City of Belfast Championships

The City of Belfast Championships were held for the first time since 2000 and for only the second time since 1996.There were two sections and in the senior event the Nemtzov Cup Tom Clarke scored an emphatic victory with 5.5 points from his 6 games. The next highest scorers were John Masterson (the only other unbeaten player), Desmond Moreland and Calum Leitch, who all finished with 4.0 points. Masterson and Moreland shared the Second Prize while Leitch won the Grading Prize.

In 2000 and 2001 the Henderson Cup had been the supporting event to the Williamson Shield but with the revival of the City of Belfast it returned to its original home. Top seed Chris Kelly beat former Ulster Junior champion Michael Kane in Round 1. Kelly then won his next three games to establish a one-point lead, but draws in the last two rounds allowed Kane to catch him up after five straight wins. Eamonn Walls finished in third place on 4.5 points and took the Grading Prize.

Nemtzov Cup Final Standings

Place Name                  Rtg  Club          Score

  1   TOM CLARKE            2157 R.V.H.        5.5  
 2-4  DESMOND MORELAND      1815 R.V.H.        4    
      JOHN MASTERSON        1814 R.V.H.        4    
      CALUM LEITCH          1561 Q.U.B.        4    
 5-6  DANNY MALLAGHAN       1769 R.V.H.        3.5  
      DAMIEN LAVERY         1601 R.V.H.        3.5  
7-11  IAN WOODFIELD         1690 FISHERWICK    3    
      NORMAN Mc FARLAND     1607 FISHERWICK    3    
      PAUL Mc LOUGHLIN      1755 R.V.H.        3    
      ROBIN TRIGGS          1590 Q.U.B.        3    
      JAMES O' FEE          1756 BANGOR        3    
12-14 SAMUEL MOORE          1746 CIVIL SERVICE 2.5  
      JOHN LYNCH            1539 CITY OF DERRY 2.5  
      HANNAH LOWRY-O'REILLY 1401 RATHMINES     2.5  
 15   JOHN CAIRNS           1926 FISHERWICK    2    
16-17 BRENDAN Mc GRATH      1448 Q.U.B.        1    
      DAVID O' DONNELL      1696 Q.U.B.        1    
 18   DAMIEN CUNNINGHAM     1601 R.V.H.        0  

Henderson Cup Final Standings

Place Name                   Rtg  Club          Score

 1-2  CHRISTOPHER KELLY      1588 CIVIL SERVICE 5    
      MICHAEL KANE           1358 R.V.H.        5    
  3   EAMONN WALLS           1343 NORTH BELFAST 4.5  
 4-6  JOHN C. ORCHIN         1454 HILLSBOROUGH  3.5  
      NICK LARTER            1491 LIMERICK      3.5  
      RICHARD MORROW              BANGOR        3.5  
7-10  ALEXANDER BECKETT      1456 FISHERWICK    3    
      SARTHAK SENGUPTA            UNATTACHED    3    
      RICHARD PROCTOR        1513 BANGOR        3    
      JONATHAN WOODFIELD     1356 FISHERWICK    3    
11-12 DEREK TRUESDALE        1468 SHORTS        2.5  
      PHILLIP TODD           1055 BANGOR        2.5  
13-14 SEAN LINTON            1446 R.V.H.        2    
      JOHANNA LOWRY-O'REILLY 610  UNATTACHED    2    
15-16 PAUL Mc PARLAND                           1    
      MOHAMED SAAD                Q.U.B.        1