When Irish eyes are smiling: Brendan O’Hara celebrates dramatic win

Published: 19 March, 2015

TWO top Irish players from the Chalk Farm Pool League welcomed in St Patrick’s Day in spectacular style as they went head-to-head in a final-frame thriller at the Boston Arms pub in Tufnell Park. 

Hosts Boston Old Skool and The Golden Lion were tied at 4-4 in a pulsating showdown in the quarter-finals of the Liam Tarrant Cup, dubbed the league’s equivalent of the FA Cup. 

Pot-for-pot there was no separating the rivals in a contest that went on long after the other three quarter-final ties had finished. 

Fittingly, as Monday’s midnight hour came and ushered in St Patrick’s Day, Boston landlord PJ Fayey was at the table taking on fellow Irishman Brendan O’Hara in a final-frame decider.

It looked like PJ was closing in on the win when he played a textbook snooker, leaving the cue ball behind two yellows. 

But Brendan O’Hara carefully calculated the angles and sent the white ball across the table and off the cushion to cut the black into the middle pocket to earn The Golden Lion a 5-4 victory. 

Team captain Shaun Pollard admitted the tension was too much to bear. “I just couldn’t look, there was no way Brendan was making that shot. I was staring at the dartboard when suddenly, my players started to cheer and scream, it was unbelievable.” 

The Golden Lion join defending champions Sir Robert Peel, Holloway-based side Cousins Elite and the Boston Arms in the semi final draw.