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Irish Open 1998

Tallaght National Basketball arena, Tallaght (near Dublin), Ireland
Dec 15-20, 1998
WPBSA ranking tournament (#3 of 9)
�305,000 purse

[ Report | Results | Breaks | Qualifying | Prizes | Points | Related Pages ]

Report

Williams wins first Irish title (20 Dec)

The Welsh "potting machine", Mark J Williams, clinched the inaugural Irish Open by beating Scotsman Alan McManus 9-4 in the final. This was Williams' fourth ranking win and fifth major title.

Mark receives �50,000 for the victory plus an additional �3,000 for the highest break, a 139 total clearance from an earlier match. McManus pockets �26,000 after reaching his first ranking final since winning the 1996 Thailand Open.

Williams climbs one postition to No 7 in the provisional rankings. McManus moves from 13th to eighth.

With eight wins in 10 matches the Welshman is third on the tour in win percentages. Stephen Lee is the leader.

Antics at Irish Open (16 Dec)

UnHannsome Play

Australia's Quinten Hann continued his recent bizarre behaviour by conceding a frame in yesterday's First Round Irish Open match against Stephen Lee.

The irascible but talented player from Wagga Wagga scattered the reds with his cue in frame 3, thereby conceding it by default. Inevitably he lost 5-0 and questions must now be asked about his having the necessary temperament and character to continue as a professional player.

Angry Ebdon

Peter Ebdon was none too impressed with the local audience's obvious support for Jimmy White during their First Round match in the Irish Open.

In a match that never hit the heights he defeated the Whirlwind 5-4 and, according to eyewitness accounts, stood at the table after the match to jeer defiantly at spectators.

While obviously pumped up, it remains to be seen if this latest petulant outburst will land him in hot water with the governing bodies.

Patrick McWilliams ([email protected])

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Results

(Players are English unless stated)

Final

Mark J Williams (Wales) 9-4 Alan McManus (Scotland)

62-25 64-8 64-20 (64) 44-36 78-4 (64) 135-0 (101) 47-60
49-53 7-91 (71) 68-1 (53) 75-16 (62) 0-82 (82) 107-0 (65)

Semi-finals

Mark J Williams (Wales) 6-1 John Parrott

69-1 49-76 103-0 (103) 66-34 68-42 53-40 61-35 (41)

Alan McManus (Scotland) 6-3 Tony Drago (Malta)

62-29 74-30 (66) 0-91 (90) 91-0 (91)
120-0 (120) 15-122 (54,64) 46-54 111-12 (94) 71-40

Quarter-finals

John Parrott 5-2 Stephen Lee

74-29 82-65 79-1 (58) 36-69 28-65 (52) 67-62 (60-62) 75-0 (30)

Mark J Williams (Wales) 5-1 Ken Doherty (Ireland)

59-73 67-17 97-0 (40) 133-1 (133) 77-30 66-24 (55)

Alan McManus (Scotland) 5-3 Billy Snaddon (Scotland)

26-62 0-98 (98) 59-2 62-26 65-19 (49) 20-73 (45) 64-41 (46) 72-15

Tony Drago (Malta) 5-4 Stephen Hendry (Scotland)

43-66 35-60 106-0 (106) 52-19 36-94 38-76 67-50 (44H) 67-63 (56H) 56-48

Second round

Stephen Lee                      5-3 John Higgins (Scotland)
John Parrott                     5-4 Matthew Couch           
Mark J Williams (Wales)          5-0 Graeme Dott (Scotland)
Ken Doherty (Ireland)            5-2 Bradley Jones
Billy Snaddon (Scotland)         5-0 Jimmy Michie
Alan McManus (Scotland)          5-4 Paul Davies (Wales)
Tony Drago (Malta)               5-4 Peter Ebdon
Stephen Hendry (Scotland)        5-3 Paul Hunter

First round

John Higgins (Scotland)          5-3 Tony Knowles
Stephen Lee                      5-0 Quinten Hann (Australia)
Matthew Couch                    5-1 Alain Robidoux (Canada)
John Parrott                     5-4 Dominic Dale (Wales)
Mark J Williams (Wales)          5-3 Lee Walker (Wales)
Graeme Dott (Scotland)           5-4 Mark King
Bradley Jones                    5-1 Nigel Bond
Ken Doherty (Ireland)            5-4 Gerard Greene (N.Ireland)
Jimmy Michie                     5-4 Ronnie O'Sullivan
Billy Snaddon (Scotland)         5-4 Anthony Hamilton
Paul Davies (Wales)              5-4 James Wattana (Thailand)
Alan McManus (Scotland)          5-4 Dave Harold
Peter Ebdon                      5-4 Jimmy White
Tony Drago (Malta)               5-4 Karl Broughton
Paul Hunter                      5-4 Steve Davis
Stephen Hendry (Scotland)        5-1 Joe Perry

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Breaks

Mark J Williams 139
Mark J Williams 133
Alan McManus 120
Bradley Jones 118
Mark J Williams 118
James Wattana 117
Ken Doherty 109
Tony Drago 106
Anthony Hamilton 104
Stephen Hendry 104
Mark J Williams 103
Bradley Jones 102
Mark J Williams 101
Ken Doherty 100
Stephen Hendry 100

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Qualifying Rounds

Plymouth Pavillions, Plymouth, England (Jul-Sep, 1998)
Results provided by Janie Watkins ([email protected])

(Players are English unless stated)

Round 7

(Tuesday 1st September)

Tony Knowles                     5-3 Darren Morgan (Wales)
Quinten Hann (Australia)         5-2 Jamie Burnett (Scotland)
Matthew Couch                    5-3 Chris Small (Scotland)
Dominic Dale (Wales)             5-1 Marco Fu (Hong Kong)
Lee Walker (Wales)               5-4 Gary Wilkinson
Graeme Dott (Scotland)           5-3 Graham Horne (Scotland)
Bradley Jones                    5-2 Brian Morgan
Gerard Greene (N.Ireland)        5-4 Andy Hicks
Jimmy Michie                     w/o Terry Murphy (N.Ireland)
Billy Snaddon (Scotland)         5-3 Kristjan Helgason (Iceland)
Paul Davies (Wales)              5-1 Fergal O'Brien (Ireland)
Dave Harold                      5-4 Mick Price
Jimmy White                      5-4 Dave Finbow
Karl Broughton                   5-0 Martin Clark
Paul Hunter                      5-1 Leo Fernandez (Ireland)
Joe Perry                        5-3 Matthew Stevens (Wales)

Down to the serious business today as the Seeds ranked 17-32 join in the fray. Despite his car crash, Darren Morgan has somehow managed to get fit enough to play - and although he put up a creditable performance today, typical of his courage and tenacity, his opponent Tony Knowles proved the stronger, winning 5-3. A 54 from Knowles in the opener was his only serious contribution, while Morgan managed to stand on his damaged hip long enough to compile 55 in the second and 75 in Frame 7. Knowles' victory pairs him with John Higgins at the venue.

Marco Fu found Round 7 a step too far, as Grand Prix champion Dominic Dale started his campaign in style with a 5-1 victory. Dale notched up 62 in the fourth, but all the other frames saw chances for both players.

The seeds started poorly, with only Dale and Graeme Dott managing victories. Dale now plays John Parrott, while Dott will play the lively Mark King.

Aussie Quienten Hann made short work of Scotland's Jamie Burnett - despite 110 from Burnett in the first frame - breaks of 60 and 70 saw Hann on his way to a tie against Stephen Lee of Trowbridge.

Scotland's Chris Small notched 100 but to no avail as Scunthorpe's Matthew Couch continued his fine run at Plymouth taking the match 5-3.

Newbridge's Lee Walker earnt himself a match against close neighbour Mark J Williams as he squeezed past Gary Wilkinson 5-4 in a long tough battle, where six frames lasted more than half an hour.

Londoner Bradley Jones put paid to Essex neigbour Brian Morgan. From 2-0 behind he compiled runs of 65,50,81 and 68 to win 5-2.

The most nerve tingling decider came between Andy Hicks of Tavistock, former World Semi Finalist and Gerard Greene. Hicks knocked in breaks of 63, 50 and 93, with Greene compiling 50 and 51 on the way to 4-4, but it was Greene who held his nerve to compiling a matchwinning 111 in the decider. Greene goes forward to play Ken Doherty.

Jimmy struggles - but wins the decider against Finbow. Jimmy White toughed it out for a hard fought first victory of the season against Worcester's Dave Finbow. Finbow opened up with a 78, but White hit back with 71. From 2-1 up White slipped to 3-2 down before rallying to level, and again behind at 4-3, Jimmy hit back with 53 before taking a 12 minute decider 72-2.

White the highest regarded player currently outside the Top 16 is the player all the Top 16 want to avoid and Peter Ebdon will now await White at the Venue - which should be a mouthwatering match.

Michie trips over Murphy - Jimmy Michie benefitted from Terry Murphy's football accident, which has left him with a broken ankle, getting a walkover - his reward for a day off is a match with Ronnie O'Sullivan!

Snaddon's experience edges out Iceman Helgason. Behind all the way through by the odd frame, Scotland's Billy Snaddon drew on his experience to level up at 3-3 and then move away to take the game 5-3. Helgason will have greatly benefited from this experience at a higher level and he contributed runs of 58 and 55.

Paul Davies, enjoying a pretty good run so far, sailed past Eire's Fergal O'Brien by an emphatic 5-1 margin. From 1-1 Davies moved into overdrive with runs of 74, 56, 75 and 60 to run away 5-1.

Price and Harold, closely matched in experience and tenacity swapped frames all the way to set up a decider and it was Stoke's Harold that finally got the upper hand, a run of 62 securing victory. An 85 had put Harold 4-2 up, but Price dug deep to level, helped by a run of 95 in the 8th frame.

Clark has a nightmare. Midlander Martin Clark was steamrollered by Louth's Karl Broughton as Broughton knocked in 56 and 69 on his way to a 5-0 win.

Paul Hunter found the Plymouth pressure cooker no problem as he sailed away to a 5-1 win over Leo Fernandez. 62 in the first set him and he closed out with 51 and 53 in the last two frames.

Disappointment for Welshman Stevens. Carmarthen's 20-year old Matthew Stevens has drawn Joe Perry twice in the overseas qualifiers and Marco Fu in the other - and he would have hoped for a much better opening, as Wisbech boy Perry put up a solid performance to win 5-3. Stevens nicked the first on the black, but 93 from Perry levelled. Stevens found his gear with 53 and 89 to go 3-2 up, but that was the end of his hopes as Perry knocked in 63 and 53 to forge away. Perry's reward is a choice tie against 6 times World champion - Stephen Hendry.

Round 6

(Thursday 20th August)

Tony Knowles                     5-3 Stephen O'Connor (Ireland)
Quinten Hann (Australia)         5-3 Tony Jones
Matthew Couch                    5-3 Gary Ponting
Marco Fu (Hong Kong)             5-1 Patrick Wallace (N.Ireland)
Lee Walker (Wales)               5-1 Peter Lines
Graham Horne (Scotland)          5-3 Neal Foulds
Bradley Jones                    5-1 Drew Henry (Scotland)
Gerard Greene (N.Ireland)        5-2 Alfie Burden
Jimmy Michie                     5-2 Oliver King
Kristjan Helgason (Iceland)      5-3 Adrian Gunnell
Paul Davies (Wales)              5-4 Willie Thorne
Mick Price                       5-4 Joe Swail (N.Ireland)
Dave Finbow                      5-3 Shaun Murphy
Karl Broughton                   5-1 Joe Johnson
Leo Fernandez (Ireland)          5-3 Marcus Campbell (Scotland)
Joe Perry                        5-0 Paul Wykes

Good God, Patrick's lost! Fu has a 135, and 50,54,53 - not surprised he won!

Burden's miserable season continues.

Knowles is due to play Darren Morgan in the next round, but it is still doubtful whether Darren will be fit enough to play, as he is still recovering from a car smash. Fu plays Grand Prix champ Dominic Dale.

Round 5

(Wednesday 19th August)

Tony Knowles                     5-2 Steve James
Stephen O'Connor (Ireland)       5-2 Dennis Taylor (N.Ireland)
Tony Jones                       5-3 David McDonnell
Quinten Hann (Australia)         5-0 Philip Williams (Wales)
Gary Ponting                     5-2 Jason Prince (N.Ireland)
Matthew Couch                    5-4 Ian McCulloch
Marco Fu (Hong Kong)             5-4 Nick Pearce
Patrick Wallace (N.Ireland)      5-0 Dene O'Kane (New Zealand)
Lee Walker (Wales)               5-1 Darryn Walker
Peter Lines                      5-3 Wayne Brown
Neal Foulds                      5-3 Craig MacGillivray (Scotland)
Graham Horne (Scotland)          5-4 Michael Judge (Ireland)
Drew Henry (Scotland)            5-3 John Lardner (Scotland)
Bradley Jones                    5-3 Darren Clarke
Alfie Burden                     5-4 David Gray
Gerard Greene (N.Ireland)        5-4 Chris Scanlon
Jimmy Michie                     5-4 David Roe
Oliver King                      5-4 Jason Ferguson
Adrian Gunnell                   5-4 Shokat Ali (Pakistan)
Kristjan Helgason (Iceland)      5-1 Dean Reynolds
Willie Thorne                    5-3 Adrian Rosa
Paul Davies (Wales)              5-4 Nick Walker
Mick Price                       5-1 Anan Terananon (Thailand)
Joe Swail (N.Ireland)            5-2 Sean Storey
Shaun Murphy                     5-4 Jonathan Birch
Dave Finbow                      5-2 Tony Chappel (Wales)
Karl Broughton                   5-2 Wayne Jones (Wales)
Joe Johnson                      5-3 Craig Harrison
Leo Fernandez (Ireland)          5-4 Rod Lawler
Marcus Campbell (Scotland)       5-3 Euan Henderson (Scotland)
Paul Wykes                       5-3 Stuart Bingham
Joe Perry                        5-0 Mark Davis

Patrick Wallace remains unbeaten in 14 matches. Fu hasn't lost either. The two play each other tomorrow ...

122 from Joe Perry as he wins 5-0. 109 from Birch, but he loses a decider to snooker's youngest pro, Shaun Murphy. Paul wykes hits 79, 66, 88 ane 91 to win 5-3 against Bingham

Round 4

(Tuesday 18th August)

David McDonnell                  5-2 Tom Finstad (Canada)
Marco Fu (Hong Kong)             5-3 Barry Pinches
Adrian Gunnell                   5-3 Phaitoon Phonbun (Thailand)
Kristjan Helgason (Iceland)      5-0 Richard Somauroo (Mauritius)
Anan Terananon (Thailand)        5-2 Shawn Budd (Australia)
Shaun Murphy                     5-3 Mario Geudens (Belgium)

There's no stopping World Amateur Champion Marco Fu. He has breezed through his second overseas qualifying round. Today he beat the experienced Englishman Barry Pinches 5-3 and compiled a total clearance of 141 to win the match. Fu will play Gloucester's Nick Pearce tomorrow.

McDonnell - 111. He will play Tony Jones. Gunnell will play Shokat Ali. 54 & 52 from Helgason. He now plays Dean Reynolds. Terananon goes through to play Mick Price - beaten 5-0 by Fu yesterday. Snooker's youngest pro makes further headway. HE will play Jonathan Birch tomorrow.

Round 3

Tony Knowles                     5-4 Karl Payne
Stephen O'Connor (Ireland)       5-4 Paul Cavney
David McDonnell                  5-0 Martin Dziewialtowski (Scotland)
Philip Williams (Wales)          5-3 Mark Gray
Gary Ponting                     5-1 Tai Pichit (Thailand)
Matthew Couch                    5-2 Jason Wallace
Barry Pinches                    5-1 Peter McCullagh
Patrick Wallace (N.Ireland)      5-3 Troy Shaw
Darryn Walker                    5-3 Leigh Griffin
Wayne Brown                      5-4 Munraj Pal
Craig MacGillivray (Scotland)    5-4 Hugh Abernethy (Scotland)
Graham Horne (Scotland)          5-4 Mario Wehrmann (Netherlands)
John Lardner (Scotland)          5-0 Sam Chong (Malaysia)
Darren Clarke                    5-1 Mark Fenton (Wales)
Alfie Burden                     5-4 Joe Delaney (Ireland)
Chris Scanlon                    5-2 Paul McPhillips (Scotland)
Jimmy Michie                     5-4 Mike Hallett
Oliver King                      5-2 Stuart Pettman
Adrian Gunnell                   5-2 Lee Richardson
Kristjan Helgason (Iceland)      5-1 Anthony Davies (Wales)
Adrian Rosa                      5-4 Stefan Mazrocis 
Nick Walker                      5-1 Nick Terry
Anan Terananon (Thailand)        5-4 Steve Judd
Sean Storey                      5-1 Gary Lees
Shaun Murphy                     5-3 Karl Burrows
Dave Finbow                      5-4 Jeff Cundy
Wayne Jones (Wales)              5-4 Simon Bedford
Craig Harrison                   5-4 Mark Bennett (Wales)
Leo Fernandez (Ireland)          5-2 Ian Brumby
Marcus Campbell (Scotland)       5-2 Stuart Reardon
Stuart Bingham                   5-0 John Read
Joe Perry                        5-2 John Whitty

Highlight of the day: Adrian Gunnel with successive breaks of 114 and 133 and 56, also had a 63.

Round 2

Tony Knowles                     5-1 Neil Robertson (New Zealand)
Paul Cavney                      5-2 Paul Sweeny
David McDonnell                  5-2 Barry Mapstone
Philip Williams (Wales)          5-3 Brian Rowswell
Tai Pichit (Thailand)            5-3 Antony Bolsover
Jason Wallace                    5-2 Mark Johnston-Allen
Barry Pinches                    5-2 Eddie Manning
Patrick Wallace (N.Ireland)      5-3 Steve Mifsud (Australia)
Darryn Walker                    5-1 Robin Hull (Finland)
Munraj Pal                       5-1 Hitesh Naran (South Africa)
Hugh Abernethy (Scotland)        5-3 Sean Lanigan
Mario Wehrmann (Netherlands)     5-4 Micky Roughan
Sam Chong (Malaysia)             5-1 Joe Grech (Malta)
Mark Fenton (Wales)              5-3 Mehmet Husnu (Cyprus)
Joe Delaney (Ireland)            5-3 James Reynolds (Wales)
Paul McPhillips (Scotland)       5-2 Matt Wilson
Mike Hallett                     5-3 David McLellan (Scotland)
Oliver King                      5-2 Surinder Gill
Adrian Gunnell                   5-4 Stephen Murphy (Ireland)
Kristjan Helgason (Iceland)      5-3 Michael Holt
Adrian Rosa                      5-1 John Giles
Nick Terry                       5-2 Leigh Robinson
Anan Terananon (Thailand)        5-2 Nigel Gilbert
Gary Lees                        5-1 Chris Shade (Scotland)
Shaun Murphy                     5-1 Steve Newbury (Wales)
Jeff Cundy                       5-0 Alan Burnett (Scotland)
Simon Bedford                    5-2 Dylan Leary (N.Ireland)
Craig Harrison                   5-3 Mark Miller
Leo Fernandez (Ireland)          5-3 Eddie Barker
Stuart Reardon                   5-3 Paul S Davison
Stuart Bingham                   5-3 Jason Weston
John Whitty                      5-1 Robert Milkins

Round 1

Neil Robertson (New Zealand)     5-0 Björn Haneveer (Belgium)
Paul Cavney                      5-2 Alastair Fleming (Scotland)
David McDonnell                  5-2 Ben Reicker (Canada)
Brian Rowswell                   5-2 Kirk Stevens (Canada)
Tai Pichit (Thailand)            5-4 Mike Dunn
Mark Johnston-Allen              5-1 Mario Cutajar (Malta)
Barry Pinches                    5-4 Hasimu Tuerxun (China)
Steve Mifsud (Australia)         5-3 Wayne Saidler
Robin Hull (Finland)             5-1 Mike Henson (Germany)
Hitesh Naran (South Africa)      5-1 Allister Carter
Sean Lanigan                     5-3 Saleh Muhammad (Pakistan)
Mario Wehrmann (Netherlands)     5-3 Geoff Dunn (Scotland)
Sam Chong (Malaysia)             5-2 Colm Gilcreest (Ireland)
Mehmet Husnu (Cyprus)            5-1 Farhan Mirza (Pakistan)
Joe Delaney (Ireland)            5-3 Li Jian-Bing (China)
Matt Wilson                      5-3 Patrick Delsemme (Belgium)
Mike Hallett                     5-1 Darren Hackeson
Surinder Gill                    5-1 Simon Parker
Adrian Gunnell                   5-3 Johl Younger (Australia)
Kristjan Helgason (Iceland)      5-4 Darren Limburg
John Giles                       5-3 Les Dodd
Leigh Robinson                   5-3 Dermot McGlinchey (N.Ireland)
Anan Terananon (Thailand)        5-3 Alex Borg (Malta)
Gary Lees                        5-3 Chatchawan Rutphae (Thailand)
Shaun Murphy                     5-0 Wael Talaat (Egypt)
Jeff Cundy                       5-2 Bob Chaperon (Canada)
Dylan Leary (N.Ireland)          5-1 Keith E (Singapore)
Mark Miller                      5-2 Guo Hua (China)
Eddie Barker                     5-4 Ian Sargeant (Wales)
Stuart Reardon                   5-2 Matthew Bray
Stuart Bingham                   5-2 Gary Natale (Canada)
John Whitty                      5-2 David Coles

HIGHLIGHT: 140 clearance by Tai Pichit for his highest ever tournament break.

Kirk Stevens is beaten again, but manages breaks of 73 and 93.

Good win for Hitesh Naran of South Africa.

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Prize Money

�
Winner 1 * 50,000   50,000
Runner Up 1 * 26,000   26,000
Losing Semi-finalist 2 * 13,000   26,000
Losing Quarter-finalist 4 * 7,555   30,220
Last 16 8 * 3,750   30,000
Last 32 16 * 3,100   49,600
Last 48 16 * 1,800   28,800
Last 64 16 * 1,250   20,000
Last 96 32 * 890   28,480
Overseas Play-off Round 6 * 890 � 5,340
� Not payable to overseas qualifiers who lose their first match
Last 134 32 * 205   6,560
High TV Break 1 * 3,000   3,000
High Pre TV Break 1 * 1,000   1,000

Total 305,000

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Points

Here is an overview of the points system used in the 1998 Irish Open.

The points are awarded to the losing players in each round.

Round Points
Last 198 200
Last 166 270
(seeds 97-128) 200
Last 134 360
(seeds 65-96) 270
Last 102 480
(overseas seeds) 360
Last 96 480
(seeds 33-64) 360
Last 64 640
Last 48 855
(seeds 17-32) 640
Last 32 1,140
(seeds 1-16) 855
Last 16 1,330
Q-F 1,520
S-F 2,025
R-up 3,040
Winner 4,560

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Related Pages

External

Internal

1995 European Open
1996 European Open
1997 European Open
European Open Finals
Embassy rankings after this tournament
Very provisional rankings after this tournament
Match stats

Snooker Chat Room (latest scores are sometimes posted by the chatters)

[ Report | Results | Breaks | Qualifying | Prizes | Points | Related Pages ]

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