GREENFIELD are on course to defend the Blackburn and Darwen Snooker League’s Danny Hogan Memorial Trophy after the the holders overpowered Longshaw B to put them on course for fresh cup glory.

Greenfield will meet VIP Snooker A after a one-sided second leg tie.

The John Greenhalgh Trophy semi-final, second leg, staged at the Park between Park A and Blackburn Golf A was a much closer contest however.

Park A boasted a 5-3 first leg lead, but the visitors saw Chris Nutter turn in his best performance of the season, stunning Danny Howarth 69-12.

Park, though, hit back in double quick style, with master potter Steven Aspinall firing in a break of 69 in his defeat of Gordon Stobbart – and when Park pinched the first doubles they were just a couple of frames from victory.

The Golfers' Mick Cotton was in sparkling form, though, and he overwhelmed Olly Taylor 56-1 in the next to make it all square on the day.

Mark Jennings turned in his usual solid performance in the next to give Park an 8-5 lead in the race to nine – before Barry Pease and Mick Cotton took the final doubles for the visitors, 8-6.

Golfers' ace Dave Smedley then nicked a narrow win against Steve Sweeney, clinching the game on the black to make it 8-7 and set up a real thriller.

The final frame saw The Park's Baz O'Kane lock horns with rookie Jordan Cotton, and it was the youngster who held his nerve to take the match 5-3, making it 8-8 on aggregate.

But up stepped captain Mick Jennings to take on Mick Cotton in the decider, easing his side through to the final 78-22, where Park will meet Mill Hill.

The Bufton brothers, Eamon and Mick, were in red-hot form for Mill Hill against Cherry Tree, both winning their singles matches, while Darren Johnson ran out an easy winner against Steve Williams to clinch it.

The league was sad to hear of the passing of Cherry Tree stalwart Chris Green.

Mr Green will be remembered for his many years of unstinting service to the league and will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

The 2014 Charity Challenge match between Blackburn and Burnley will be staged on Sunday (April 27) at Longshaw Sports and Social Club, Blackburn (1.30 pm) Admission is free and all proceeds will be donated to East Lancashire Hospice.