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Round 5
This round featured what was to become the first
of many non-appearances by Bernard Palmer. Even drawing master Tony Fox could hardly have been happy to get his first win this way. The fact that Bernard continued to get away with his non-appearances is something I can't say I understand. At least it provided a bit of scandal and drama for those observing from the sidelines.
Other wins saw Paul Dempsey outplay Stephen Jessel in the endgame and win comfortably while John Joyce emerged victorious after a comfortable opening against Stephen Scannell . Gerry O Connell also won in a pretty easy manner against Brian Beckett.
Most significant of the draws was without doubt the game between Sam Collins and Mel O Cinneide. This was truly an amazing escape for Sam as after having been totally outplayed he found himself completely lost and still Mel somehow failed to take chance after chance to simply end the game. Eventually a perpetual check forced a draw. It must be concluded that time trouble played a part here as there is little else to explain why Black didn't win.
The other draws saw Tom Clarke continue his rehabilitation as he again avoided defeat with another draw, not without complications and some major ups and downs. Meanwhile Cormac Brady had a fairly uneventful draw with Seamus Duffy which fizzled out with opposite colour bishops characteristics.
| Beckett,Brian |
1-0 |
O'Connell,Gerry |
| Brady,Cormac |
½-½ |
Duffy,Seamus |
| Clarke,Tom |
½-½ |
Jeffares,Simon |
| Collins,Sam |
½-½ |
O'Cinneide,Mel |
| Fox,Tony |
1-0 |
Palmer,Bernard |
| Jessel,Stephen |
0-1 |
Dempsey,Paul |
| Scannell,Stephen |
0-1 |
Joyce,John |
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