Good afternoon and welcome to this commentary on the 2021 Championships of Ireland Singles Final between Andrew Johnston and Simon Williams.
After a week of sunshine, the final days of the tournament have seen the weather deteriorate, slowing down playing conditions and making the hoops a little softer in the ground. Hitting-in should be at a premium today.

To reach the final, Andrew Johnston needed to negotiate a stern test in the quarter final vs Patsy Fitzgerald. Having won the first game easily +26TP, Andrew had a poor approach to 1 on a finishing turn. This forced a retreat, allowing Patsy an extra shot which he hit before TPOing Andrew with style. The ensuing 3-ball game could have gone either way, with several shot generated for Andrew after he failed to capitalise on running 1 off the contact. Patsy prevailed and forced a decider, before Andrew's clutch hitting saw him take the match with another TP.
Nathaniel Healy in the semi-final also hit in regularly, but failed to take as good advantage as Patsy did, eventually going down to two Johnston TPs.

The match has just started, so I will fill you in on Simon's route here shortly.

Game 1: Williams U and K, Johnston R and Y.
T1 - Williams U to E boundary
T2 - Johnston R to 6" south of CII
T3 - K shits U down the line from B baulk, takes off to R near CII very neatly. Rolls R to 1.4y NW of the peg, and hits off the lawn behind U. Possibly leaving a double from B baulk there...

T4 - Y weighing up the options here. A big double on Williams' balls from ~in from of H3 on the N boundary.
Looking at it. Seems the obvious choice to me, but there's a lot of lawn in between. Looking ar shooting at R from the end of B baulk.
Shooting at the ball nearest the peg, shortest shot available (~15y) ....
Misses on the right down to the S boundary, a little E of the line of H1.

Unusual choice, unusual miss from Andrew there.

T5 - Williams takes his rush to the ball at the peg, and opts to rush that straight to 1 rather. No, changes his mind, goes to yellow and approaches H1 from the S boundary. Gets a 1.5y, 10 degree hoop which he makes in very relaxed fashion. Should be away now.

As I say it, he grovels through H2 and a referee is summoned from the warmth on indoors.
Copes.

Another referee needed as Williams has hampered himself after H4. This one looks trickier, reception ball is a distance away and a sweep shot is needed...
Misses, not a very convincing stroke. A gift for Johnston, with balls at 5 and 6 to start a break with.

T6 - Andrew through takes croquet on the S boundary near 4, and chooses to go to the ball near 6. It puts some furniture in the way of getting a rush on the ball near 5 which he wants to rush to H1. Overhits his takeoff, and has rush pointing more at H2 and H1. Moves it 2 yards levels with H5 and has a big take off to contend with now.

Excellent takeoff toe 2' in front of H1. Through and the steady breaking to 4-back can commence. Just a 4y croquet and he's away. Makes it.

Current clip positions:
Williams U-H1, K-H5. Johnston R-break, Y-H1.

Simon had to negotiate a tough quarter-final against the returned force of Russell Harris, who played some good turns but ultimately Simon managed to get over the line. In spite of suffering a Maugham error and a failed rover peel in successive games.
In the semi-final, Williams faced Danny Johnston, the defending champion. Williams got off to a flying start, finishing a 7th turn +26tp win in such quick time and control as to be labelled "Vintage Williams". The champion dug in in Game 2, capitalising on a Williams error in his first turn to gratefully get a ball round. Williams missed and Johnston finished a good delayed TP (having failed to generate a standard TP from the NSL he left). Game 3 brought out some nervous shots, with Williams failing Hoop 1, only for Johnston to miss an 8 yarder. After some more interaction, Williams gathered himself to play another slick TP and earn a place in the final.

T6 continued - Johnston continues to make progress. Approaching H3 in control.

This year's championship has seen an increased entry, with several improving players making progress towards A-class status. The aforementioned Russell Harris played well throughout the week, and Sandy Grieg of Carrickmines continued on some from from his win in the CAI Silver Medal 8 earlier in the summer. We also had the welcome return of visitors from the UK, in the form of Eugene Change, his wife Amy and baby Olivia! Hopefully post-COVID we will see more visitors returning again.

T6 continued - Johnston attempting to POP William's U through H1. Sends it down to 1y level after H3, overrunning his rush on partner and needing a big roll down to his pioneer at 4. He loves a big roll, plays it well.
Rushes U to 18", and POPs it through well on the way to 5. Several good strokes in there, looks in good control. U only went through by 12", but he will have a chance to swap it for partner after H5.

I predict no more POPs, and a leave with U (the H2 ball) in the NSL position and K (for H5) near the W boundary.

This year's event did suffer the unfortunate occurrence of a number of dropouts due to a potential COVID close contact. Again, hopefully in years to come this will be nothing more than an amusing memory. It made the path clearer for the manager, with the Championship Doubles Draw and Process causing a few headaches in the lead up to finals day. As it was, the 2020 winners Andrew Johnston and Danny Johnston prevailed, having come through some tough matches early in the draw. Most notable vs Greig&Chang, who were on a finishing turn to the peg when a hill appeared in front of penult, causing them to run out of position. The Johnston's hit their last shot, and went on to finish a TP well after time to make it through. They faced each other again in a later round of the process, with Grieg&Chang embarking on a TPO, but coming a cropper after the first peel allowing a straightforward double peel finish for the Johnston.

T6 continued - NSL set as predicted. A good turn from Johnston there.

T7 - Williams lifts K (for H5) to B baulk. Misses Y on the yard line, coming in E of CIV. He might have been aiming at R to be fair, he took the shot so quickly I couldn't see!

Clip positions: Johnston R - 4-back, Y - H1. Williams U - H2, K - H5.
T8 - Johnston sets off on what should be a routine standard TP. U is in a good spot for rushing to H1, so a good stop shot out of the corner should do it. Bit too much welly, and Y has ended up a little north of ideal, so will have to cut U away from the hoop to get it over to H1. Plays it with control, but only as far as in front of H5. Rolling for position. He has left R quite far in lawn, so no especially safe join-up to be had if he fails position here...

Gets 5' 10 degree hoop... which he bounces off!!

Very very unlike Andrew, and Simon breathes again!

T9 - Williams roquets and started his break with U for H2 where Johnston left a pioneer. Will we see a TPO as troubled Andy in the quarter final?
Looks like it, as Williams has sent R out to H3.

First peel complete, lets see if Williams can keep a tighter lead on this break. He's moving around the court with a bit more freedom, and sailing through hoops compared to his efforts on Turn 5.

He has gone up and collected the peel (R) from behind 4-back, in good position to have an on time TPO after a good rush across to H6.

Has to play a roll from H5 to position his 1-back pioneer. Not his preferred shot, he's playing with his magical stop-shot mallet today despite the wind and rain (which have receded incidentally).

T9 continued - a neat peel through H6, about 18" through. His 2-back pioneer has gone a little long, so some work to do but nothing too taxing.

Gets a great rush on peelee, send it off the E boundary to get easier position on his 2-back pioneer SE of the hoop. Fails to get a good rush out of 2-back, resulting in another slightly out of position 4-back pioneer. Great peel on the way to to 3-back, that makes life easier.

In good control after 4-back, wonder if he will alter the leave to reflect his other ball being for H5?

Plays a good stoppo approach to rover, sending peelee towards the peg where he has partner waiting for the leave. TPO complete, now for the leave.
A good rush on partner (for H5) to level with H4 on the E boundary, taking off to send strikers ball off in CII. All very conventional.
Williams has woken up, showing some of his semi-final form! Will Johnston respond to the challenge?

T10 - Johnston plays his trademark enormous roll from the ball in CII, ending up with U (peg) in the middle of the lawn, and a 8 or 9 yard shot on K (H5). Makes his roquet, lets see if he gets position at 1...

Not quite, but the angled hoop is possible. He will have to go for it, as his choice of shots has not left him with a squeeze. Strikes the near wire, not that convincing and again uncharacteristic. You feel he needed to keep the foot down after Simon missed his lift earlier in the game.

T11- Williams K hits U from 12 y. Taking off to Y near H1 for a potential finishing break. Take off was a good weight, but drifted the wrong side of Y so no rush to H5.
Looking at positions for wirings. Based on Andy's play in the quarter final, he will shoot at almost any target.
He attempts to roll off H5 from west of H1. Gets a 4' angled hoop, which he declines in favour of a ball off the N boundary 2' West of CIII.

T12 - Johnston has a 9 y shot at blue, or a shot to position in front of 1. Opting for position.... Bit hard, 2 y slightly angled hoop in prospect.

T13 - Williams plays U from around H6 in to CIV. Safety first, one for the TPO purists here.

T14 - Johnston lines up his hoop. Sails through by 7 y. Now lining up a shot at U in CIV (Simon's peg ball). Thinking about it. If he hits, it would be a big roll up to K near CIII, then a big roll over to H2. With failure giving a fair bit away.

Looking at a lurk-ish position level with H5on the E boundary. Prevents U and K joining up, I suspect it will be U running away to CI.

T15 - the Lurk was played, and Williams shoots blue off the W boundary 1' north of CI.

T16 - Johnston Lurks near U again, level with H5 on the W Boundary. not sure what he hopes to achieve there...

T17 - Williams U roquets Y, and plays a heavy take-off sending Y to 1.5 y off the W boundary, and joining K near CIII. What leave is to be had here? Now responsible for the position of Y, a little wiring is out. Plays a big roll swing black down the yard line level with H4. Leaves a good rush to H5, with some space to get another ball in courtnshould Johnston shoot at it and miss.

T18 - Johnston weighing up the cross-court shot at Williams. Might not be a bad one to take on, would be a bit of work for Williams to finish from there. Opts for CII instead. Reasonable given Williams prodigious stop-shot, which can generate breaks from nothing.

T19 - Williams sets a dolly rush.

T20 - Johnston now looking a little sad he's in CII. Deems.

T21 - Williams plays a decent rush, approaches H5 and runs it but not cleanly. A little hampered, he is looking at somewhere to run away to. Clip on H6, there will be no further progress!
Runs away to E boundary, just south of level with H4.

T22- Johnston takes position at H2. Waiting for Williams U to run away next turn.

T23- Williams deciding on a spot for U. Thinking very hard as the rain reappears.

Williams is opting for a bit of a join up, looking for a spot where Y wouldn't have a double after H2. Not sure about this, trying to force Johnston's hand?

Has joined on the yardline, and is a bit upset it didn't stop a little nearer.

T24- Johnston swinging and nurdles through H2. Now having a big ol' think about whether or not to shoot.

A creamy pint has appeared

Really poor shot by Andy's standards, misses by a distance. A hit there would have been a chance at a winning turn.

T25 - Williams with a decent line rush to H6, but a bit approach coming. K doesn't make it up the hill, but he belts it through and has a rush to 1-back. How far will he go after he makes this hoop?

Williams looking to set up a wired position, might want to peel K through 1-back to save the lift. Fails to jaws K, looks a little silly now...

T26 - Johnston looking at Simon's balls up at 1-back. Y is down near CIV and wired, so a shot seems unlikely. Having a crack at it though, free shot at v v little.
Misses to CII.

T27 - Williams U roquets K in to the jaws of 1-back, the croquets it off the S boundary! U is sitting in front of H2, a 10y shot for Johnston.

T28 - Johnston hits, but it cuts due South and not nearer H3 where he needs to go. Big roll coming. Plays it quite badly, Y never in danger of getting position, U nearer to reaching the E boundary. Takes angled position, wired from U.

T29 - Williams shooting for the peg, deeming that 2-back vs 3 is a sufficient lead. Hits!
V surprised at that decision, particularly with Andy having position at H3, albeit angled.

We have a 2-ball ending!

T30 - Andy taking on H3. Slaps it through with aplomb, now lining up a 2 yard slightly angled H4. Hits the near wire and bounces out.

T31 - Williams has K on the S boundary, can he take position wired from Y? It would be very long position. Tried for tight position, and ends up in the back of the hoop!

T32 - Johnston lurks mid court near H1, S of H5.

T33 - What is Simon to do? Referee called observe what looks like an attempt to reach C1. Hits the eastern corner peg.

T34 - Johnston take good position at H4.

T35 - Williams attempts position at 2-back, but it short on the West side. Good opportunity for wired position for Johnston.

T36 - Johnston runs H4 to the boundary.

Clip recap: Williams U - 2-back, black - box. Johnston Y - H5, R - box.

Johnston takes good wired position, 3 y off the end of A baulk.

T37-39 - positional nudging by both players. T39 Johnston aiming at H5, but misses it completely ending up near 6.

T40 - Williams take position as rain sheets down.

T41 - Johnston shoots at U in front off 1-back, but again misses badly.

T42 - Williams runs 2-back and picks up yellow, playing an excellent croquet stroke to angled 2 y position. Bounces off the hoop, that was a big chance for the win, but not an easy one.

T42 - Johnston takes long position at 5.

T43 - Williams shoots from the E boundary, misses to the W boundary.

T44 - Johnston just creeps through H5. Takes 2y position at H6.

T45 - Williams missed position at 3-back by a distance, that was a big one considering that Andy might be able to get through H6 and then dominate the court by taking position at 1-back.

T46 (God that's a lot of turns) - Johnston runs H6 cleanly, takes position at 1-back. 4', little angled.

T47 - Williams takes 1' position at 3-back.

T48 - Johnston runs 1-back well south, and is taking on 2-back... Re-stalks....

Sails through, swinging more freely now!

Big shot at K coming up now.

Middles it! Chance for a winning 2-ball break now.

No, he's having a low-risk punting K away while getting position.

K reaches position just in front of 1, Y hold angled position in from of 3-back. The wind has really picked up, might explain some of the earlier shooting.

Y just scrapes through 3-back, with no prospect of taking position at 4-back. Where to go now?

Heads off the E boundary, hoping Williams shoots and misses leaving a rush to 4-back.

T49 - Williams takes wired position near 5.

T50 (yippee!) - Johnston takes angles 2.5y position at 4-back. That will encourage Williams.

T51 - Williams takes 1.5 y position in front of 3-back. Good place to be.

T52 - Johnston runs a good 4-back, now taking position at penult. Putting it up to Williams. Having lost from this exact position, I am unsure of its wisdom. Great position though, 1 yard in front.

T53 - Williams runs an excellent hoop, and roquets Y at penult from 8y! Plays an excellent roll over to 4-back.

Grovels through! Referee called, needs to hit Y but looks awkward.

Just edges it! What drama from Carrickmines!

Plays an excellent croquet stroke, getting 1.5y position at penult, but only grovels through again!!

The clip is going on rover, where does he go now? W boundary level with H6.

T54 - Johnston probably pleased to have another turn after Williams' last croquet stroke, does he risk taking position at penult? Probably, lots to gain.

Game time passes 2.5h...

Johnston takes his lift to the end of B baulk, and takes 2' foot position.

T55 - Williams shoots... and misses.

T56 - Johnston runs penult to south of rover. He's pleased about it, but where does he go now?

After a big think (reasonable given the position) , he decides to take position in front of rover with K 20 y away.

T57 - Williams shoots.... misses.

T58 - advantage Johnston, runs rover but 4', has no shot at peg.

Considering shooting at K on S boundary for the win here. I'd be going for a wired lag beyond the peg here.

He has taken the same view. Looks happy, may have achieved his wire.

T59 - Williams lining up a last shot, tries to putt it around rover but it doesn't fall.

On T60, Johnston wins + 2otp

Big win there, a couple of turning points that Johnston forced in his favour. Williams also created chances for himself, and could consider himself unlucky not to have made it through penult by a little bit more.

Game 2 - Williams U and K, Johnston R and Y.
T1 - Williams K to E boundary, max position
T2 - Johnston R outside of CII
T3 - U hits K from B baulk, moves R from CII and has join up with K.
T4 - Y shoots at K from B baulk.... misses by 6".

So a very similar opening to Game 1 so far, can Simon make more of T 5 this time?

My battery will not survive another TPO game.

Williams making speedy progress, can he get to 4-back before my freshly ordered pint has settled?

Williams needs another referee after getting hampered out of 3, the hoops seem to be causing many more problems than they did throughout the week.

Copes.

3-ball break has got a little ragged, fails H4 from nowhere.

T6 - Johnston has a 7 yarder with Y in CIV to start a break. Brushing away worm casts in advance.
Middles it.

The commentator predicts a steady break to 4-back, with a POP on blue. Opening croquet stroke is poor though, fails to get a rush to H1.

Plays a decent take off. And fails H1.

T7 - Williams marches towards U just north of the peg. Too excited, rushes his 7 yarder and misses. Quality diminishing somewhat.

T8 - Johnston breathes a sign of relief. Shoots from the jaws at U on the S boundary (!) and hits!

Another poor croquet strokes, fails to get a rush to H1 and needs another takeoff, this one to 2.5y position.

Makes this one, and should be away.

In control through H5, no sign of a POP.

Update: Johnston 1 game up.
Clips: Johnston 1 and break, plays Williams 1 and 4.

Andy having a think about his leave. Very likely to be an NSL, but which ball to leave at H4?

Leaving K at H4 incentivises Williams to lift the ball and make the standard TP more difficult, Leaving U at H4 gives a lot away if Williams hits, but more likely to get your winning standard TP.
Looks like he's going for U at H4.

Poor load of 3-back with U, needs to regain some control to have good leave. rush across from 2-back is decent, should be able to get the leave together.

Update:
Q - "Williams making speedy progress, can he get to 4-back before my freshly ordered pint has settled?"
A - No

T9 continued - Johnston has U in a good NSL position. Good leave.
Johnston 1 (R) and 4-back (Y), Williams U (1) and K (4).

T10 - Williams lifts K and shoots down the line... Misses. If Andy can keep it together, that should be his last shot.

T11 - Johnston embarks on a potentially winning turn.

Through hoop 1, and a rush on peelee towards H3. A very likely finish here.

Johnston looks to the skies as the wind picks up. Runs hoop 2 despite it.

Approaching 3, rushes peelee to directly in front of 3. Plays it off to one side, and it hill back in front of 4-back!

Peel slides through, odds improving all the time

Rushes back to peelee after 4. Sprints after his rush like a greyhound

Brings peelee towards 6, takes off down to his pioneer at 5. Neatly through with a rush up the court.

Peels penult, balls slide down together and avoids getting hampered

After 1-back, Johnston gets a decent rush on peelee but a poor 4-back pioneer. Makes life easier by playing an excellent rover peel on the way to his 2-back pioneer.

Through 2-back, decent 4-back pioneer out and control on his 3-back pioneer

4 hoops now for the Championship

The peg out and the win. Andrew Johnston is the 2021 Irish Champion!