Tina Keogh from Offaly won the 2026 RILSA National Intermediate Snooker Championship at the RILSA Academy Sharkx recently. Tina won the title back in 2016 and 10 years later added her 2nd National Intermediate Snooker Championship title to her list. In the runner up place for the first time on the RILSA Intermediate Snooker Tour was Veronica Hallahan from Dublin
At the Quarter Final stage of the Championship Veronica Hallahan from Dublin won the first frame against Christine Carr from Kildare but Christine levelled the match 1-1, in the final frame both players kept it close all the way to a black ball finish with Veronica potting it for game and a place in the Semis. Joanna Ward from Kildare had to call on all of her experience to get over the line against our National U21 Snooker Champion Qianhui Ye from Wicklow in another exciting black ball finish with Joanna sinking the black for game and a meeting with Veronica in the semis
At the other end of the draw Tina Keogh from Offaly had a good 2 nil win over Brigid Mulvany from Dublin to advance to the semis and the youngster from Kildare Natalia Trochonowicz played very well against Valerie Maloney to take the two frames needed to meet Tina in the semis
Veronica took frame 1 against Joanna but Joanna responded well to level the match, the 3rd frame would go all the way to the colours and it would be Veronica who got over the line to reach her first ever National Intermediate Snooker Championship final. On the other table Tina took frame 1 but Natalia levelled the match 1-1 and again another match would go all the way to the colours in the final frame with Tina showing her experience taking blue to pink to take the win and a place in the final
Tina took frame 1 against Veronica in the final and Veronica had chances to level the match, however Tina picked off brown, blue and pink for frame and match and her second National Intermediate Snooker title in 10 years on tour. These events are not easy and it takes great resolve to keep playing on these tours year after year but it finally pays off as it did for Tina taking her second National Title which catapults her into provisionally number 1 as the 2026-2027 season commences with Veronica in second spot followed in 3rd place by Joanna and Natalia in 4th provisionally
Congratulations to Tina on her win and well done to Veronica on reaching her first Intermediate Snooker Championship final. Thanks as always to all the ladies who participated and thanks to Stephanie and Martin Foley for helping throughout the day with Stephanie refereeing the final. Thanks to Bernie, Paul and staff of Sharkx for all their support towards female cue sports
