View source for Patsy Fagan

{{Short description|Irish snooker player}}
{{good article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2012}}
{{Infobox snooker player
| name          = Patsy Fagan
| image         =
| caption       =
| birth_date    = {{Birth date and age|1951|1|15|df=y}}
| birth_place   = [[Dublin]], Ireland
| Sport country = {{IRL}}
| Professional  = 1976–1989
| High ranking  = 11 ([[Snooker world rankings 1978/1979|1978/79]])
| Official maximums = 
| Best finish   = Quarter-final (×1)
}}
'''Patsy Fagan''' (born 15 January 1951) is an Irish former professional [[snooker]] player. Having been runner-up in the 1974 [[English Amateur Championship]], he turned professional in October 1976. He experienced early success with victories at the [[1977 UK Championship]] and the [[1977 Dry Blackthorn Cup]] but following a car accident, developed a psychological block when using the {{cuegloss|rest}} which affected his playing and he did not win another title. He lost his professional status in 1989 following a 2–9 playoff defeat by [[Brady Gollan]] and now works as a snooker coach. His highest career ranking was 11, in [[Snooker world rankings 1978/1979|1978/79]].

==Early life and amateur career==
Fagan was born in [[Dublin]] on 15 January 1951,<ref name="87HALE">{{cite book |last=Hale |first=Janice |date=1987 |title=Rothmans Snooker Yearbook 1987–88 |location=Aylesbury |publisher=Queen Anne Press |isbn=978-0-35614690-4}}</ref>{{rp|58–59}} one of twelve children.<ref name="HAMLYN">{{cite book |last=Morrison |first=Ian |date=1987 |title=The Hamlyn Encyclopedia of Snooker |location=Twickenham |publisher=Hamlyn Publishing Group |isbn=978-0-60055604-6}}</ref>{{rp|39–40}} He started playing snooker at the age of 12,<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Cue for star |work=Daily Mirror |page=32 |date=31 October 1978 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]. Retrieved 23 March 2020.}}</ref> and moved to London in 1968.<ref>{{cite news |last=Harper |first=Ronnie |title=Higgins doesn't worry confident Fagan |work=The Belfast Telegraph |page=27 |date=8 March 1978 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]. Retrieved 23 March 2020.}}</ref>

He played at the [[Chiswick]] Memorial Club, and in 1974 it was reported in a local newspaper that in a six-frame session he had recorded a break of 106, another over 80, and three more over 70.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Irishman gets the breaks |work=Acton Gazette |page=3 |date=14 March 1974 |via=British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 21 March 2020.}}</ref> In the 1974 [[English Amateur Championship]], he defeated [[Mick Fisher]] 6–1 in the Southern section final before being beaten 7–11 by the reigning world amateur champion [[Ray Edmonds]] in the main final.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Sports shorts |work=Acton Gazette |page=3 |date=4 April 1974 |via=British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 21 March 2020.}}</ref><ref name="GUINNESS">{{cite book |last=Everton |first=Clive |date=1985 |title=Guinness Snooker: The Records |location=Enfield |publisher=Guinness Superlatives Ltd |isbn=978-0-85112448-3}}</ref>{{rp|122}}<ref name="ACTON1">{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Sports shorts |work=Acton Gazette |page=3 |date=11 April 1974 |via=British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 21 March 2020.}}</ref> In 1975, Fagan became the youngest player ever to win the London and Home Counties [[English billiards|billiards]] championship, playing with a focus on potting the red ball as he defeated Ron Riggins 1,176–881 in the final.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Patsy takes billiards title |work=Acton Gazette |page=2 |date=13 February 1975 |via=British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 21 March 2020.}}</ref> In the 1975 English Amateur Snooker Championship he lost 1–4 to [[Terry Griffiths]] in the Southern region quarter-finals,<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Championship shock: Fagan goes out |work=Acton Gazette |page=2 |date=20 March 1975 |via=British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 21 March 2020.}}</ref> and in the 1976 Southern area final he lost 6–8 to Chris Ross despite making a tournament record break of 115.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Ross takes Southern title |work=Acton Gazette |page=45 |date=25 March 1976 |via=British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 21 March 2020.}}</ref><ref name="HAMLYN" />{{rp|39–40}}

In 1974, Fagan won a money match against [[Alex Higgins]] for £2,000,<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Hurricane makes a happy return |work=Acton Gazette |page=34 |date=15 November 1979 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]. Retrieved 25 March 2020.}}</ref> an amount equal to that received by the winner of the [[1974 World Snooker Championship]].<ref name="GUINNESS" />{{rp|58}}

==Early professional success==
Regarded as "one of the most exciting players of the mid-seventies",<ref name="HAMLYN" />{{rp|39–40}} and "one of the men most likely to succeed when he turned professional",<ref name="KARNEHM2">{{cite book |last=Karnehm |first=Jack |date=1982 |title=World snooker No. 2 |publisher=Pelham |isbn=0-7207-1398-6 |page=84}}</ref> Fagan turned professional in October 1976.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=How they line up – snooker special 3 |work=Sports Argus |page=45 |date=20 October 1979 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]. Retrieved 25 March 2020.}}</ref> He made his first [[maximum break]] on 15&nbsp;January 1977, his 26th birthday, against [[Dave Gilbert (snooker player born 1961)|Dave Gilbert]] at the Clapton Bus Garage Social Club.<ref name="HAMLYN" />{{rp|39–40}} At the [[1977 World Snooker Championship]], he beat [[Jim Meadowcroft]] 11–9 in qualifying and then lost 7–13 to defending champion [[Ray Reardon]] in the last 16,<ref name="87HALE" />{{rp|58–59}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/snooker/2935559.stm |title=World Championship facts and figures |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=11 April 2003 |work=BBC Sport |access-date=21 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071009175633/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/snooker/2935559.stm |archive-date=9 October 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref> having finished the first session of the match level at 4–4 and the second 7–10 behind.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=untitled article |work=Birmingham Daily Post |page=13 |date=19 April 1977 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]. Retrieved 22 March 2020.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Corbett |first=Ted |title=Easy for Reardon |work=Daily Mirror |page=29 |date=19 April 1977 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]. Retrieved 22 March 2020.}}</ref> Reardon then won all three {{cuegloss|frame|frames}} in the final session, taking the last two of them on the black.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Reardon in quarter-final |work=The Belfast Telegraph |page=24 |date=20 April 1977 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]. Retrieved 22 March 2020.}}</ref> The matches between Fagan and Reardon, and between [[Fred Davis (snooker player)|Fred Davis]] and [[John Pulman]], were the first to be held at the [[Crucible Theatre]],<ref name="CRUG">{{cite book |last=Nunns |first=Hector |date=2017 |title=The Crucible's Greatest matches: Forty Years of Snooker's World Championship in Sheffield (Preview) |url=https://www.pitchpublishing.co.uk/sites/default/files/associated_downloads/The%20Crucible%27s%20Greatest%20Matches%20sample.pdf |publisher=Pitch |page=27 |isbn=9781785312847}}</ref> which as of 2022 had remained as the venue for the [[World Snooker Championship]] for 45 years.<ref name="WST2022">{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Selby And Yan Play Crucible’s Longest Frame |url=https://wst.tv/selby-and-yan-play-crucibles-longest-frame/ |work=BBC Sport |date=23 April 2022 |access-date=31 Oct 2022 |archive-date=24 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200324013121/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/51964887 |url-status=live }}</ref>

At the [[UK Championship]] in [[1977 UK Championship|1977]], which at the time was a non-ranking event open only to UK passport holders,<ref name="HAMLYN" />{{rp|143–144}} Fagan beat [[Jackie Rea]] 5–1 in the first round, and [[Fred Davis (snooker player)|Fred Davis]] 5–0 in the second round. He won in the deciding frame in each of the next two rounds, 5–4 against Jim Meadowcroft in the quarter-finals and 9–8 against [[John Virgo]] in the semi-finals, to reach the final against another player in his first year as a professional, [[Doug Mountjoy]].<ref name="HAMLYN" />{{rp|39–40}}<ref name="CUESPORT" /> The two finalists shared the first four frames but Fagan won the next four to take a 6–2 lead, after which Mountjoy also won four frames in a row to level the match at 6–6. Fagan then took the next two frames to lead 8–6,<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Patsy turns on style |work=The Belfast Telegraph |page=16 |date=3 December 1977 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]. Retrieved 22 March 2020.}}</ref> eventually winning the match 12–9.<ref name="87HALE" />{{rp|58–59}}

Before the UK championship, Fagan had been announced as one of the four invited contenders for the [[1977 Dry Blackthorn Cup]],<ref>{{cite news |last=Harper |first=Ronnie |title=Higgins chases £50,000 carrot |work=The Belfast Telegraph |page=25 |date=15 November 1977 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]. Retrieved 22 March 2020.}}</ref> along with world championship winners [[Alex Higgins]], [[John Spencer (snooker player)|John Spencer]] and Reardon.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=21 December 1977 |title=Fagan takes on three world champions |work=The Times |location=London |page=8 |via=The Times Digital Archive. Retrieved 22 March 2020.}}</ref> He beat Spencer in the semi-final then Higgins 4–2 in the final to win the tournament.<ref name="LEDBT">{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Snooker win |work=Liverpool Echo |page=16 |date=22 December 1977 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]. Retrieved 22 March 2020.}}</ref> He received £2,000 prize money for his Dry Blackthorn Cup win, the same amount he had received for his UK championship victory a couple of weeks earlier.<ref name="HAMLYN" />{{rp|39–40}}

==Later professional career==
Fagan failed to make an impact at the [[1978 Masters (snooker)|1978 Masters]], losing 2–4 to [[John Pulman]] in the first round. At the [[1978 World Snooker Championship]] he beat [[John Dunning (snooker player)|John Dunning]] 9–5 and then Alex Higgins 13–12. In the match against Higgins, Fagan was 10–12 behind but won two frames on the black and the last on the pink. He lost 10–13 to Fred Davis in the quarter-finals.<ref name="CUESPORT" /><ref name="FARCE">{{cite book |last=Everton |first=Clive |date=2012 |title=Black Farce and Cue Ball Wizards = |publisher=Mainstream Publishing |page=68 |isbn=978-1780575681}}</ref>

In the 1970s and until 1982, the [[Irish Professional Championship]] was played on a challenge basis,<ref name="87HALE" />{{rp|268}} and in April 1978 Fagan played defending champion Alex Higgins for the title. Fagan was a frame ahead after the first day of the match, at 5–4. At the start of the next day's play he extended his lead to 8–5 before Higgins drew level at 8–8 and then won seven of the next nine to leave Fagan 10–15 behind at the end of the second day.<ref>{{cite news |last=Harper |first=Ronnie |title=New cue tip and Higgins turns it on |work=The Belfast Telegraph |page=14 |date=15 April 1978 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]. Retrieved 25 March 2020.}}</ref> Higgins won the match 21–13.<ref name="IRISH78">{{cite news |last=Harper |first=Ronnie |title=Higgins supreme |work=The Belfast Telegraph |page=17 |date=17 April 1978 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]. Retrieved 25 March 2020.}}</ref>

Entering the [[1978 UK Championship]] as defending champion, Fagan lost the first four frames of his opening match against [[David Taylor (snooker player)|David Taylor]] before tying the match at 4–4,<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date=23 November 1978 |title=Miles takes two frame lead |work=Birmingham Daily Post |page=20 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]. Retrieved 22 March 2020.}}</ref> eventually losing 7–9.<ref name="CUESPORT" /> He was also defeated by Taylor in the first round of the [[1979 Masters (snooker)|1979 Masters]], losing 3–5 after having been 3–2 ahead.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Boost for club squash |work=Birmingham Daily Post |page=12 |date=24 January 1979 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]. Retrieved 22 March 2020.}}</ref> From late 1978, following a car accident, Fagan started to experience a [[Mental block|psychological block]] when using the {{cuegloss|rest}}. This version of the "[[yips]]" caused him to spend a long time cueing and then usually {{cuegloss|miscue|miscueing}}; because of this, he would play left-handed rather than using the rest where possible.<ref>{{cite book |last=Karnhem |first=Jack |date=1982 |title=World Snooker with Jack Karnehm No. 2 |publisher=Pelham Books |pages=84–85 |isbn=978-0-72071398-5}}</ref><ref name="STRIB">{{cite news |last=Howard |first=Paul |title=How the shooting stars of snooker fell to earth |work=Sunday Tribune |location=Dublin |page=18 |date=26 November 1995 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]. Retrieved 25 March 2020.}}</ref> This problem affected his match against Taylor at the Masters in January 1979.<ref>{{cite news |last=Smith |first=Terry |title=Patsy's in need of a rest cure! |work=Daily Mirror |page=27 |date=1 February 1979 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]. Retrieved 23 March 2020.}}</ref> Two months later, he challenged Higgins again for the Irish Professional title. Higgins won the match 21–12, making a break of 124 in 2 minutes and 45 seconds on the final day.<ref name="IRISH79">{{cite news |last=Harper |first=Ronnie |title=Higgins now in right rhythm for world title |work=The Belfast Telegraph |page=27 |date=23 March 1979 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]. Retrieved 25 March 2020.}}</ref>

Fagan was part of the "rest of the world" team at the [[1979 World Challenge Cup]], along with [[Perrie Mans]] and [[Jimmy van Rensberg]]. In their match against the Northern Ireland team, Fagan lost 0–1 to [[Dennis Taylor]] on the first day,<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Northern Ireland trailing |work=Birmingham Daily Post |page=15 |date=23 October 1979 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]. Retrieved 25 March 2020.}}</ref> in a match where Taylor asked him to play again after Fagan had fouled by touching the blue ball with his sleeve whilst using the rest in attempting to hit the yellow ball. Fagan was quoted afterwards as saying "Dennis took advantage of my rest problems but it didn't bother me."<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Patsy has to play it again |work=Daily Mirror |page=32 |date=23 October 1979 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]. Retrieved 25 March 2020.}}</ref> On the second day, he beat Jackie Rea 1–0 but then lost 0–3 to Higgins on the second. Northern Ireland won the match 8–7 after having been 2–7 behind.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Northern Ireland in the frame |work=Birmingham Daily Post |page=12 |date=23 October 1979 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]. Retrieved 25 March 2020.}}</ref> Fagan and his fellow team members also lost 7–8 against the England team.<ref name="GUINNESS" />{{rp|63}}

Dennis Taylor also beat Fagan in the quarter-finals of the [[1979 UK Championship]], 9–6, after Fagan had knocked out [[Mike Hallett]] 9–4 and Graham Miles 9–5. In the [[1980 World Snooker Championship]] Fagan lost in his first match, 6–10 to [[Steve Davis]].<ref name="CUESPORT" /> He lost to Dennis Taylor in a challenge for the Irish Professional Championship in 1981, coming from 0–3 down to lead 5–4 at the end of the first session,<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Patsy proves critics wrong |work=The Belfast Telegraph |page=25 |date=12 March 1981 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]. Retrieved 25 March 2020.}}</ref> and 10–8 at the close of the second session.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Fagan in front – but crowd unhappy |work=The Belfast Telegraph |page=25 |date=13 March 1981 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]. Retrieved 25 March 2020.}}</ref> The third session saw Fagan make a break of 107 on his way to building a 15–12 lead.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Taylor title slips away |work=The Belfast Telegraph |page=17 |date=14 March 1981 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]. Retrieved 25 March 2020.}}</ref> However, Taylor retained the title, winning 22–21.<ref name="87HALE" />{{rp|268}}

A 2–9 professional playoff defeat by [[Brady Gollan]] in April 1989 meant that Fagan lost his professional status.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Sport in brief: Fagan's drop |work=The Times |location=London |page=19 |date=3 April 1989 |via=The Times Digital Archive. Retrieved 21 March 2020.}}</ref> His highest career ranking had been 11, in [[Snooker world rankings 1978/1979|1978/79]], and his best finish in a [[Snooker world rankings|ranking]] tournament was reaching the quarter-final at the [[1978 World Snooker Championship]].<ref name="CUESPORT">{{cite book |last1=Hayton |first1=Eric |last2=Dee |first2=John |date=2004 |title=The CueSport Book of Professional Snooker: The Complete Record & History |publisher=Rose Villa Publications |pages=404–405 |isbn=978-0-95485490-4}}</ref><ref name="KOBY">{{cite book |last=Kobylecky |first=John |date=2019 |title=The Complete International Directory of Snooker Players – 1927 to 2018 |publisher=Kobyhadrian Books |page=71 |isbn=978-0993143311 }}</ref> He subsequently worked as a landscape gardener and a night-shift sorter for the Post Office.<ref name="STRIB" /> Fagan works as a snooker coach and has coached the [[Paddington]] professional [[Alfie Burden]], who was the [[IBSF World Snooker Championship|world amateur champion]] in 2009.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Whirlwind is my hero |url=https://www.mylondon.news/sport/other-sport/whirlwind-is-my-hero-6002096 |work=mylondon |date=3 December 2009 |access-date=13 May 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.patsyfagan.com/coaching.html| title=Patsy Fagan Snooker Coaching| website=patsyfagan.com| access-date=27 October 2015| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150703092510/http://www.patsyfagan.com/coaching.html| archive-date=3 July 2015| url-status=live}}</ref> [[Ronnie O'Sullivan]] sought coaching advice from Fagan in 2011.<ref name="O'Sullivan2013">{{cite book|author=Ronnie O'Sullivan|title=Running: The Autobiography|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oXcpAAAAQBAJ|date=10 October 2013|publisher=Orion|isbn=978-1-4091-1224-2|quote="I'd asked Patsy to come down to help me with my game."|access-date=25 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170215013217/https://books.google.com/books?id=oXcpAAAAQBAJ|archive-date=15 February 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

He entered the [[2021 World Seniors Championship]], losing 0–3 to [[Stephen Hendry]] in the first round.<ref>{{cite web |title=Victories for Hendry and Wallace |url=https://wst.tv/victories-for-hendry-and-wallace/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507024449/https://wst.tv/victories-for-hendry-and-wallace/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=7 May 2021 |website=wst.tv |date=6 May 2021 |access-date=7 May 2021}}</ref>

==Performance and rankings timeline==
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:85%;"
! Tournament
! [[1974–75 snooker season|1974/<br />75]]
! [[1975–76 snooker season|1975/<br />76]]
! [[1976–77 snooker season|1976/<br />77]]
! [[1977–78 snooker season|1977/<br />78]]
! [[1978–79 snooker season|1978/<br />79]]
! [[1979–80 snooker season|1979/<br />80]]
! [[1980–81 snooker season|1980/<br />81]]
! [[1981–82 snooker season|1981/<br />82]]
! [[1982–83 snooker season|1982/<br />83]]
! [[1983–84 snooker season|1983/<br />84]]
! [[1984–85 snooker season|1984/<br />85]]
! [[1985–86 snooker season|1985/<br />86]]
! [[1986–87 snooker season|1986/<br />87]]
! [[1987–88 snooker season|1987/<br />88]]
! [[1988–89 snooker season|1988/<br />89]]
! [[1989–90 snooker season|1989/<br />90]]
|-
| style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Snooker world rankings|Ranking]]<ref name="Ranking history">{{cite web|title=Ranking History|url=http://www.snooker.org/rnk/history.asp|publisher=Snooker.org|access-date=7 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181219070820/http://www.snooker.org/Rnk/history.asp|archive-date=19 December 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>
| align="center" |<ref group="nb" name="AMA">He was an amateur.</ref>
| align="center" |<ref group="nb" name="AMA"></ref>
| align="center" |<ref group="nb">New players on the Main Tour do not have a ranking.</ref>
| align="center" |[[Snooker world rankings 1977/1978|19]]
| align="center" |[[Snooker world rankings 1978/1979|11]]
| align="center" |[[Snooker world rankings 1979/1980|16]]
| align="center" |[[Snooker world rankings 1980/1981|18]]
| align="center" |[[Snooker world rankings 1981/1982|27]]
| align="center" |[[Snooker world rankings 1982/1983|23]]
| align="center" |[[Snooker world rankings 1983/1984|25]]
| align="center" |[[Snooker world rankings 1984/1985|38]]
| align="center" |[[Snooker world rankings 1985/1986|33]]
| align="center" |[[Snooker world rankings 1986/1987|42]]
| align="center" |[[Snooker world rankings 1987/1988|75]]
| align="center" |[[Snooker world rankings 1988/1989|103]]
| align="center" |[[Snooker world rankings 1989/1990|123]]
|-
| colspan="50" | '''Ranking tournaments'''
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Scottish Open (snooker)|International Open]]<ref group="nb">The event was also called the Goya Matchroom Trophy (1985/1986)</ref>
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="7"|Tournament Not Held
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|NR
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1985 Matchroom Trophy|1R]]
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|WD
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[World Open (snooker)|Grand Prix]]<ref group="nb">The event was also called the Professional Players Tournament (1982/93–1983/1984)</ref>
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="8"|Tournament Not Held
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1982 Professional Players Tournament|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1983 Professional Players Tournament|1R]]
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|WD
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1986 Grand Prix (snooker)|1R]]
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Dubai Classic]]<ref group="nb">The event was also called the Dubai Masters (1988/1989)</ref>
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="14"|Tournament Not Held
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|NR
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[UK Championship]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="3"|Not Held
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="7"|Non-Ranking Event
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1985 UK Championship|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Classic (snooker)|Classic]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="5"|Tournament Not Held
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="4"|Non-Ranking Event
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1984 Classic (snooker)|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1985 Classic (snooker)|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|WD
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[British Open (snooker)|British Open]]<ref group="nb">The event was also called the British Gold Cup (1979/1980), Yamaha Organs Trophy (1980/1981) and International Masters (1981/1982–1983/1984)</ref>
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="5"|Tournament Not Held
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="5"|Non-Ranking Event
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1986 British Open|2R]]
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[European Open (snooker)|European Open]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="14"|Tournament Not Held
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[World Snooker Championship|World Championship]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1977 World Snooker Championship|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1978 World Snooker Championship|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1980 World Snooker Championship|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1982 World Snooker Championship|2R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1985 World Snooker Championship|2R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
|-
| colspan="50" | '''Non-ranking tournaments'''
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Masters (snooker)|The Masters]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1978 Masters (snooker)|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1979 Masters (snooker)|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Irish Masters]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|[[1986 Irish Masters|SF]]
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Pontins Professional]]
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1978 Pontins Professional|RR]]
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
|-
| colspan="50" | '''Former ranking tournaments'''
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Canadian Masters (snooker)|Canadian Masters]]<ref group="nb">The event was also called the Canadian Open (1978/1979–1980/1981)</ref>
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="7"|Non-Ranking Event
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="4"|Tournament Not Held
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="3"|Non-Ranking
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|NH
|-
| colspan="50" | '''Former non-ranking tournaments'''
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[1974 Watney Open|Watney Open]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1974 Watney Open|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="30"|Tournament Not Held
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[1977 Dry Blackthorn Cup|Dry Blackthorn Cup]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="3"|Not Held
| style="text-align:center; background:#0f0;"|[[1977 Dry Blackthorn Cup|'''W''']]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="30"|Tournament Not Held
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Champion of Champions (snooker)|Champion of Champions]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="4"|Tournament Not Held
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|[[1978 Champion of Champions|SF]]
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|NH
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="9"|Tournament Not Held
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[1979 Holsten Lager International|Holsten Lager International]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="4"|Tournament Not Held
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1979 Holsten Lager International|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="30"|Tournament Not Held
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Bombay International]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="4"|Tournament Not Held
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1979 Bombay International|RR]]
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="30"|Tournament Not Held
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Scottish Open (snooker)|International Open]]<ref group="nb">The event was also called the Goya Matchroom Trophy (1985/1986)</ref>
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="7"|Tournament Not Held
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1981 International Open|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="8"|Ranking Event
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[UK Championship]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="3"|Not Held
| style="text-align:center; background:#0f0;"|[[1977 UK Championship|'''W''']]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1978 UK Championship|2R]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1979 UK Championship|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1980 UK Championship|2R]]
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1982 UK Championship|2R]]
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="6"|Ranking Event
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[British Open (snooker)|British Open]]<ref group="nb">The event was also called the British Gold Cup (1979/1980), Yamaha Organs Trophy (1980/1981) and International Masters (1981/1982–1983/1984)</ref>
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="5"|Tournament Not Held
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1980 British Gold Cup|RR]]
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|LQ
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="6"|Ranking Event
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | [[Pot Black]]
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1986 Pot Black|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="4"|Tournament Not Held
|-
|style="background:#EFEFEF;" | {{nowrap|[[Irish Professional Championship]]}}
| style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="3"|Tournament Not Held
| style="text-align:center; background:thistle;"|F
| style="text-align:center; background:thistle;"|F
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|A
| style="text-align:center; background:thistle;"|F
| style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|[[1982 Irish Professional Championship|QF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|[[1983 Irish Professional Championship|SF]]
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|NH
| style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|[[1985 Irish Professional Championship|SF]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1986 Irish Professional Championship|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1987 Irish Professional Championship|1R]]
| style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|[[1988 Irish Professional Championship|1R]]
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|WD
| align="center" style="color:#555555;"|NH
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:78%;"
|- bgcolor="#efefef"
! colspan="6"|Performance Table Legend
|-
| align="center" style="color:#555555;" width="30"|LQ
| lost in the qualifying draw
| align="center" style="background:#afeeee;"|#R
| lost in the early rounds of the tournament<br />(WR = Wildcard round, RR = Round robin)
| align="center" style="background:#ffebcd;"|QF
| lost in the quarter-finals
|-
| align="center" style="background:yellow;"|SF
| lost in the semi-finals
| align="center" style="background:#D8BFD8;"|F
| lost in the final
| align="center" style="background:#00ff00;"|'''W'''
| won the tournament
|-
| align="center" style="color:#555555;" width="30"|DNQ
| did not qualify for the tournament
| align="center" style="color:#555555;" width="30"|A
| did not participate in the tournament
| align="center" style="color:#555555;" width="30"|WD
| withdrew from the tournament
|}
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%"
|-
|  style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="4"|NH / Not Held || means an event was not held.
|-
|  style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="4"|NR / Non-Ranking Event || means an event is/was no longer a ranking event.
|-
|  style="text-align:center; color:#555555;" colspan="4"|R / Ranking Event || means an event is/was a ranking event.
|}
{{reflist|group=nb}}

==Career finals==
===Non-ranking finals: 6 (3 titles)===

{| class="wikitable sortable"
!width="80"|Outcome
!width="20"|No.
!width="50"|Year
!style="width:250px;"|Championship
!style="width:200px;"|Opponent in the final
!style="width:50px;"|Score
!Ref.
|-style="background:#dfe2e9;"
| style="background:#98FB98"|Winner
| 1.
| [[1977 UK Championship|1977]]
| [[UK Championship]]
| {{flagicon|WAL}} [[Doug Mountjoy]]
| align="center"|12–9
|<ref name="87HALE" />{{rp|58–59}}
|-
| style="background:#98FB98"|Winner
| 2.
| [[1977 Dry Blackthorn Cup|1977]]
| [[1977 Dry Blackthorn Cup|Dry Blackthorn Cup]]
| {{flagicon|NIR}} [[Alex Higgins]]
| align="center"|4–2
|<ref name="LEDBT" />
|-
| style="background:#98FB98"|Winner
| 3.
| 1978
| Suffolk Professional Invitational
| {{flagicon|NIR}} [[Alex Higgins]]
| align="center"|7–3
|<ref>{{cite magazine |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=That Great Velvet Touch |url=http://www.patsyfagan.com/archives/Q%20World%20Article%20-%20Fagans%20Honour%20-%20April%2078.html |magazine=Q world |date=April 1978 |access-date=13 May 2020 |via=patsyfagan.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002180507/http://www.patsyfagan.com/archives/Q%20World%20Article%20-%20Fagans%20Honour%20-%20April%2078.html |archive-date=2 October 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 1.
| 1978
| [[Irish Professional Championship]]
| {{flagicon|NIR}} [[Alex Higgins]]
| align="center"|13–21
|<ref name="IRISH78" />
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 2.
| 1979
| [[Irish Professional Championship]] <small>(2)</small>
| {{flagicon|NIR}} [[Alex Higgins]]
| align="center"|12–21
|<ref name="IRISH79" />
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 3.
| 1981
| [[Irish Professional Championship]] <small>(3)</small>
| {{flagicon|NIR}} [[Dennis Taylor]]
| align="center"|21–22
|<ref name="87HALE" />{{rp|268}}
|-
|}

===Amateur finals: 1 ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!width="80"|Outcome
!width="20"|No.
!width="50"|Year
!style="width:250px;"|Championship
!style="width:200px;"|Opponent in the final
!style="width:50px;"|Score
!Ref.
|-
| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Runner-up
| 1.
| 1974
| {{nowrap|[[English Amateur Championship]]}}
| {{flagicon|ENG}} {{sortname|Ray|Edmonds}}
| align="center"|7–11
|<ref name="GUINNESS" />{{rp|122}}
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{portal|Cue sports}}
* {{snooker.org player|796}}

{{UK Championship winners}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fagan, Patsy}}
[[Category:1951 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Irish snooker players]]
[[Category:UK champions (snooker)]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Dublin (city)]]