21/03/2026
Congratulations to McVeigh Tiles snooker team, who play out of the Donaghmoyne Community Centre snooker club, on winning the County McCague Cup , a great result 👏👏👏
MCVEIGH TILES COME BACK FROM THE BRINK TO EDGE OUT A GALLANT LISDOONAN!
In over four decades of local snooker there has often been a fine line on which way the pendulum of success will swing before it is determined where the Silverware is destined and so it panned out on Friday evening last March 20th when McVeigh Tiles came back from the brink of defeat to edge out a most unfortunate Lisdoonan side by a 4 - 3 margin.
Played in the excellent facilities at Carrickmacross snooker club with the table as always, in pristine, immaculate condition the 2026 McCague Cup decider proved to be a tense occasion for all involved as Lisdoonan were on the cusp of creating one of the biggest cup final upsets in recent years when leading at 3 - 1, they needed just one of the remaining scheduled three frames to secure what many of local snooker observers would have regarded as the most unlikeliest of victories.
Although defeated Lisdoonan will remember this occasion as the night when the youngest player in both line ups Dylan McConnell stepped up to the plate and produced a memorable stellar performance in both his frames. Although defeated in one frame Dylan, playing in his first Senior County final showed maturity beyond his years as he did not shirk responsibility or look out of place among exalted company who between them have regularly featured in the winners enclosure of the annals of County Monaghan snooker.
In the opening frame Lisdoonan secured an early advantage with Blake McConnell putting his side one frame to the good with a (56 -31) win against Derek Murnaghan. However the Tilers bounced back in frame two with Steven Rushe potting fluently throughout while restricting his opponent Lionel McConnell to very limited opportunities and the Tilers were soon back level at one frame apiece with Steven winning out on a (65 - 03) scoreline.
In frame three Steven Rushe stayed at the table and few( if any) would have expected anything less than the Tilers to go ahead for the first time with his opponent the relatively inexperienced Dylan McConnell. However the Lisdoonan lefthander produced a performance akin to a seasoned campaigner playing faultless, taking his points at every available opportunity and leaving Steven with few chances to build momentum . Dylan went on to a richly deserved frame win (58 - 30) and restore the Lisdoonan lead at 2 -1.
Frame four was a well contested encounter with little to choose between Lisdoonan's Blake McConnell and Martin McVeigh but it was Blake who went onto take the spoils winning his 2nd frame of the evening (56 - 30) to give Lisdoonan a 3 - 1 advantage at the mid session interval.
On the resumption of play at one stage Lionel McConnell looked primed to get Lisdoonan over the winning line but the tenacity of his opponent Derek Murnaghan resulted in the Tilers cutting their defecit to the bare minimum and the Lisdoonan lead was now reduced to 3 - 2.
At this stage the match was finely balanced with the final singles frame being contested by the wily experience of Martin McVeigh and newcomer Dylan McConnell. As the Tilers were at the point of no return in this frame Martin was wary of giving Dylan opportunities as he showed his opponent the utmost respect by slowly building up a points advantage before playing safe and this game plan worked to perfection with Martin levelling the scores at 3 - 3 taking the frame on a (64 - 26) scoreline.
In the deciding doubles frame Blake & Lionel McConnell (Lisdoonan) played Steven Rushe and Derek Murnaghan with the Tilers partnership always just slightly ahead but the outcome was always on a knife - edge throughout. Arguably the turning point came when with just two reds remaining Lisdoonan garnered an opportunity with Blake McConnell looking primed for a good scoring opportunity which could have proved decisive but unfortunately Blake inadvertently fouled by brushing a colour when getting down to pot the penultimate red. This unfortunate foul let Derek Murnaghan back to the table and the Tilers stretched their advantage which was to prove significant and McVeigh's went on to clinch victory (63 - 37) and secure a memorable 4 - 3 success.
MATCH SCORECARD
MCVEIGH TILES 4 - 3 LISDOONAN
Derek Murnaghan 31 - 56 Blake McConnell
Steven Rushe 65 - 03 Lionel McConnell
Steven Rushe 30 - 58 Dylan McConnell
Martin McVeigh 30 - 56 Blake McConnell
Derek Murnaghan 68 - 31 Lionel McConnell
Martin McVeigh 64 - 26 Dylan McConnell
Steven Rushe/Derek Murnaghan 63 - 37 Blake & Lionel McConnell.
PRESENTATION
Association Chairman Seamus McCabe presented the McCague Cup to winning captain Martin McVeigh and in his acceptance speech Martin admitted that his side looked down and out on numerous occasions and he paid tribute to Lisdoonan especially the performance of Dylan McConnell.
THANKS
The County Monaghan Billiards and Snooker Association wish to thank match referee Gary Donnelly, scoreboard operator Eamon Dillane and Carrickmacross Snooker club for providing their magnificent facilities and most welcome interval refreshments.
PICTURED BELOW- The victorious McVeigh Tiles 2026 McCague Cup Winners (left to right) Steven Rushe, Martin McVeigh and Derek Murnaghan.
