Snooker Legend Steve Davis hoisted his final competitive trophy over the weekend to adoring fans as the six-times World Champion won the Irish Seniors Masters at the iconic venue Goffs in Ireland.
Davis, 60, retired from the game last season but decided to play one final hurrah in Ireland as a goodbye to the Irish fans as he rolled back the years in the final with a 4 - 0 win over amateur Jonathan Bagley.
Stephen Hendry was meant to be playing in the event but he had to pull out due to commitments in China, and Davis agreed to step in as a replacement.
Bagley, 47, on his way to the final proudly defeated six-times World finalist Jimmy White, the Irish legend and 1997 World Champion Ken Doherty. He said it was all thanks to the creator of the Snooker Legends Jason Francis for giving players like himself the chance to compete on the big stage with legends such as White and Davis.
Blackball Bagley
He was given a nickname for his run to the final as "Blackball Bagley."
Two of his matches on the way involved the dramatic blackball shootout in the final frames best of 5.
The Snooker Legends World Seniors tour has seen some great action in the past year or so, with Blade cueist Gary Filtness having a good run at the UK Seniors, and, Jimmy White, of course, doubling up his trophy cabinet with a UK title and UK seniors title in 92, and, 2017 respectively.
Amateurs making a splash
As an amateur, Peter Lines dared to dream of the World Seniors last season and the dream came true.
And, what's more, some of snooker's top aces have re-kindled their glory days of old and continue to show that age is no barrier in snooker.
Davis pocketed £5,000 for the win and Bagley £2,000 plus the added publicity for the future - priceless.
Another selection of amateurs will pit their wits in China at the end of January for a chance to play in the World Seniors Championship to be held in Scunthorpe.
From January 26 - 28, players will be holding Qualifier 6 in Beijing at the CBSA Academy.
From early February, there will be two Masters Seniors Qualifiers held in Newbury and London for players over 40 and amateurs for a bid to compete at snooker's iconic venue The Crucible, something which all aspiring snooker players dream to play at some time in their career.
Steve Davis and Jimmy White won a combined total of 10 titles as Irish Masters Champions with Davis lifting eight of those.
Hendry won one more than Jimmy White.
Alex Higgins's daughter Lauren Higgins was at the venue to hand over the trophy to the 80s snooker whizz. Her father Alex Higgins proudly won the 1982 World Championship when she was a baby.
1989 was Higgins's last hurrah at the Irish Masters when he defeated Stephen Hendry before Hendry went on to become the youngest World Champion in 1990. Higgins won his first Irish Masters in 1977.
The event became a ranking event in 2003, which Ronnie O'Sullivan won.
Do you dare to dream like Jon Bagley or Peter Lines? Then don't just dream on, pick up your cue and go and play in one of the Qualifiers - details on the Snooker Legends website.
