NCCU U16 Pennine Cup Report - Saturday 16th December 2006
Lancashire Finish 2nd in Pennine Cup
Three counties met up at Frodsham in Cheshire to contest the 2006 U16's Pennine Cup, Lancashire, Yorkshire and Cheshire & North Wales.
Lancashire had a strong top half for their team of 12, but the lower half was young for U16's. The draw was a mixed jamboree and the chess was excellent with no quick finishes. Things didn't go our way initially, with several close games on the lower boards going against us. However this was levelled up when a few games in which we were behind were either drawn or turned into victories:
| ROUND 1 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Board | Lancs Player | Grade | Lancs Result | Opponent | County | Lancs Colour |
| 1 | Mark Talbot | 134 | ½ - ½ | Tom Whitaker | YK | B |
| 2 | Michael Rabbitte | 135 | ½ - ½ | George Cloake | CN | W |
| 3 | Liam Rabbitte | 132 | 1 - 0 | James Lobo | CN | W |
| 4 | Nathan Talbot | 110 | 1 - 0 | Jean Luc Weller | YK | B |
| 5 | Nick Bishop | 94 | 0 - 1 | Pierre Weller | YK | B |
| 6 | William Hart | 89 | 0 - 1 | Joshua Oxley | CN | W |
| 7 | James McConnachie | 75 | 1 - 0 | Richard Waite | YK | W |
| 8 | Peter Cassell | 65 | 0 - 1 | Lorna Allix | CN | B |
| 9 | Benjamin Atueyi | 50 | 0 - 1 | Thomas Clements | CN | B |
| 10 | Claire Edhouse | 48 | 0 - 1 | Kiruthika Rajesuaran | YK | W |
| 11 | Matthew Walsh | 43 | 0 - 1 | Amanda Hipshon | YK | W |
| 12 | James Walsh | 34 | 1 - 0 | Charles Gilman | CN | B |
| Lancashire Total 5/12 | ||||||
After Round 1 we stood third of three with 5 out of 12, just behind Yorkshire on 5.5 with Cheshire & North Wales clear on 7.5
Round 2 was again tough, but because plenty of our team stuck in for half points when slightly behind, or took the point from equal positions, we managed a very creditable 6/12:
| ROUND 2 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Board | Lancs Player | Grade | Lancs Result | Opponent | County | Lancs Colour | Overall Score |
| 1 | Mark Talbot | 134 | ½ - ½ | David Groves | CN | W | 1 - 1 |
| 2 | Michael Rabbitte | 135 | ½ - ½ | Nipuna Senaratne | YK | B | 1 - 1 |
| 3 | Liam Rabbitte | 132 | 1 - 0 | Nick Rigby | YK | B | 2 - 0 |
| 4 | Nathan Talbot | 110 | 0 - 1 | Martin Brown | CN | W | 1 - 1 |
| 5 | Nick Bishop | 94 | 1 - 0 | Scott Waring | CN | W | 1 - 1 |
| 6 | William Hart | 89 | 0 - 1 | Ashley Littlewood | YK | B | 0 - 2 |
| 7 | McConnachie James | 75 | 0 - 1 | Chris Chadwick | YK | B | 1 - 1 |
| 8 | Peter Cassell | 65 | 1 - 0 | Michael Littlewood | CN | W | 1 - 1 |
| 9 | Benjamin Atueyi | 50 | ½ - ½ | Daniel Waite | CN | W | ½ - 1½ |
| 10 | Claire Edhouse | 48 | ½ - ½ | David Menon | YK | B | ½ - 1½ |
| 11 | Matthew Walsh | 43 | 1 - 0 | Steven Jones | YK | B | 1 - 1 |
| 12 | James Walsh | 34 | 0 - 1 | Adam Routledge | CN | W | 1 - 1 |
| Lancashire Total 6/12 | |||||||
This meant we just squeezed into second on 11/24, just half a point ahead of Yorkshire in third. But Cheshire & North Wales ran out clear and worthy winners with 14.5/24.
Out team was young (especially on the lower boards), but this augurs very well for the future; James and Matthew Walsh will be able to play for the next EIGHT years, and Claire Edhouse and Ben Ateyui for the next five years!
Many thanks to George Davison of C&NW for organising this event, and to Mick Walsh in particular for standing in with the twins after the very late withdrawl of two of our players.
