2021 Scottish Open, Llandudno

Joe_ Public

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118290075#Comment_118290075

That's true. Though I know that Ken has been working pretty hard over in the academy in Sheffield, so he does seem determined anyway. I think he still retains this dream of one last hurrah at the crucible and maybe call it a day after that. Not getting any easier by the year though!

Glenman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118290127#Comment_118290127

Yes, that's Hendry's dream too but very hard to see either of them making it.

Sandor Clegane

"that's a little slow towards that pocket" says Joe Johnson...the pace of that shot was never in question, sometimes I think he's watching a different match with some of the comments he makes.

Good win for John against a poor Noppon today..

Not a bad convo after the match, and John and Angles were on about their trip to Fred Davis' house..

Alan then segues into the topic du jour of getting paid nothing for round 1 losers, and John sort of stumbles over his words, and I couldn't really hear his opinion on it; apropos of nothing however, I reckon the main point he wanted to make was to go on a rant about what Ronnie said (he wouldn't encourage kids to play snooker nowadays basically) yesterday; which he duly does, and says: "It was disgraceful what he (Ronnie) said.. if my dad had heard Steve Davis/Jimmy say that when I was a kid paying to go to the snooker club etc" That was basically what John said; meaning if one of the big names had said that back in the day, that he wouldn't be where he was..

A controversial one.. I'd agree with Ronnie on it, and I wouldn't be surprised if John was told to say what he did...

Joe_ Public

I remember robbo saying a few years ago that a lot of players would be better off "flipping burgers" for a living. I'd say he regretted those comments tbh.

Joe_ Public

Excellent first frame from Fergal. Picking up from where he left off last night. Hitting the ball sweet as a nut.

Joe_ Public

Unlucky there to canon green in and concede free ball. 1-1.

Joe_ Public

Back in front. Couple of loose ones at the start of the frame but took his chance well when he got it.

eric hoone

Great clearance by lian wenbo, edges ahead.

Sandor Clegane

Lian giving a good account of himself so far, still could go either way.

Joe_ Public

Fergal on the brink again. Just like last night, a Wilson is giving up chances and he is gleefully seizing them.

Joe_ Public

Jaysus, Wilson needed 5 snookers this frame, he's now got 4 of them!

Joe_ Public

All over, in the end Wilson rather unluckily snookered himself and that was that. Good dominant display from Fergal overall and into last 16. The only downside is there are no more Wilsons left in the draw to play.

Glenman

A great win for Fergal. He is playing well and almost 50. Has he ever dropped off the tour? Does he secure his place every year by staying inside the top 64?

Joe_ Public

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118293204#Comment_118293204

Fergal has been a constant on the tour since he first turned pro in 1991. Only Nigel Bond has been on longer, excluding those given wild cards. Because last season was complicated owing to the pandemic, he did end up technically getting a wild card, but he would have kept his place on the one year list anyway so I wouldn't count that. He looks good to keep his card for next season too.

This is first time in nearly 3 years he's reached last 16 and it's nearly 5 since he's been in a qf so a lot still to play for. Cueing well enough anyway.

Joe_ Public

Past midnight and still 4 matches ongoing. Looks like around 15 spectators left in the arena. Proper hardcore.

Joe_ Public

Brecel edges a tight encounter with Pang Junxu and so will face Fergal in the last 16 on Friday. Brecel will obviously start a warm favourite given his exploits in York last week, but I give Fergal a fighting chance at least.

Edit: playing tonight 7pm, not tomorrow as stated.

Muppet Man

With the way fergal is playing I would give him a good chance against brecel. Let's not forget he's already done a number on kyren.

Jamie Jones looks well seasoned for 33 😊... He's only made one break over 50 in his 4-3 win over Sam Craigie.. Hard to look past Ron here..

Nice century (131 total clearance) from Jamie - to bring his tally to 4 this season, and to level the scores at 1 apiece..

Joe_ Public

Fergal did very well to win that second frame against Brecel, very cagey but edged it with a good pink and black. Long potting radar been seriously off but he's level so happy enough.

eric hoone

Ronnie has turned this around very quickly 3-2

Joe_ Public

Fergal missed black off the spot, just can't be doing that lads! Uphill battle now and Brecel has been giving up chances.

eric hoone

Decider!

Some inspired play by Jamie here - deserves a chance to beat Ronnie in decider..

JJ definitely needs glasses.. Red looked on to me, from a poor camera angle, but Joe were wondering,, Anyway, great chance now for Ron.. Still has a slight lead, has Jamie though, and there's a safeish red.. No shorter than evens I'd say for Ronnie to win in this visit..

Some black! Ronnie well ahead - looks like curtains, with Jamie needing 3 snookers on colours...

eric hoone

Selby match sounds good...

Joe_ Public

Jones 96% pot success, 100% on long pots. Will surely be feeling that's one that got away. Think he might be capable of a ranking win some day alright, agree with Ron on that.

Disappointed for Fergal. Just wasn't really there tonight, way it goes in this game as he well knows. Still, a good solid week for him and if he maintains that kind of form, his tour place will be in little danger.

Wanted Jamie to win there, but alas... Ron very generous in interview saying Jamie played better than him, and he reckons Jamie's good enough to win a big one sooner or later.. Ronnie was saying how he's very focussed nowadays, and how he was playing exhibitions the last three or four years, and not really very professional; but that's all stopped since covid.. "If I don't do well this week.. if I don't do well next week, there's always Sheffield" 😂

Mon Dave! Beat Trump

Strange shot from David - unless he intended to go for the red directly/in-off the other red - , I figured he'd go for plant..

Dave's noggin must be scrambled.. putting Judd back in with a potable red, that he didn't think was on.... anyway, another chance - surely he has to win this frame, as he's had the best of it, and no small amount of luck too..

GET THE MAX DAVE.....!!!!

Sandor Clegane

Selby out and Judd under extreme pressure, Gilbert blitzing him here, had a bit of luck to be sure but he's taking these extremely well.

All the reds on the left of table.. great chance for Dave, but will need excellent cueball control to amass a framewinning break from here... and he's missed! Reds are Trump's problem now....

Trump's red a contender, if there's a 'Shot of the Championship'

Sandor Clegane

This is a genuine case of bottling it, he's had so many chances and flukes to help him get over the line, he just can't do it it seems.

Strumms

This is mad, so many errors by Gilbert, terrible shots. As usual trump gets luck on his side... some talent but he gets ridiculous luck at times.

AWWWWHHH! COME ON DAVE! - WHAT??? That was giftwrapped.. bottled it perhaps 😓

Dave opened all the reds up - looking better for him now,,, has more than a squeak now..

Dave winning the safety exchange, but will he get a chance (and take it) .... He has one now!

Dave getting loads of luck in this match 😊

Strumms

This is mad how did Trump miss that ??.

gilbert gets over the line...deserved, playing the better snooker just careless mistakes almost cost him.

ee, that were great entertainment 😅 Hon Dave !! A great win, and great safety exchanges (and loads of luck) developing all the balls.. Trump shouldn't have missed that (brown?) though..

edit - the green Judd missed. Great clearance on the last few colours by Dave though - esp the blue 😊

Joe_ Public

Dave's a lovely fella but it's even hard work listening to him sometimes, you can tell he needs only the flimsiest excuse to start beating himself up. And that was a really bad shot on the green which meant he ended up with a much tougher blue. Got it done anyway and happy for him cos he is a genuinely good bloke.

Arthur Daley

No complaints about long matches.

Trump is a bit off the boil in recent times. Might need to focus less on changes to be made to the game and more on what he himself got right in 2019/2020.

Joe_ Public

Judds a hard one, i find. Very stubborn and will insist on doing things his way, so no coach as far as I know, or no regular practice partners. Don't know who he goes to for advice outside of family. Last couple of seasons he was flying most of the way through, then tapered off towards the end. Maybe he could try it more the opposite way this time? I think no matter who you are it's hard going from week to week in this game these days, being mentally switched on all the time. It takes it out of you and exacts a toll.

Joe_ Public

Ye gods, what just happened there?

eric hoone

Maguire looks dangerous now, that fluke changed his prospects big time

Joe_ Public

Wasn't just one fluke though, fluke on the yellow, fluke on the green, fluke to canon the brown off the cushion and into unmissable position!

But McGill only himself to blame. Ridiculous he's even still at the table with the chances he had to close it out.