okay good evening ladies and gentlemen and a very warm welcome to the indoor balls Club here in Belfast we are live for the 2024 snpt Irish open Final please welcome your first finalist making his first appearance in an snpt singles final he is the world number one from England Craig burges [Applause] and Craigs opponent in the final multiple s SMPT singles champion and won this event in 2022 he is the current world number 14 from Ireland Joseph py oh okay good evening everyone uh welcome to this 2024 SMPT Irish open singles final between England's Craig Burgess and Ireland's Joe BT the players are going straight in 12 ends to be played of course in the event of a tie there'll be a 3-end tie break Craig using the black balls and Joe's using the blue balls you might have been watching the semi-finals just a short while ago Craig with a victory over Carl Blakeley U fairly straightforward and Joe uh managed to beat David pedin who was actually in Craig's group Irish outdoor Champion so this should be a good match up here obviously this is Craig's first appearance in the final in the singles did make the semi-final of the UK open uh last year and of course Joe I think with five maybe six singles titles to his name um season veteran for these events so looking forward to a good final Joe started off well two good balls holding two don't forget to say hello if you're watching watching let us know where you're watching from second bow for Craig there just wanted a clean run through to that but uh did pretty well a thanks once again to all the players who've Taken part again this weekend 192 players yeah superb Ball by Joe there and uh we've had a great weekend think Craig's just looking at the angle of the black bow onto Joe's that will Spring the Jack across to his own it's just whether it will uh clip the ball to the to the left as we're looking a pretty good crowd in tonight probably close to 70 80 people watching so Craig fairly big on weight yeah it's going to kill the Jack so both players allowed to kill the Jack twice in the match so Craig's gone early 1 out the way already so Craig to lead off on this restarted first end hi Benny you're doing okay over there in Sweden yeah good from Joe going to be vitally important in this game to uh get some chalk early on so Craig sticking with the forehand just needs to run a little bit yeah just 20 in short of course for those of you not know we've uh we're using 33 brand new wi green light mats this weekend um so because they new at the rapper they are a little bit stodgy um so a few people have been having their balls pull up a little bit short better wait from Craig here now just wants it to finish just gripped on that line a little bit Craig's using Taylor Elite so so they do have a bit of a finish to them that's not bad from Joey's widen that Target a little bit Craig might he's going to play it back hand the ball's just droing out so that's changed it he might come and have a look now so that will become a toucher so Craig playing white he's got his own I think yeah so unlucky result for Craig caught his front bow Joan now holding three it's a good job it's the first 10 plenty of time for Craig to come back if Joe pulls up to this ball that should be four yes it [Applause] is so good start yeah four conceded by Craig let see a few people in the crowd I'm actually going to switch to the other side now I'll just wait for Joe to Bow all everyone knows it was four first end I will show the scoreboard after each end just so uh those watching on Facebook and haven't got sound on can see the score don't forget guys if you're watching this live now please feel free to share this post that will help get our views up we've already had some great viewing figures from uh over the weekend particular I think the Peter Robertson Alex clay game from yesterday's group stages over 70,000 already yeah good from Joe early pressure on Craig now yeah good Pace on Craig just obviously a fraction wide yeah I fancy that's a good line from Joe yeah Craig needs to Nestle in here now yeah that's a better line I think will it sit down it's just running through a little bit yeah just fractionally over the pace but he's got shot out of it yeah Mitchell just confirming to Joe it's Craig shot Joe's got a positive onto Craigs bow here just looking to push this bow clean out sit four it's good oh he's unlucky just caught it slightly on the wide side so I think he's holding two now Joe we'd be very interested in your comments on Craig's trousers picked them up in the airport on the way over Arsenal trousers with a red and green looks like he's wearing football socks please feel free to drop your message on here comment he'll see it later I'm sure yeah good line from Craig this on drawway wants to come all the way back just didn't quite sit just a fraction over the pace I don't know how many it is Joe's having a quick look so yeah Joe's called for the Umpire Steven is going to come and do that for us so measure for sh so it's Wonder Joe so 5 nil after two ends strong start from Joe [Music] yeah good response from Craig there Jo's about 4 in off the Jack I know you can't quite see it there I'll try and show it later in the end if it doesn't move yeah good from Joe Craig will change now forand just look try and drop on that last ball yeah looking good this is yeah very [Applause] good Joe playing white now trying to disturb this head yeah got them both I think oh yeah one stayed so one to Craig back to the back hand now he's a bit tight going to give it away I think yeah he has it's not too bad he's uh another B up [Music] Joe just looking to put through this yeah good ball very good great result Craig's if Craig can thin the ball at middle Jack and get onto the shot ball without moving the Jack he could pick up two or three if he's a bit wi he gets his own ball oh he's close with this very good just didn't move that ball quite enough for another but gets one yeah just one it is so good balls all around there from both players so Craig on the board three ends played 5-1 Joe Bey that's what they're playing for there the trophy and the midds and the 750 first prize so Craig's got a toucher with his first ball here as has Joe just flipp the jack yeah more chalk for Craig we need to get a ball past it next time yeah I thought Joe might play a little bit at this yeah he got the ball first but that's worked out well pushed it six Ines past his first ball Craig wasting no time straight down and playing it yeah good line just needs to pull out yeah good effort just 15 Ines through yeah good again from Joe very good it's playing very well Joe at the moment putting Craig under a lot of pressure so Craig sticking with the draw on the forehand we want to just try that looks a bit wide to me yeah Craig knew it too white was perfect as you can see just a bit wide I don't I think it's still two to Joe there don't think Joe's pushed that has he maybe he has yeah what do I know yeah I think that's in yeah Mitchell looks confident just let the players confirm it yep three so three conceded by Craig so 814 ends that's a third of the way through the match still plenty of time for Craig to come back so Joe leading us off on the fifth end 81's his lead and Craig changing it up now looking to get a toucher it's going to get Joe's bow here hasn't quite gone dead again for those of you who aren't sure players aren't allowed to well they can run at the Jack but if they ball is a toucher and ends up in the ditch it is removed that only counts for the first ball from each player on an end might see Craig going for this don't it's going to quite get back that's twice he's killed it now so Craig's got to be a little bit careful now he was just changing his game up a bit there but he's got to be careful now he Chris yeah I'm all good thank you mate uh been nice to get back here for a bit of cooler weather Cyprus has been very hot for the last three months so yeah we've had a great weekend here so way we go take two and five good start from Joe not quite a toucher in short Craig sticking with the forand he tends to prefer playing the forehand sure a lot of you will know that yeah it's very good yeah good question Simon so if Craig now kills a jack for a third time he will lose three shots end played uh the only difference to that is if it occurs on the final end of the match it's three shots away and you replay the end that's to stop uh automatically killing the jack to win the match um but yes he will drop three shots and uh the end will count on any other end Joe just eying up his options now I think I'll probably favor obviously a backand draw here just look to try and drop down onto Craig's two balls yeah Fair effort there this good yeah good ball so Craig just reaching through a little bit now wants a little bump on this yeah he's unlucky just a fraction too hard think he's one down Mitchell yep so just pushed it two inches too far difficult to get to that ball as well so Craig not quite getting the rub of the green at the moment that's a Joe going deep I think yeah good ball that is well that actually stops Craig's ball going out the head now so it's possible we could just play through this on a forand yep indicating weight we'll see what he gets bit wider think yeah got a result so good result for Craig would have wanted a couple but I'm sure he'll settle for the one so one it is oh Craig is going to go for a short Jack next so five ends played Joe leads 82 hi Mr Thompson hope you're doing all right so short length from Craig draws middle Joe with a good Bowl on quarter short yeah back from Craig here one point I thought that might get that full but just held a fraction so thanks kin yeah Carl's done a wonderful job for us over the last few events helping us out with the commentary so uh obviously Craig and I used to do the majority of it but now we're playing we've shared it out a little bit but Carl does a great job I know you guys really enjoy his commentary so it's been good I don't do so much these days now but uh have commentated on three games I think this weekend of course Craig and I will be doing uh the majority of the commentary at our champion Champions event in March don't miss that guys that's going to be a massive weekend 32 the world's top Bowlers playing against each other multiple live streams going on it's going to be fantastic weekend of bowls so just keep uh up to date with everything that's going to be happening happening on our website I'm not sure if that Ball's crept in for shot slightly hard to tell from this angle Jo will just be looking to push it away and sit in which I think he's done he has very good so quick in there looks like two to me don't think it's three maybe yeah two no two it is so 102 to Joe and we're halfway through six more ends to go Joe in a commanding position Jack length back to Middle so second half here we come Joe leading off didn't seem particularly happy with that but uh it's pretty [Music] good Craig's just got a battle now he's going to need need to win probably the remaining six ends to have a chance good start bit of chalk yeah just Joe playing that 18 Ines over looking to roll his own Ball but finish in a good spot Craig will need to just try and drop on that as well it'ss pretty good wants to run a bit more still yeah could have done with another foot yeah a bit more Pace this time from Joe we' got a toucher doesn't really change much no no change of shot for Craig he just pinch his line a bit there isn't going to want to touch Joe's yeah just pulled that as he delivered it so pinched the line I think Joe can still be positive of this no real danger to the shop yeah they're going to hold for him looks pretty close yeah oh yeah lucky that so if he got the Jack flush on from the bowl it would have been all right but just caught the edge of Craig so that took the speed out don't know who's holding it's a measure Mitchell said who's um marking for us so this is going to be a steady little draw from Craig now has a good eff It's tricky to get in there yeah does look pretty close maybe Craig's just but uh worth a measure so while we got this short break don't forget um check out our new YouTube channel uh short M Players Tour Please Subscribe got huge array of matches on there for you to watch from past tournament so uh why not have a look at that course we've still got just a few spaces for the Norwegian open available now it will be our biggest ever tournament there that's in uh about a month's time over in shien in Norway so you can enter that on our website I think there might be a couple of spots for the World fors Masters as well well and uh the World Masters and belfus open is now full yeah black ball so it is one to Craig so 103 seven ends Craig going long Jack now just wait for Mitchell to put a score up so people watching that sound can see there we go so Craig's gone long now change of tactic I think because of his uh having killed a jack twice it's a bit safer to play a longer Jack yeah so Craig being positive now I think Joe will be too now Craig a bit unfortunate the way that's finished he's under it cra's got to be a bit careful he doesn't waste too many balls but this is framed nicely so definitely worth playing looks better well yeah that's pretty good toucher in the oh no it's not a toucher sorry see the first toucher that change of hand from Joon now not enough touch her in though tough for Craig now he might better play his back hand just try and drop round Joe's is holding the shot tough decision really there Craig having a little think now going stick with stick with the forand I think this is interesting just looking to play Joe's bow out here I think it's pretty good he been unlucky Joe's still going to get it though two shots to Craig final bow of the the eighth end to come looks good yeah very good very good from Joe go good Pace Two Shots it is yep so 123 after eight four ends to go and a long way back for cor bir I got a feeling maybe if Joe wins this end two or three I think Craig will be shaking hands and so Craig will just look to push that b going to drop though just when he doesn't want it to stayed on so he's he's all right that's good out Craig could quite get a Bend there right there hi Jim you all right see you very late tomorrow morning uh tomorrow night Craig I think he's going to step out and play this now just to try and get that bit more turned yeah Better Effort here out just going to pass it I think oh nearly chipped it off yeah Joe's playing this quite well this hand this might tempt Craig It's Tricky though he's got to leave the Jack alone yeah so control and pace one to Joe it's only one I think yeah so one it is three ends to play Joe leads by 10 shots so 10th end possible three to play yeah good start from Joe Craig requires at least two shots his end to continue the match for yeah B [Applause] Craig Craig will have to start to take a couple of chances I think now try and make some shots c yeah he's got to look for The Tight Ball here push it away and run in needs to run a bit harder I think yeah very good certainly two yeah so certainly two maybe three so movement for Joe here is close yeah he's got a result so pop back onto the blue [Applause] ball so holding one and match Craig of course needs two so he's got to H these two balls looks a bit tight call his own out that's it that'll be the game and the handshake there you go all over so two shots for Joe there a 153 victory Craig very unlucky there's been playing some great stuff all weekend but uh Joe superb all the way through that se that final and another s SMPT singles title for Mr Joe BT uh we'll be making the presentation shortly um and of course we'll be uploading the photos of all the winners of the uh knockout stages on our Facebook page and social media thank you so much for joining us over the weekend guys uh we hope you enjoyed the coverage don't forget to drop a little message on the feed here to congratulate him on his victory we'll be back in about a month's time in Norway um look forward to seeing the players there and we hope you'll join us for further live coverage have a good Sunday evening and we'll see you soon goodbye