For the first time in the history of the league (so far as I am aware) neither of the finalists in last year's Singles final qualified for the semi-finals, winner Bryan White and runner-up Dave Guttridge finishing outside of the top 4. Bryan Coughtrey of Darlington Snooker Club topped the questionnaire with 32 out of a possible 40, while Neil Saint of Albert Hill (27), Kevin Turner of Saltwell SC (25) and Mike Sowerby of Albert Hill (24) were the other qualifiers.

In the Pairs, Bryan Coughtrey and Geoff Johns of Darlington Snooker Club scored 34 to top the lists while Neil Saint & Mike Sowerby of Albert Hill (30), Kevin Turner & Bryan White of Saltwell SC (27), and the scratch pairing of Barry Dodsworth (Albert Hill) & Chris Bone (St Teresa's) were the fourth qualifiers with 25.

This year saw the introduction of a new competition, the Drawn Pairs. 22 names went into the hat and with the help of Saltwell Social Club's bingo machine, the following pairs were matched together:

Dave Guttridge (The Bene) & Steve Westerby (East End Nomads)
John Doyle (Key Club) & Bryan White (Saltwell SC)
Bryan Coughtrey (Darlington Snooker Club) & John Swan (St Teresa's)
Dave Westerby & Stew Fletcher (East End Nomads)
Geoff Johns (Darlington Snooker Club) & Chris Spedding (The Bene)
Barry Dodsworth (Albert Hill) & Kevin Turner (Saltwell SC)
Andrew Purvis (East End Nomads) & Jeff Coxon (St Teresa's)
Adam Hilton (Key Club) & Mike Sowerby (Albert Hll)
Martin Robinson (Darlington Snooker Club) & Gareth Hope (The Bene)
Paul Hewitson (Darlington Snooker Club) & David Wood (The Bene)
Chris Bone (St Teresa's) & Neil Saint (Albert Hill)

The questionnaire was headed by Coughtrey & Swan with 35. White & Doyle were 2nd with 33,  while Guttridge & Westerby and Bone & Saint qualified with 28.

In the semi-finals of the Singles, a really close game saw Bryan Coughtrey edge Neil Saint 22-21 while Mike Sowerby beat Kevin Turner 23-13.

In the Pairs semi-finals, Coughtrey & Johns beat defending champions Turner & White 35-18, while Saint & Sowerby joined them in the final by defeating Bone & Dodsworth 32-8.

The first ever Drawn Pairs final will be contested by Bone & Saint who beat White & Doyle 22-18, and Coughtrey & Swan who beat Guttridge & Westerby 27-17.

A big hand was given to Leo Ford who set all the questions.

CHALLENGE CUP 2024 (at Saltwell Social Club, 23rd May)

 Philadelphia CC retained the Cup, scores were as follows:

1st Philadelphia CC (38+30) 68
2nd Key Club (47+18) 65
3rd Washington CC (41+24) 65
4th The Bene (45+14) 59
5th Albert Hill (Scratch) 58