World Championship Qualifiers.

zack01

This week sees the final qualifying rounds for all players outside the top 16 to try and reach the final stages at the Cruicble Theatre.
With the members round played on Thursday and Friday, Saturday saw the first round proper commence. The qualifying stages will run until next Sunday with the draw for the first round proper made next Monday.

As its only the first few days not many shocks have been made except prehaps Belgian wonderkid Luca Brecel losing in the first today to Fraser Patrick 10-6. Joe Swail has won 3 matches and is currently 5-4 up on Pankai Advani. Fergal O'Brien & Ken Doherty begin their matches on Friday & Saturday.

I'm heading over to the qualifiers myself on Friday for Ken's match, he could play Mike Dunn or Matt Selt for a place in the Cruicble.

The draw for the qualifiers can be found here.......

http://livescores.worldsnookerdata.com/RoundList/Draw/13298


Also a piece on the qualifiers from the Snooker HQ site is here........

http://snookerhq.com/2013/04/03/fins-fables-sheffield-calling/

zack01

Swail wins 10-8 and plays Adam Duffy next.

Jimmy White starts out today, he needs to win three matches to qualify for Sheffield.

Oasis_Dublin

I fear greatly for Ken's chances in his match. His form recently has dipped right back down, and he is notoriously a confidence player. Would he retire if he didn't qualify, to concentrate on his other ventures?

zack01

Personally i feel he has a great chance of qualifying for Sheffield, his form has actually been quite good recently bar the result against Walden last week in China. He recently reached the quater finals of the Welsh Open and is currently ranked number 26, thats the highest he's been for a few years now.

With the way the game will be reshaped next season with only 128 players on tne tour i doubt we'll see him retire too soon either.

Oasis_Dublin

zack01 wrote: »

Personally i feel he has a great chance of qualifying for Sheffield, his form has actually been quite good recently bar the result against Walden last week in China. He recently reached the quater finals of the Welsh Open and is currently ranked number 26, thats the highest he's been for a few years now.

With the way the game will be reshaped next season with only 128 players on tne tour i doubt we'll see him retire too soon either.

He lost to Bingham in Wales, and other than the second frame (or possibly the 1st, I'm open to correction), in which he knocked in an 80 odd break, he was poor in that match. He missed numerous chances, and definitely should have brought it to a decider, at least.

He beat John Higgins, which seemed to be a great result at the time, but seems less so in light of Higgins' recent poor form. He lost to the lowest ranked player in Galway, and then the result you mentioned. As such, I fear Ken's form from December and January is gone.

I really hope I'm wrong though. It would be great to see Ken and Fergal in the finals. Remember the glory days of Ken, Fergal, Michael Judge, Swail, Wallace and Gerard Greene qualifying for the same World Championships.

Maybe the most disappointing part of the whole piece is that Davey Morris did not become the player that many people thought he would. We are depending on two players in their 40s to carry the flag for Irish snooker. Not surprising, given how many clubs have closed down over the last decade, but still hugely disappointing.

zack01

Oasis_Dublin wrote: »

He lost to Bingham in Wales, and other than the second frame (or possibly the 1st, I'm open to correction), in which he knocked in an 80 odd break, he was poor in that match. He missed numerous chances, and definitely should have brought it to a decider, at least.

He beat John Higgins, which seemed to be a great result at the time, but seems less so in light of Higgins' recent poor form. He lost to the lowest ranked player in Galway, and then the result you mentioned. As such, I fear Ken's form from December and January is gone.

I really hope I'm wrong though. It would be great to see Ken and Fergal in the finals. Remember the glory days of Ken, Fergal, Michael Judge, Swail, Wallace and Gerard Greene qualifying for the same World Championships.

Maybe the most disappointing part of the whole piece is that Davey Morris did not become the player that many people thought he would. We are depending on two players in their 40s to carry the flag for Irish snooker. Not surprising, given how many clubs have closed down over the last decade, but still hugely disappointing.

I was speaking to several ex Irish pros recently such as Michael Judge, Joe Delaney and Davy Morris. They estimate it costs in the region of £32K to travel and play on the tour each season, unless your earning it really isn't worth your while playing as far as they were concerned. A big pity as I agree with you 100% that Davy Morris is a fantastic player.

Spiderpig92

To be fair to Ken, in Galway, although Maflin was the lowest ranked players, he is one of the most talented on tour, it hasnt happened for him yet but having seen him live in Galway i can say that Kurt is top 16 material, it was no shame in Ken losing. If you remember Ken started with a tonne but Maflin simply outplayed him after that. I think Ken has a very favourable draw actually!! With regards to Davey Morris, you have to remember how close he came to making the crucible last year, losing in the final qualifier to Hawkins who turned into one of the players of the year. Morris has played in front of the TV before too so i wouldnt write him off making a return if all goes well. I know that things havent gone his way results wise on the Irish circuit but he's still probably the most talented player in the country, so he can easily bounce back.
Also well done to the legend, the Whirlwind, Jimmy White on winning his first qualifier today!!

cherryghost

Sorry, but I don't agree n Maflin. He's a terrible player. He stumbled his way through the rounds against players off form and he was almost unbearable to watch.

Spiderpig92

Maflin is easily one of the best breakbuilders in the game with a solid cue action, could see him beating Davis and Ebdon

zack01

Spiderpig92 wrote: »

Maflin is easily one of the best breakbuilders in the game with a solid cue action, could see him beating Davis and Ebdon

I wouldn't say he's one of the best break builders in the game but I certainly give him every chance beating Davis anyway.

Nice to see James Wattana winning also.

zack01

Joe Swail wins again beating Adam Duffy 10-6, he plays Mark Joyce next with the winner playing Michael Holt for a place at the Cruicble.

Glenman

All the legends are doing well, Swail, Wattana, Drago, White & McManus and with Davis and Doherty to come...it would be great to see a few of the above mentioned players at the crucible!

Oasis_Dublin

The Selt match seems to be a bit scrappy so far. Jimmy has made a good start in his match (I really hope I'm not jinxing it!).

It would be great if Morris could find some form and move back up the rankings. The tour is bigger next year, isn't it? I mean more players. So he should have a better chance. Does anyone know how he makes a living outside of snooker?

zack01

Oasis_Dublin wrote: »

The Selt match seems to be a bit scrappy so far. Jimmy has made a good start in his match (I really hope I'm not jinxing it!).

It would be great if Morris could find some form and move back up the rankings. The tour is bigger next year, isn't it? I mean more players. So he should have a better chance. Does anyone know how he makes a living outside of snooker?

Davy will have to rejoin the tour via the Q School if he wants to compete next season, he can however enter the PTC events as an amateur and try and regain his tour card that way, Joe Swail rejoins the main tour next season courtesy of his performance in the PTC events.

Spiderpig92

Jack Lisowski and Jimmy White make great starts, 4 and 3-0 up respectively

Glenman

Davis 5-4 down and White 6-3 up at the intervals so things not going too bad for the legends!

Oasis_Dublin

Great clearance from Tony Drago to go 2-1. He took on some very tricky shots and knocked them in without a thought. Would like to see him qualify.

As an aside, what's up with Jimmy White's head. He seems to have had new hair stitched in! Tony Drago's hair has been died very badly also :cool:

donfers

Fob will do well to beat Lisowski, can't see it myself


ken against selt will be close, my money would be selt to edge it

zack01

White 9-4 up Davis 7-6 Down

zack01

cherryghost wrote: »

Sorry, but I don't agree n Maflin. He's a terrible player. He stumbled his way through the rounds against players off form and he was almost unbearable to watch.

He didn't look too bad tonight Cherryghost !!

Spiderpig92

Maflin lads, ye heard it here first!!!

Spiderpig92

Alfie Burden doing well, 5-3 up currently, would like to see him do well, one of the best players to watch when in full flow, also a bit of an irish connection, former UK champion Patsy Fagan coached Alfie when he won the world ameteurs in 09

StephenHendry

great win for jimmy , he faces robert milkins now in r4 , it would be a great story together with ronnie returning to defend the wc if jimmy were to qualify

Oasis_Dublin

Drago nearly nicked the last frame but missed a nearly straight pink off its spot. He was visibly annoyed at himself and lost the ensuing safety battle before Gilbert cleard up. It's now a best of 6, but it'll surely be difficult for Drago to recover mentally from such a terrible mistake.

zack01

StephenHendry wrote: »

great win for jimmy , he faces robert milkins now in r4 , it would be a great story together with ronnie returning to defend the wc if jimmy were to qualify

Both sponsored by the same vodka company too, they'll be happy sponsors !!

zack01

All over for Swail losing 10-7 to Mark Joyce, a great run by the Outlaw all the same.

Oasis_Dublin

So then folks, the big ones begin later today. Who thinks King Ken and (Queen) Fergal can get to the Crucible?

zack01

Oasis_Dublin wrote: »

So then folks, the big ones begin later today. Who thinks King Ken and (Queen) Fergal can get to the Crucible?

No play today, it's a rest day for the qualifiers as the tables are recovered for the weekends final round. Fergal plays tomorrow morn & tomorrow eve whilst Ken plays tomorrow afternoon & Sunday afternoon.

Oasis_Dublin

Right you are. Bookies have Ken as a slight favourite in his match, while Fergal is not.

What about the other interesting matches? White against Milkins? The greatest young (ie 29 year old) player in the history of the game, Kurt Maflin against former champion Peter Ebdon?

zack01

Oasis_Dublin wrote: »

Right you are. Bookies have Ken as a slight favourite in his match, while Fergal is not.

What about the other interesting matches? White against Milkins? The greatest young (ie 29 year old) player in the history of the game, Kurt Maflin against former champion Peter Ebdon?

The bookies may just have that right, Selt has shown a lack of bottle in some of his recent big matches whilst bottle has never been a problem with Ken. He's had a decent season and qualifying for the Cruicble would just round it off nicely for Ken.

Regarding Fergal, i'm as patriotic as the next Irishman out there but i really hope Lisowski qualifies, he's another up and coming name and would be a great addition to the final line up.

White against Milkins is all about the start Jimmy makes, Milkins has had a good season and is a strong front runner, i do hope Jimmy wins but if i was having a punt i'd go Milkins.

Another player i'd love to see qualyfying is Liam Highfield, he's an exciting prospect, he plays Marcus Campbell another tough nut who knows how to grind out results.

I fancy Ebdon to beat Maflin but only just, I'd go 10-8.
In fact the majority of the w'ends games will no doubt go to the wire, there's a lot at stake and everyone wants to be in that draw on Monday.

I'm heading over to Sheffield tomorrow morning for Kens match, and if it's anything like last years 10-9 win over Anthony Hamilton i would'nt expect my fingernails to last long !

Oasis_Dublin

I'd love to head over to Sheffield eventually. Enjoy it!

I'd love to see Jimmy get in, nearly as much as Ken. As I said before, I have a slightly bad feeling for Ken. He trajectory, in terms of form, is definitely downwards. Hopefully, if he does get to the finals, he gets a nice draw than his last three!