New Institute Snooker Club prove to be Ireland’s best once more

After the Munster Championships the weekend before last, the two teams from New Institute Snooker Club that had qualified to progress to the All-Ireland Championships made their way back to the Gleneagle Hotel on Killarney last weekend.

The ‘A’ team have been here many times and having won the tournament on four previous occasions and knew what they were up against.

The team, consisting of captain Mark Walsh, Brendan O’Donoghue, Tommy Gleeson, and bothers Mark & Noel Gleeson suffered a minor set-back in the last group game, losing 3-2 to Drumaness of Down, who were led by current Northern Irish international and number 1 Darren Doran.

This meant a tougher draw in the last 16 when New Institute came out against main Munster rivals, the Crucible Club from Cork. What started slowly with the lads down one frame on four tables turned quickly when they got going and flipped it to win and reach the quarter finals where they would play the defending champions, Blackstaff ‘A’.

In what turned out to be the match of the tournament, and level at 2-2 matches each, it came down to youngest member of the team and All Ireland Premier debutante Noel Gleeson. He was on another level all weekend and with the whole venue glued to this match, he did not break a sweat and got the job done winning 3-1 and sending the team into an All-Ireland semi-final.

It was another game against Ross Bulman & Co from Youghal CYMS, and after a few back and forth early games, it started to take shape and Nenagh came out on top.

So, the final was set, New Institute Nenagh versus Kilkenny Shed who won the All-Ireland only three years ago themselves. The Munster champions v Leinster champions; Tipperary v Kilkenny on a different kind of green surface.

Here the New Institute lads were just too strong and won 3-0 to claim a fifth All Ireland title to go along with their 12th Munster title won the year before, and you can be sure they will be back even stronger in 2026.

For the ‘B’ team of captain Patsy Farrell, Tony Seymour, Paudie Kelly, Dave Garrett, and Andy McCloskey, it was their first year in the Premier section after winning the Championship section in 2024.

And just like the Munster Championships they started off brilliantly, only to losing one group game to eventual finalists Kilkenny Shed.

They drew a tough last 16 tie against play Liam Mallows from Wexford who were captained by ex-professional Rodney Goggins. Here, they pulled out another super performance to set up a quarter-final clash with tournament favourites only to lose 3-2.