Ken Doherty - Grand Prix Qualifiers

celticfc

Ken just about squeezed past Paul Davies this evening, he was 3-1 up, then 4-3 down and won the last two frames to take it 5-4.

Ken will now play Dave Harold tomorrow at 4pm to get through to the main event on TV.

In other Irish news;

• Michael Judge lost 5-4 this morning to Mark Joyce.

• Patrick Wallace lost 5-2 to Adrian Gunnell. (Patrick beat Joe Delaney 5-2 yesterday)

• Davy Morris beat Rory McLeod 5-4 today and he'll play Jamie Cope (also at 4pm tommorow) to get through.

From WorldSnooker.com:

Doherty Aiming For More Success

Ken Doherty needs one more win to make the televised stages of the 2009 Grand Prix after a tense 5-4 victory over Paul Davies.
The Dubliner has now won six games this season including the wild card round in Shanghai where he went on to reach the quarter-finals, a huge improvement on his first season at Pontin's, Prestatyn when he won just two matches.

"I've had a lot of 5-4's this season, that's my fourth and luckily I've won them all. He made some really good breaks to come back. I thought if I get a chance I could swing the pressure back.

"It doesn't matter who you play in the cubicles here, they all play with no pressure as if they're back at the club," said Doherty who plays Dave Harold tomorrow.

Doherty led 3-1 with a top run of 96 before Davies won the next three. Doherty won a tense eighth frame to take the match into a final frame and then finished the job with a 69.

Matt Selt's great form at the qualifiers continued with his seventh win of the season after another last frame win, this time Stuart Pettman was despatched 5-4 by the Romford player.

"That was hard to win, I was 4-2 up and didn't pot a ball for two frames. In the blink of an eye it's 4-4, I went out to compose myself. All you want is one chance.

"He had me in real trouble in, I had a long red but it went in and I made 60 odd. I've spoken to Joe Perry and Shaun Murphy before the season and they've helped me but Ronnie said the most important thing which has really helped," said Selt who reach the televised stage at the Roewe Shanghai Masters last month.

Selt had gone 4-2 ahead courtesy of breaks of 70 and 47 before Pettman replied with 55 and 66 to force the decider. The 24-year-old Selt then showed great composure to put together a 64 break to complete the victory that leaves him one win away from a second venue appearance.

Dominic Dale brushed aside the challenge of Anda Zhang, the 2007 Roewe Shanghai Masters Champion won 5-0 with breaks of 52 and 91 in the last two frames to seal a straight forward win. Dave Gilbert beat Anthony Hamilton by the same scoreline.

Barry Pinches beat Jimmy Michie 5-3 with a top run of 61.

Ian McCulloch beat John Parrott 5-4 in a tense match which only saw one break over fifty, a 64 by
McCulloch in the second frame.

20-year-old David Morris beat 2009 Crucible debutant Rory McLeod by the same score line to set-up a clash with Jamie Cope.

Rod Lawler overcame Alan McManus in a match lasting just under five hours. In the marathon tussle Lawler took the honours 5-4 and will face Gerard Greene for a place in the televised stages to take place in the Kelvin Hall, Glasgow.

Tomorrows final qualifying round fixtures:

Barry Hawkins |vs| Mark Joyce
Steve Davis |vs |Mark Davis
Ricky Walden |vs |Adrian Gunnell
Graeme Dott |vs| Jamie Burnett
Judd Trump |vs| Marcus Campbell
Matt Stevens| vs |Mike Dunn
Nigel Bond |vs| Peter Lines
Stephen Lee| vs |Robert Milkins
Jamie Cope |vs |David Morris
Gerard Greene |vs |Rod Lawler
Michael Holt |vs| Barry Pinches
Stuart Bingham| vs| David Gilbert
Dave Harold| vs| Ken Doherty
Joe Swail |vs| Ian McCulloch
Fergal O'Brien |vs| Matthew Selt
Liang Wenbo |vs| Dominic Dale

zuutroy

Beat Dave Harold to make the TV stages!!

Great to see a return to form for KenDo. I have to say I thought he was washed up.

connie147

zuutroy wrote: »

Beat Dave Harold to make the TV stages!!

Great to see a return to form for KenDo. I have to say I thought he was washed up.

Lots of people thought the same, but he was just too good a player to disappear off the rankings in just 1 year. Whast happened ken was a huge loss of confidence (imho). When your that good at a sport and your constantly playing people just as good, confidence plays a huge role.

In practice, Ken was every bit as good as he ever was, but he just couldnt take that out on to the mastch table.

I think that the fact that he dropped so far down the rankings is going to be an aid to him this year. Last season, when he went to qualifying, he just played the final qualifying game and as he couldnt get a win under his belt, there was no way to build a bit of confidence. This season, he has to play 3 qualifying matches to get through to the televised stages, so now hes getting to play players in the early rounds that are not really as good as him, giving him a great chance to get his confidence back before he meets one of the top guys in the last qualifying game and the roles are reversed. Ken is coming into the game full of confidence from his 2 earlier round matches, while his opponnent is playing cold, playing his 1st qualifying match and probably short on the confidence himself.

He really does still work hard at his game and deserves to move back up the rankings imho. GL to him in the Gran prix.

Connie

Gingy

Fantastic result for Ken against Selby 5-3. Great to see him back beating top quality players.

kevray

im so glad to see ken playing well again.After the glory days of 1997 we thought his career was soon coming to an end but what a terrific ambassador for the sport. world champion and twice a finalist aswell.he is the most successful snooker player the republic has ever produced and he dosent get enough credit. it iis so difficult to make it big,we have seen so much promise in the past but it just hasnt happened. hopefully he will make it back into the top 32 and that will be a huge boost for next season.a good run in the grand prix is just what he deserves and hopefully he can bring home more silverware. GO ON KEN!!!!!!!!

blueyedson

I agree , great to see Ken back to winning ways again. He is a class act. Hope he avoids higgins/ronnie in the next round , would be good to see him in another quarter final ,not saying he wouldn't beat tehm ,but will be easier draws out there.

Anyone know any free web sites streaming the snooker today ? i cant get sopcast ,justin tv used to work for me , will give that a go later on

bluefinger

it's not a website i know, but eurosport (channel 423 on upc) are showing just about all of the matches from the first round on. hope ken (and mark williams) gets back into the top thirty two this season.