2019 Northern Ireland Open

Arthur Daley

What a fluke to cut in the yellow while snookered and land on the green, to give Ronnie a 2-0 lead.

Joe_ Public

Ronnie in no safety mode again tonight, zero respect for opponent.

Pighead

Arthur Daley wrote: »

What a fluke to cut in the yellow while snookered and land on the green, to give Ronnie a 2-0 lead.

Unbelievable. One of the most outrageous flukes I've ever seen. Poor Joe!

Pighead

Ronnie makes it 3-0. Too easy so far. Perry missing too much. Ronnie looking good to be back in his hotel room in time for the nine o'clock news.

waynescales1

Quest’s coverage finishes at 9, finish him Ronnie!

dobman88

dobman88 wrote: »

Heading up to the final tomorrow. What a match it will be if Ronnie can get through this evening. Excited to see the current World Champion as it is. That black today was just sensational. Itll be a slow day in work on Monday.

Oh my days. Gonna be like a child at Christmas heading to Belfast tomorrow. Ronnie in this mood, Trump in this form. Potential to be a classic. Really feel sorry for Perry but he never got going and gave up way too much.

waynescales1

Crowd was very boisterous there tonight, should be a good atmosphere tomorrow.

El_Duderino 09

Dante7 wrote: »

He wasn't even in any trouble. No wonder people hate watching him play.

I do struggle to watch him. I mean he can be ok when he’s in form and in a big game like a semi/final. But, like, 6minutes, fcuk sake.

You’d want to be a real purist to enjoy watching him most of the time.

Dante7

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

I do struggle to watch him. I mean he can be ok when he’s in form and in a big game like a semi/final. But, like, 6minutes, fcuk sake.

You’d want to be a real purist to enjoy watching him most of the time.

He's a strange one. Off the table, he's actually a very funny and entertaining bloke. He's known as the Jester from Leicester due to his excellent sense of humour. But on the table, he is just boring. John Higgins has been described as boring, but I have no problem watching his clinical matchplay. Selby is always just boring, snooker by numbers for me.

zuutroy

Trump at 4/5 is surely the value tomorrow. Not sure Ronnie's head is fully right to take him on over best of 17.

Joe_ Public

I think if Ronnie turns up in the cavalier mood he's taken all week, judd could do a number on him. Judds safety and tactical game has really impressed me past while. All depends. Last few head to heads have been great, its what the game badly needs.

zuutroy

Yea there hasn't been a proper rivalry for the longest time. Selby and O'Sullivan 6-7 years ago threatened but fizzled out. It mightn't last long with Ronnie at 44 (?) but should be fun for a while.

Joe_ Public

Remember uk final 2014 when judd came back to 9-9 and lost in decider, i thought that might be the start of something great but judd simply wasnt ready to take that big step. Think ronnie will really want to win this one, atmosphere going to be electric. Cant wait.

El_Duderino 09

Dante7 wrote: »

He's a strange one. Off the table, he's actually a very funny and entertaining bloke. He's known as the Jester from Leicester due to his excellent sense of humour. But on the table, he is just boring. John Higgins has been described as boring, but I have no problem watching his clinical matchplay. Selby is always just boring, snooker by numbers for me.

Is that why he has the nickname? I bought it was ironic because he's so serious.

Dante7

zuutroy wrote: »

Trump at 4/5 is surely the value tomorrow. Not sure Ronnie's head is fully right to take him on over best of 17.

He's 1/1 on some markets. I initially, predicted that Ronnie would win this. But that was based on Ronnie needing the one year ranking points, and that Judd would drop out early due to fatigue. But now, Judd at evens is a great bet. He is just in a different league. He wins a match frame by pulling off shot of the season, while Ronnie wins a frame with fluke of the season. Judd will destroy him.

Joe_ Public

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

Is that why he has the nickname? I bought it was ironic because he's so serious.

The fact that it rhymes may well be the crucial factor i think.

Twister2

What time/channel is this on tomorrow?

El_Duderino 09

Joe_ Public wrote: »

The fact that it rhymes may well be the crucial factor i think.

I think alliteration has a lot to do with the nicknames. But it really never occurred to me that Mark Selby had a personality, good or bad.

Joe_ Public

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

I think alliteration has a lot to do with the nicknames. But it really never occurred to me that Mark Selby had a personality, good or bad.

Yeah i think its just a nickname, dont think its meant to be ironic or mean anything very much. I admire Selby because he had a tough life, was never the most gifted but made the best of what he had. That 2014 world title was simply immense. But i understand not everybody likes that style, which is entirely fair enough.

AllForIt

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

Is that why he has the nickname? I bought it was ironic because he's so serious.

He's known for making quips in matches.

You decide if he's actually funny.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=mark+selby+humour

I don't mind his style of play, he's made some very gutsy breaks and clearances over the years, but when he speaks he puts me to sleep. The accent doesn't help.

dobman88

Twister2 wrote: »

What time/channel is this on tomorrow?

1st session on eurosport at 1pm, 2md session on eurosport at 7pm

Arthur Daley

dobman88 wrote: »

1st session on eurosport at 1pm, 2md session on eurosport at 7pm

Both sessions should be on Quest, or at least the evening session. Both semis were in Quest this year so I expect the full final will be. Quest is FTA

zuutroy

A win today will put Ronnie in the Top 8 on the one year rankings, and he's already guaranteed to be around 20th by getting to the final, so a half decent showing in the UK should have him in good shape for the Coral series.

dobman88

Arthur Daley wrote: »

Both sessions should be on Quest, or at least the evening session. Both semis were in Quest this year so I expect the full final will be. Quest is FTA

Eurosport is FTA also isnt it. It is on sky and virgin at least

Twister2

Pockets are a joke has to be said

Joe_ Public

Some very good safety exchanges opening frames but judd well ahead in all aspects. Early days still but Ronnie going to have to lift it if he doesn't want to get left behind.

hetuzozaho

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Some very good safety exchanges opening frames but judd well ahead in all aspects. Early days still but Ronnie going to have to lift it if he doesn't want to get left behind.

Looks like he read your post Joe! A great break.

Joe_ Public

...and ronnie replies with an alex higgins style "total" clearance. Great stuff.

waynescales1

O’Sullivan’s long game is way off. Trump should win comfortably if this continues.

ArmaniJeanss

dobman88 wrote: »

Heading up to the final tomorrow. What a match it will be if Ronnie can get through this evening. Excited to see the current World Champion as it is. That black today was just sensational. Itll be a slow day in work on Monday.

You could do with Ronnie winning the last, don't want it 6-2 as could be a short night.

147 incoming here?

jinxed it

The Nal

Great chance for a maxi here

Ouch nasty kick

zuutroy

Can't beat Trump by waiting for him to make mistakes.

Joe_ Public

Think Ron has done a decent job of staying in touch, judd was on fire most of that and safety success rate of 97% or so is fantastic. Game still well on I'd say.

Pighead

First session very reminiscent of the Tour Championship semi-final earlier this year between the pair. Judd playing the better of the two but Ronnie hanging in. Ronnie was 6-2 down in that Tour championship match and came back to win it 10-9 on the final black. Traditionally Ronnie plays better in the evening sessions and Judd has a tendency to tighten up whenever Ronnie comes back at him.

I do think Judd is a much more rounded player now and it will be interesting to see if he can close this out if Ronnie comes back at him later on. You'd still have to have Judd as favourite but I wouldn't be putting any money on him.

waynescales1

O’Sullivan will be pleased with 5-3. Good among the balls, but long game and safety poor.

I saw him earlier in the week, but there’s a gentleman in the front row sitting maybe 8-10 feet from the table, watching the match through a pair of binoculars? Some characters up there in Belfast.

Arthur Daley

The Waterfront is a great venue in my view. Not perfect like the Crucible, but not at all bad, and this tournament is bedding in over the last two years.

It would be great to have a major invitational or even a ranking event at Goffs, but I'm glad to have the option to get up to Belfast for this as well. Couldn't make it this year though, too much else on this week.

Joe_ Public

If you were designing a purpose built snooker arena it might well look a lot like goffs. The one or two table set-up really helps in terms of layout and atmosphere as was noticeable in the champions event last week.

dobman88

waynescales1 wrote: »

O’Sullivan will be pleased with 5-3. Good among the balls, but long game and safety poor.

I saw him earlier in the week, but there’s a gentleman in the front row sitting maybe 8-10 feet from the table, watching the match through a pair of binoculars? Some characters up there in Belfast.

I just walked past that bloke at the entrance and he is with a minder and seems to be partially blind. That would explain the binoculars imo.

zuutroy

Arthur Daley wrote: »

The Waterfront is a great venue in my view. Not perfect like the Crucible, but not at all bad, and this tournament is bedding in over the last two years.

It would be great to have a major invitational or even a ranking event at Goffs, but I'm glad to have the option to get up to Belfast for this as well. Couldn't make it this year though, too much else on this week.

Its a joke there's no big tournament here. Unfortunately NI happens during my busiest time in work otherwise I'd be there for the week. I see they've unveiled new Masters VIP tickets that cost £900 for a day at the final. lol.

Joe_ Public

This is phenomenal snooker really, i know they're big pockets nowadays but everything is going right into heart of pocket, so clean. Even that outrageous plant. Expected him to get that last black there.

BorneTobyWilde

Ronnie is carefree, won't change his game to increase his chance to win, plays same way regardless. With a bit of safety in mind he'd do better.
Ronnie lets him in so so easily, and when in Trump can win frame with one visit

Joe_ Public

Dont think judd ever looked comfortable playing that right handed. He's not a natural two hander like ronnie, if he loses that shot could haunt him.

AllForIt

No one can clear up so nonchalantly under pressure as Ronnie can.

Pighead

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Dont think judd ever looked comfortable playing that right handed. He's not a natural two hander like ronnie, if he loses that shot could haunt him.

Yeah, he'll be absolutely sick if he doesn't win this match. It feels he's playing 10 or maybe 20% better than Ronnie but he just can't shake him off. Huge frame coming up here.

Joe_ Public

Cant shake him off is right. Great match.

waynescales1

That 135 was majestic.

dobman88

I think that's the best £30 I've ever spent. Was sitting just in front of where they made their entrance so have photos with both players. Sensational snooker. Great day out

zuutroy

The **** happened Eurosport? Sound went and they just didn't bother coming back after the break.

Joe_ Public

dobman88 wrote: »

I think that's the best £30 I've ever spent. Was sitting just in front of where they made their entrance so have photos with both players. Sensational snooker. Great day out

Stonking value for 30 quid. To see the two best players in the world go head to head like that.

Arthur Daley

Lol at Ronnie handing his medal to that lad at the front row, which the commentators said was there all week. Made yer mans week and no big deal to Ronnie.