Mike Donnelly came within a single match of winning his third straight stop on the Dishaw Custom Cues CNY Tour. He was stopped by Vic Conte, Jr., sitting in the hot seat, who took the second set of a true double elimination final to win it. The $300-added event, held on December 12, drew 26 entrants to Salt City Billiards in Syracuse, NY.
As Conte was completing his third winning match, and moving among the winners' side final four to face Brian Lipes, Donnelly, sent west in the second round, was working on an seven-match journey back to the finals. Conte downed Lipes 8-2 and squared off against Lee Sibley, who'd defeated John Guffey 7-4. Conte gained the hot seat with an 8-5 victory over Sibley, and watched, as Donnelly fought back to face him.
Guffey and Lipes moved over to compete in the event's first money round (5th/6th), and were met by Donnelly and J.B. Brotherton. Donnelly had already chalked up five of his eventual seven wins in the west, including a 7-3 win over Willie Oney, and a strong 7-1 win over Jason Reese, to reach Guffey. Brotherton, with a 7-4 win over Dave Howard, and a double hill win over Jeremy Leander, drew Lipes.
Donnelly and Brotherton defeated Guffey and Lipes, both 7-4, and faced each other in the quarterfinals. Donnelly chalked up another 7-4 win, over Brotherton, and faced Sibley in the semifinals.
Donnelly defeated Sibley 7-3, and chalked up his eighth straight, with a 7-5 victory over Conte in the opening set of the true double elimination final. Conte came back to win the second set 8-5, and secure the event title, his first of the 2010/2011 tour's season.
Tour representatives thanked sponsors Dishaw Custom Cues, Poison Cues, The Predator Group, TotalPoolInfo, Cue Shark, AZBilliards, and Custom Logo, USA, for their assistance.
