Paddy Morgan

Paddy Morgan
Born 7 January 1943[1]
Ardoyne, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Sport country  Australia[1]
Professional 1972 - 1991
Highest ranking 21[1] (1976/1977)

Paddy Morgan is an Australian former professional snooker player from Ardoyne, Belfast, he was a prominent and successful player of both snooker and English billiards during the 1960s and 70's.

Early life

Morgan attended St Gabriels Boys Intermediate School growing up, a keen player of Gaelic Football, he had a trial for Belfast Schoolboys in 1957. It was during this period that he first played Billiards and soon after Snooker.[2]

Snooker career

Paddy had his best year as an amateur in 1967, winning two All Ireland titles. In 1968, Morgan represented Ireland in the World Amateur Snooker Championship, held in Australia. He reached the Semi-final of the competition. He turned professional in 1972. Morgan participated in the 1971 World Snooker Championship, losing matches against John Pulman, Ray Reardon and Gary Owen, but winning his match against Warren Simpson.

Morgan progressed to the second round of the World Championship in 1974, beating Cliff Thorburn 8-4 in the First round, as Thorburn jokingly recalls after Morgan lost the first frame, he took his tie off, after Thorburn went 3-1 up, Morgan took his waistcoat off, and after the scoreline went to 4-1, Morgan drop kicked his chalk right out of the arena, Thorburn states that he had difficulty settling after that and lost the next 7 frames to let Morgan progress to the second round, where he lost 7-15 to Graham Miles.[3]

He participated in the Winfield Masters every year from 1983–1987, never progressing beyond the first round, succumbing to players such as Eddie Charlton, Willie Thorne, Kirk Stevens, Tony Knowles and Joe Johnson.[4]

Morgan continued to enter the qualifying rounds of the World Snooker Championship, his last appearance coming in 1991, where he lost in the first qualifying round 7-10 to Canadian Paul Thornley.[5]

Personal life

Morgan spent many years as a professional snooker and billiards player in Australia, he currently resides in Sydney along with his family.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Hayton, Eric (2004). The CueSport Book of Professional Snooker. Lowestoft: Rose Villa Publications. p. 732. ISBN 0-9548549-0-X.
  2. ↑ http://pool.abc.net.au/media/absent-friends-paddy-morgan
  3. ↑ http://www.snookerisland.com/blog/cliff-thorburn-interview-3of3/
  4. ↑ http://www.thesnookerforum.co.uk/board/archive/index.php/t-33152.html
  5. ↑ http://www.cuetracker.net/pages/players.php?ID=4274&season=1990/1991