so he's he's got a slight unwanted angle. Yeah so for that reason he was eyeing up the one to uh the top right. That was a brilliant shot. Lovely cat. Brilliant shot from McCarthy there. I thought that was that looked trickier to me. He's got to come off the bottom cushioning the side though. Yeah. Those are right hand side. That's it. Top and left. So top and right even. Still needs to judge it. That's perfect. Absolutely perfect. Master putting on a performance when it's needed. It's like he's come around the last bend in the 1500 meters and he's just kicked past his opponent isn't he. I thought it was fist bump in there but it was another fly. Anyway this for the match from McCarthy. I think Cormac looks back at this if that opportunity to go five two doesn't he Tony. Yeah and down it goes. Ronald McCarthy beats Cormac Kerr seven frames to five in a thrilling match I have to say.