Northern Ireland Open, Waterfront Belfast 16-23 October. Eurosport and Quest

Joe_ Public

Pretty cheeky of Ford to attempt to canon a long red in off the green! And still Aaron can't capitalise, looking increasingly like it's just not gonna be his night.

Muppet Man

He seems very flat at the moment. Totally different player to last night. Looking ominous :-[

Arthur Daley

Well he has one back. 3-1

Muppet Man

Well that's better! Unlucky not to get the century

Arthur Daley

Big chance there with reds scaterred around. Didn't capitalise.

Muppet Man

Christ how did that pink not drop

Joe_ Public

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119767542#Comment_119767542

I know, just couldn't believe it stayed out. Very unfortunate if that's the shot that does fot him.

Arthur Daley

Thought he should have gone up for the blue. Took a chance on getting position on the pink.

Joe_ Public

Not to be but i don't think he played that badly. Few errors alright but Ford was decent, didn't miss much and gave him no help at all. Few key shots, that pink staying out, an inch on the yellow in the opener, might have been a different match entirely such are the margins in BO7. Still a good week for him overall and hopefully drive on from it.

Muppet Man

He was unlucky in the last frame. He did himself proud though overall.

Spiderpig92

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119767589#Comment_119767589

The disappointing thing about it is despite going through two rounds and beating Judd he’s only won £4,500 for his efforts so not making massive inroads yet ranking wise. Here’s hoping he has a good run at the UK…these Home Nations events do nothing for the lower ranked player until the very latter stages…

Joe_ Public

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119768489#Comment_119768489

Not a huge amount alright but keeps coffers and ranking points ticking over all the same. Last season he was hardly winning any money at all so any wins are good. Win 4K every tournament and you'd comfortably hold your card for the rest of your career. Of course, doesn't always work out between form and the draw and i see he's got Selby first up in the English Open next month and while we know he can compete with these guys, you'd ideally wish for something easier.

I don't know how pros approach this mentally. I think just match to match really and win what you can. He's got Liam Highfield in Scots qualifiers next week, a guy who has won one out of 7 this season, so I'm thinking that has to be another decent chance for him. Beating trump is fantastic, but it's the matches against the lower ranked guys, the ones he needs to be winning consistently to be making ground, these are the ones that will show where he's really at. Just develop a winning habit, i think, and the money and points will look after themselves. Or so the theory goes anyway!

Sweet Talkin Romeo

Andy Lee shapes like a chap that just aint able/doesn't want to win

Fouldsie (earlier in this frame) : "if Mark can win this frame, then he goes favourite,,,, " ,, Fouldsy likes a punt - he knows right well that Allen would've been still a strong favourite then 🤣🤣

1/4 he was/is at the start of this frame (4) 😂 over now, and he's ~1/7 😃

couldn't resist posting soz; couldn't take all the shíttalk earlier about how if Andy Lee won, it'd be the 'biggest shock yet' 😃

Surely Ronnie would've been the shortest priced loser thus far, or maybe even Judd last night 🤣

Sweet Talkin Romeo

lovely red by Andy (very thin clip from baulk to corner pocket) - and he doesn't even attempt (lot better than 'half-chance' it was) to 'make hay' 😮 very strange; had a relatively easy green then too; plus his safety/snooker comes to naught !

I stand by my opening line above ☺️

Hon Mark!

Sweet Talkin Romeo

decider

a very good 91 break by Andy - seemingly out of nowhere - levels it up at three apiece

Might hear some noise from Allen fans here ; they've been pretty quiet so far; looks as if four of them are right behind him, in sparsely packed arena 😁

hon Mark 🙂

Sweet Talkin Romeo

Allen wins 😊

scrappy last frame; both had chances, but Lee couldn't capitalise on his last one there

Joe_ Public

Didn't really fancy Andy on that one tbh. Not confident he'd have cleared even if he potted the red. Feel for him though, still one that got away.

Joe_ Public

Higgins looking ropey again today, as he has done all week really. Bottom half of draw would look really wide open if he loses, just a shame aaron still not in it!

Joe_ Public

Delighted Rob got his win in the end and really loved his post match chat, very honest about his career long struggles with self belief and how it's held him back. Really good bloke and love to see him add to last seasons silverware.

Sweet Talkin Romeo

Robert must've ran out of diesel this eve 🤣

Milkman failed to deliver tonight, and was beat 4-0 by Zhou; looked a long odds on shot did Robert to win frame one comfortably, which didn't come to pass,,, race was ran after that

Arthur Daley

MARK SELBY ASKS REF 'WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING?!' IN REFERENCE TO JIMMY WHITE CONTROVERSY AT NORTHERN IRELAND OPEN

Mark Selby asks ref 'why are you laughing?!' in reference to Jimmy White controversy at Northern Ireland Open - Eurosport

Selby isn't my favourite player to watch, but sometimes he earns his Jester from Leicester nickname.

Poor old Jimmy won't live this down for some time to come😆

Joe_ Public

That was a fascinating tactical scrap. Allen in control and then one shot changes everything!

Not sure I've ever seen a player use the spider for an ordinary rest shot before, when not even hampered, but then, in the weird and wonderful world of Mark Williams, nothing ever surprises!

Sweet Talkin Romeo

missed last night; must've been good, as went down to last frame :)

Robbo deffo the man to beat - has only lost five frames out his first five matches

First Semi-Final on today starting 12.45 (going by numbers it should be Allen v Robbo - match no. 79 , McGill v Zhou Yuelong no. 80)

QUEST showing last three matches live !

hon Mark 🙂

Arthur Daley

Allen v Robertson is tonight.

Joe_ Public

Didn't see what the potting percentages were last night but I'd be shocked if they both weren't well down. Exciting, tense match but Williams in particular had left his potting shoes behind and wasn't surprised he ultimately stuck the match up when trying a very difficult red. Have to make Robbo clear favourite tonight though just have a hunch it could be tight and nervy again so anyone's game perhaps.

Not nearly enough we see McGill at the business end of these short format tournaments. Perplexing player but formidable competitor when he gets going.

Sweet Talkin Romeo

Come on Anthony !

he's due one - Angles & jimmy both fancy the Scot here

Sweet Talkin Romeo

camera angles'd keep folk guessing here 😃

cushions/felt is certainly very friendly with these new cloths

game could've just flipped on one shot there - Zhou misses virtually frame-ball red; looked not too difficult,,, looked like Zhou was a cert to go 4-2 up; just the colours now for Anthony to level at 3 apiece

Sweet Talkin Romeo

that black to green pocket cocked-hat type shot never really looked on, for me 😆

6-4 Zhou - including four centuries

Joe_ Public

If you were Zhou Yeulong, who would you want to win tonight? The guy who is defending champion and has the whole crowd roaring him on or the one you lost 0-9 to in your first ranking final two years ago. Either or i guess, just be glad to be there!

Genghis

Up at the waterfront today. Very enjoyable first match, both players had good and bad patches, Zhou was much better overall, you can't argue with 4 centuries. He seems to be missing a killing instinct, McGill used his to keep well in the match.

Arena maybe 60% full, expect it will be 100% tonight. Both Mark and Neil are favourites of mine but it's got to be Mark tonight.