Irish Masters

eirebhoy

The Irish Masters started today in the Citywest and these are the results:

Stephen Lee 5-0 Stephen Maguire
Stephen Hendry 4-5 Mark King
Graeme Dott 5-0 Colm Gilcreest (Irish)
Paul Hunter 5-0 Lee Walker
Matthew Stevens 1-5 Anthony Hamilton
Mark Williams 5-1 Jamie Burnett
Jimmy White 5-3 Gary Wilkinson
Quinten Hann 3-4 Patrick Wallace (still going)

Doherty doesn't play until Monday at 7.00pm.

celticfc

Only one real shock of the day & thats King knocking out Hendry, to think, Mark King said he was definitely gonna quit a year ago.

It's a pity that RTÉ's coverage doesn't start until wednesday afternoon :mad:, coz some of those 1st & second round matches look very good but thats typical of RTÉ I suppose. :rolleyes:


Late result: Q Hann 5-4 P Wallace



Tomorrows order of play:

10.30am:
Peter Ebdon vs Ian McCulloch
Joe Perry vs Nigel Bond

3.00pm:
Steve Davis OBE vs Brian Morgan
John Higgins vs Tony Drago
Alan McManus vs Marco Fu

7.30pm:
Ronnie O'Sullivan vs Michael Holt
Graeme Dott vs Paul Hunter (2nd Round)
David Gray vs Mark Selby

gerire

Was talking to Colm before the game and he was confident. He got some bad breaks and when Dott got in he dished up. Only actually saw the last frame and he made a bad mistake 20 points up and Dott won on the pink.

Yeah Mark King was a big surprise, wouldnt say Hendry was a happy camper last night. Talked to Patrick Wallace aswell and he was very relaxed even by his standards. Unfortunate to lose that close game. The rest followed the form book

celticfc

Originally posted by gerire
Was talking to Colm before the game and he was confident. He got some bad breaks and when Dott got in he dished up. Only actually saw the last frame and he made a bad mistake 20 points up and Dott won on the pink.

Yeah Mark King was a big surprise, wouldnt say Hendry was a happy camper last night. Talked to Patrick Wallace aswell and he was very relaxed even by his standards. Unfortunate to lose that close game. The rest followed the form book

It was a pity about Colm & Patrick alright, hopefully Ken can keep the Irish interests in the tournament for a few rounds yet.

Anyway, todays results are:

P Ebdon Eng 5-2 I McCulloch Eng
N Bond Eng 5-3 J Perry Eng
J Higgins Sco 5-1 T Drago Mal
A McManus Sco 1-5 M Fu HK
S Davis Eng 4-5 B Morgan Eng
D Gray Eng 5-4 M Selby Eng
R O'Sullivan Eng 5-2 M Holt Eng
P Hunter Eng 2-5 G Dott Sco (2nd round)

Peter Ebdon seems to be getting a bit of form back with the 2 highest breaks of the tourney so far, a 136 & a 125. John higgins is lookin' good too, winning 5-1 in little over than an hours play & R o'S looks as if he's in good form too.

Creon

Ebdon looks like he can go all the way again this year, he's certainly got the experience being in the irish masters final twice already(although i think the world championship experience will count for a little more in a pressure situation). He is the ultimste snooker professional and he'll never throw in the towel until the final whistle(wow a boxing and a football coined phrase in a sentance about snooker).

I was very disappointed with the defeat of Hendry to King although i don't mind too much seeing as it's king. u gotta laugh at the way he treats the game(in onee interview i remember him stating that he felt like smashing the que over his knee and never playing again).

gerire

King Jimmy is out. Doubt he was too pleased he even used a back door to escape the fans. Another good win for King though.
Wins too for Higgins and a shock for Hann over Lee.

At the moment Hamilton cant be ruled out leading 3 - 2 against Mark Williams

celticfc

Originally posted by Creon
Ebdon looks like he can go all the way again this year, he's certainly got the experience being in the irish masters final twice already(although i think the world championship experience will count for a little more in a pressure situation). He is the ultimste snooker professional and he'll never throw in the towel until the final whistle(wow a boxing and a football coined phrase in a sentance about snooker).

Yeah, it's great to see Peter seemly getting back a bit of form. Since winning the world title back in 2002, he hasn't really done much at all. He's always been one of my favourite players & is one of the most exiting to watch, especially in the longer matches like @ the world champs.

He's leading Nigel bond 4-2 ATM.

Originally posted by gerire
At the moment Hamilton cant be ruled out leading 3 - 2 against Mark Williams

Yeah & he must be back playing well too, he's just after knocking out Williams 5-2 a few mins ago.



Higgins is looking good (Definitely my tip for the title)

Pity about Jimmy though, I thaught he'd do well this week.

Ken is winning 4-1 ATM against Stuart Bingham

syngin

RTE Coverage.
____________________

whats are they at.
Don't they realise that people have full time jobs and don't fancy staying up all hours.
Why can't they put the coverage on around 7,9 or 10.
I think they underestimate the interest that snooker has in this country.
All my friends including my own mother follow the sport.
i give up.

SteM

Has anyone been up to Citywest yet? What a joke! We went up on Tuesday after work, didn't really mind which match we saw out of

Williams v Hamilton
Ebdon v Bond
Doherty v Bingham

There were 3 tables but the tiered seating was awful. You were LITERALLY looking at the back of the head of the person in front of you! The only people who could see the table were the people in the first row or if you were sitting at the back you could stand up. I've never seen a shambles like it. Everyone knew what the problem was - the tables were too near the front row of seats - everyone except the clown that planned the layout that is.

It may be a bit better from today when there'll only be one table but I won't be going back again until it's moved away from Citywest, it's an awful venue for snooker. If you're going up my advice would be to get there early and get into one of the first 3 or 4 rows.

In the end we watched Williams v Hamilton by the way, Hamilton played very well but Williams didn't look like he could be arsed.

celticfc

Originally posted by syngin
RTE Coverage.
____________________

whats are they at.
Don't they realise that people have full time jobs and don't fancy staying up all hours.
Why can't they put the coverage on around 7,9 or 10.
I think they underestimate the interest that snooker has in this country.
All my friends including my own mother follow the sport.
i give up.

I think the only reason the didn't have an evening show showing live snooker was because the Champions League was on Network 2. Every other night though will have an evening show though.


From Digiguide:


SPORT: City West Irish Masters Snooker
Channel: Network 2 102
Date: Thursday 25th March 2004
Time: 19:00 to 21:00 (starting this evening)
Duration: 2 hours.
Tracey Pigott introduces live coverage of the Irish Masters Tournament from CityWest Hotel in Saggart.


& tomorrow:


SPORT: City West Irish Masters Snooker
Channel: Network 2 102
Date: Friday 26th March 2004
Time: 21:30 to 23:35 (starting in 1 day)
Duration: 2 hours and 5 minutes.
Tracey Pigott introduces live coverage of the Irish Masters Tournament from CityWest Hotel in Saggart.


BTW there's also coverage of it on Eurosport this year.

celticfc

Originally posted by SteM
Has anyone been up to Citywest yet? What a joke! We went up on Tuesday after work, didn't really mind which match we saw out of

Williams v Hamilton
Ebdon v Bond
Doherty v Bingham

There were 3 tables but the tiered seating was awful. You were LITERALLY looking at the back of the head of the person in front of you! The only people who could see the table were the people in the first row or if you were sitting at the back you could stand up. I've never seen a shambles like it. Everyone knew what the problem was - the tables were too near the front row of seats - everyone except the clown that planned the layout that is.

It may be a bit better from today when there'll only be one table but I won't be going back again until it's moved away from Citywest, it's an awful venue for snooker. If you're going up my advice would be to get there early and get into one of the first 3 or 4 rows.

In the end we watched Williams v Hamilton by the way, Hamilton played very well but Williams didn't look like he could be arsed.

Unfortunately, I have not managed to get up there this year, but I've always found the seating on the main show table to be very good just about anywhere in the stands. I've never watched it on the other tables though.

I've always found Citywest to be quite a good venue myself, but I have been told it's not half as good as Goff's ever used to be.

SteM

Like I say, hopefully it'll be improved now there's just one table but the 3 table setup was a joke.

Everyone that I spoke to on Tuesday said Goffs was a great venue to watch snooker. Any idea why they moved it away from there or was it just to do with location?

celticfc

The only reason that the Irish Masters moved from Goff's in the first place was because of the ban on cigarette advertising in Ireland all thanks to Micheál Martin & Co. in the dept of health & children. They put a ban on Benson & Hedges from sponsoring the event in 2001. (They had sponsored it since 1978 & it was always held in Goff's)

They found it hard to find a new sponsor until the Citywest hotel came in with the sponsorship for it along with the governments health promotion unit from 2001 & part of the deal was that Citywest would provide the venue, accomadation etc. which obviously gives them more custom.

Infact the Citywest deal wasn't finalised until very close to the event & there was a good chance there wouldn't be an Irish Masters that year.

eirebhoy

I think Doherty will get to the final this year. (He has probably lost already but I'll watch the match on RTE rather than check the result). If he beats Hamilton he plays King, there not exactly, Williams and Hendry whom I was expecting.

BTW - Why are the players wearing dickie-bow's? I thought they stopped wearing them, well they did for the Masters.

celticfc

Originally posted by eirebhoy
I think Doherty will get to the final this year. (He has probably lost already but I'll watch the match on RTE rather than check the result). If he beats Hamilton he plays King, there not exactly, Williams and Hendry whom I was expecting.

BTW - Why are the players wearing dickie-bow's? I thought they stopped wearing them, well they did for the Masters.

Seems likely it might be a Doherty vs Higgins/O'Sullivan Final alright, but Mark King & Peter Ebdon seem to be playin' well this week.

Latest :
O'Sullivan 1-1 Ebdon

Evening Match:
Higgins vs Hann


On the dickie bow front, the dress code was relaxed a year or 2 ago for all tournaments except the world championship where it's still mandatory. I don't really know the reason for needing them here, it must be a sponsorship thing. Also, the players can't wear any advertising on their clothes here either, mind you I think it's always been like that in the Irish Masters.

Creon

Wat about Ronnie today, conceeding the frame after only 30 points were clocked up by ebdon, never mind the irish masters, the main contenders(or anyone for that matter) won't be fearing him as much in this years world championship if he continues to be that volitile.
Ebdon's confidence should be high after that win and i backed him on monday at 16 to 1 , come on peter!

Wat do we think of fergal o'brien in the commentatary position?

celticfc

Originally posted by Creon
Wat about Ronnie today, conceeding the frame after only 30 points were clocked up by ebdon, never mind the irish masters, the main contenders(or anyone for that matter) won't be fearing him as much in this years world championship if he continues to be that volitile.
Ebdon's confidence should be high after that win and i backed him on monday at 16 to 1 , come on peter!

Wat do we think of fergal o'brien in the commentatary position?

So much for my predictions again :rolleyes: , yesterday was a day of shocks orite, Peter wasen't even playing as well as he can & he was still steamrollering the rocket.

In the other quarter it was completely different story, both players were playing well esp. Quinten Hann, he was playing out of his shell. John Higgins played quite well but missed an easy pink to make it 4-4.

Quarter final results:
O'Sullivan 2-6 Ebdon
Higgins 4-6 Hann

Another shock today in the Doherty vs King match. Ken was a bit out of sorts & Mark punished nearly all of his mistakes, well deserved victory.

Final score:
Doherty 2-6 King

Silent Assasin

Did anyone See Hann going on a mad one yesterday and swiping the balls with his cue and conceded the frame when he was winning 30-24 and then he smashed the pack off the break in the next frame...

I seen him on friday against Higgins and he played some great stuff.

Another Nutcase like O'Sullivan.

There were 3 tables but the tiered seating was awful. You were LITERALLY looking at the back of the head of the person in front of you! The only people who could see the table were the people in the first row or if you were sitting at the back you could stand up. I've never seen a shambles like it. Everyone knew what the problem was - the tables were too near the front row of seats - everyone except the clown that planned the layout that is.

Yea I agree with this, I was there on Monday and I was standing at the back the seating is rank...

But im pleased to say that I was there on friday and it was much improved perfect view for both sessions.

Creon

With two players this week conceeding frames long before they were won, one begins to wonder how much the top players really care about events such as the irish masters, do they just want to get their apperance money and get on the next plane home or do they actually care about the results of the matchs? What do u guys think?

Granted the two players who conceeded the frames are probably the two most volatile and unpredictable in snooker and they were rather angry with themselves when they conceeded but nonetheless....

What about the way in which Ebdon won?(regarding the putting back of Mark King on the fluked snooker)

eirebhoy

Ronnie trains as much as me TBH so its not just the Irish masters that he doesn't care as much about. He thinks there's more to life than snooker, yeah right!;)

I believe William's gf had a child recently (can someone confirm this?) and his mind was elsewhere, he doesn't seem to be taking any tournament seriously any more.

As for Hann, thats his unpredictable self and would do the same in the world champs. Hendry also said something about not caring any more.

So, its not that their not taking the Irish masters seriously, its snooker in general.

BTW - Do you get the same amount of ranking points if you win any tournament?

Silent Assasin

I think Williams Girlfriend was Due yesterday...but she is defo due or had a baby. And I think Hendry is very arrogant....

My opinion of Hann rose a lot when he played John Higgins only to go back down when he played Ebdon.

And im not sure about the ranking points, I think it is but you get more in the World Championship's because of the longer frame matches.

What do u think of the Commentary Team on the Irish master's. IMO Aongas McInally knows enough about snooker to fill the back of a stamp. And Terry Griffiths he is as boring off the table as he is on it ! Aongas the pundit kept calling Mark King Dave for some reason and who is your man Stephen Brennan or whatever his name was ?

celticfc

I thaught it was a great final on sunday, but finished a bit harsh for Mark, esp. with the fluked snooker behind the black. I'm delighted for Peter though, the win should fill him back up with confidence at the World Champs.

Originally posted by Creon
With two players this week conceeding frames long before they were won, one begins to wonder how much the top players really care about events such as the irish masters, do they just want to get their apperance money and get on the next plane home or do they actually care about the results of the matchs? What do u guys think?

All ye really have to do is look at the 2 that have conceeded the frames, the 2 most unpredictable players out there, Just short of Alex Higgins that is. (He was well known for conceeding whole matches for no apparant reason even.)

Originally posted by Creon
My opinion of Hann rose a lot when he played John Higgins only to go back down when he played Ebdon.

Ditto, against Higgins he played the best matchplay snooker I've ever seen him play, in the Ebdon match he showed just how easy he can get frustrated & seem to lose interest.

celticfc

Originally posted by Silent Assasin
What do u think of the Commentary Team on the Irish master's. IMO Aongas McInally knows enough about snooker to fill the back of a stamp. And Terry Griffiths he is as boring off the table as he is on it ! Aongas the pundit kept calling Mark King Dave for some reason and who is your man Stephen Brennan or whatever his name was ?

Some people just weren't destined for TV & Aonghus McAnally (sp?) is certainly one of those IMO. He was abosolutely useless when it came to the trophy/cheque presentations, he got names wrong, people mixed up. 'Twas a disaster. :rolleyes:
I don't mind the others on the commentary team, but I'd still rather have Dennis Taylor back commentating for RTÉ.

Originally posted by eirebhoy
BTW - Do you get the same amount of ranking points if you win any tournament?

No, generally all ranking tournaments award the same ranking points except for the UK Championship & the World Championship which are weighted higher for each round.

For the winner of most tournaments eg. the Irish Masters, LG Cup etc. the winner gets 4000 points, for the UK Championship 6000 & for the World Championships it's 8000. More info on that can be found on the World Snooker site.

stuartfanning

I thought the Irish Masters was the same as the Masters at Wembley. Invitational events for which players do not get ranking points.

gerire

Both the Wembely and Irish masters are ranking events now. The Irish was upgraded a few years back. The qualifiers took place back in November I think

celticfc

Originally posted by gerire
Both the Wembely and Irish masters are ranking events now. The Irish was upgraded a few years back. The qualifiers took place back in November I think

The Irish Masters was upgraded to a ranking event last year (See here) along with the European Open. The Masters is still an invitation tournament (The only one this season).