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Welsh Open

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    #2
    El_Duderino 09
    Registered Users Posts: 20,009 ✭✭✭✭El_Duderino 09


    The camera angle is crap to make room for the sponsor. and you can't even see the sponsor.

    There must be a better way to do it. A hologram maybe or just have the sponsor always on screen on the score banner.


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    #3
    zuutroy
    Registered Users Posts: 6,854 ✭✭✭zuutroy


    Ronnie needs at least a semi-final here or barring him reaching the final of the Shootout, that'll likely be the last we see of him until Sheffield. Half convinced he might be better off having the break.


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    #4
    Joe_ Public
    Registered Users Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    Ken could definitely do with winning a few quid if he's anxious to keep the card. Mark King been poor this season so its got to go down as a winnable match this evening.


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    #5
    waynescales1
    Registered Users Posts: 2,013 ✭✭✭waynescales1


    Also on BBC Wales and BBC Red Button.


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    #6
    FR01
    Registered Users Posts: 194 ✭✭FR01


    Joe_ Public wrote: »
    Ken could definitely do with winning a few quid if he's anxious to keep the card. Mark King been poor this season so its got to go down as a winnable match this evening.

    Ken flying so far - 2 up and coasting in the 3rd. Hope I haven’t put the hex on him now !!


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    #7
    waynescales1
    Registered Users Posts: 2,013 ✭✭✭waynescales1


    4-1 Ken.

    Probably playing Higgins in Round 2.


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    #8
    FR01
    Registered Users Posts: 194 ✭✭FR01


    A 147 by Wilson in the first frame of his match. Not a bad way to start !


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    #9
    weemcd
    Registered Users Posts: 6,420 ✭✭✭weemcd


    Wilson started great today, it's been a while since I've seen a 147, have there been any this year so far?

    Page is hanging in rightly at 2-2 to be fair to him.


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    #10
    Joe_ Public
    Registered Users Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    Not sure if thats No.6 or No.7 this season, tom ford & stuart bingham have had a couple each. Fair to say the £1m bonus is looking just a tad unlikely at this stage!


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    #11
    Inviere
    Registered Users Posts: 7,507 ✭✭✭Inviere


    Joe_ Public wrote: »
    Fair to say the £1m bonus is looking just a tad unlikely at this stage!

    Leyton-Orient-v-Peterborough-United-Sky-Bet-League-One-Semi-Final-Second-Leg.jpg

    Retro Computers/Consoles Repair/Restoration List



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    #12
    waynescales1
    Registered Users Posts: 2,013 ✭✭✭waynescales1


    Fergal knocked out in Round 1, beaten 3-4 by Mark Joyce.

    Started at 11:30am and finished just before 5pm? For a 7 frame match? Textbook Fergal.


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    #13
    El_Duderino 09
    Registered Users Posts: 20,009 ✭✭✭✭El_Duderino 09


    waynescales1 wrote: »
    Fergal knocked out in Round 1, beaten 3-4 by Mark Joyce.

    Started at 11:30am and finished just before 5pm? For a 7 frame match? Textbook Fergal.

    I can see why Barry hearn bullies the slow players. Nobody wants to see that. Even if it was a top quality safety battle between Ronnie and Trump it would be too long. And I've seen fergal play against Jimmy White in a qualifier in Barnsley in 2018 and it was poor. Highest break in the few frames I saw was 14.

    I saw rod lawlor in the background on TV yesterday. He's another one nobody would want to watch.

    I'm not saying they shouldn't do what they do. Just saying I can see why Barry doesn’t want them on tv. He’s trying to sell exciting snooker so keep those boys off screen.


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    #14
    Joe_ Public
    Registered Users Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    If hearn is that concerned about slow play then in my view he should talk about introducing an effective rule to tackle it rather than talking about the players themselves. I dont know if referees ever issue warnings for slow play, just i cant recall seeing it happening and that includes selby taking 6 minutes over a single shot recently. There is no onus on players to change their style just to please hearn that i can see.


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    #15
    waynescales1
    Registered Users Posts: 2,013 ✭✭✭waynescales1


    Just to clarify I wasn't making a derogatory comment about Fergal. I actually feel an odd sense of pride towards Fergal's endless patience and determination.


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    #16
    Joe_ Public
    Registered Users Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    Fergal isnt the quickest to put it mildly. I remember the story about the late Johnny Lyons of radio fame giving an update on Fergal playing Steve Davis in the irish masters. "The score stands at 3-2 to davis," he said, before adding, "that's points, not frames!"

    But i agree totally with that line about patience. Thats his game. Its not that he spends more time over shots than every other player, just that he avoids risky pots and is happy to see frames developing tactically, pink & black tied up, colours on cushions etc. Thats why i think he seems to be involved in more marathon contests than other players. Whatever, it works for him. In terms of talent, i would have him down as an overachiever.


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    #17
    El_Duderino 09
    Registered Users Posts: 20,009 ✭✭✭✭El_Duderino 09


    Joe_ Public wrote: »
    But i agree totally with that line about patience. Thats his game. Its not that he spends more time over shots than every other player, just that he avoids risky pots and is happy to see frames developing tactically, pink & black tied up, colours on cushions etc. Thats why i think he seems to be involved in more marathon contests than other players. Whatever, it works for him. In terms of talent, i would have him down as an overachiever.

    That's an OK strategy to get by as a journey man. But he'll never get to the later stages of events playing like that.

    I can Completely see why Hearn would much prefer to give a fresh young lad a tour card than have Fergal clogging up a table for 6 hours in a best of 7 match.


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    #18
    FR01
    Registered Users Posts: 194 ✭✭FR01


    Joe_ Public wrote: »
    Fergal isnt the quickest to put it mildly. I remember the story about the late Johnny Lyons of radio fame giving an update on Fergal playing Steve Davis in the irish masters. "The score stands at 3-2 to davis," he said, before adding, "that's points, not frames!"

    But i agree totally with that line about patience. Thats his game. Its not that he spends more time over shots than every other player, just that he avoids risky pots and is happy to see frames developing tactically, pink & black tied up, colours on cushions etc. Thats why i think he seems to be involved in more marathon contests than other players. Whatever, it works for him. In terms of talent, i would have him down as an overachiever.



    The fact that he won the British Open and was a Masters finalist alongside several appearances at the World Championship. Yes he’s not the most attractive of players to watch but he used what talent he had and made a decent enough career out of it.

    Look at Peter Ebdon, he didn’t exactly set the snooker world alight with numerous ranking titles but then changed his game to suit himself and not his opponents and duly won a UK and world title. Talent will only get you so far but grit and determination get you over the line.

    However the less said about Rod Lawlor the better 😀


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    #19
    Joe_ Public
    Registered Users Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    El_Duderino 09 wrote: »
    That's an OK strategy to get by as a journey man. But he'll never get to the later stages of events playing like that.

    I can Completely see why Hearn would much prefer to give a fresh young lad a tour card than have Fergal clogging up a table for 6 hours in a best of 7 match.

    I dont know tbh. Fergal is heading towards 50 at this stage, has been on tour over 25 years and done well with the talent he had. There were definitely more talented irish snooker players around the time he turned pro, just none with his attitude and work rate. If he loses his card well thats it, I'm sure he'll give a good fight for it, nothing much to do with what hearn wants i dont think.


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    #20
    Joe_ Public
    Registered Users Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    FR01 wrote: »
    The fact that he won the British Open and was a Masters finalist alongside several appearances at the World Championship. Yes he’s not the most attractive of players to watch but he used what talent he had and made a decent enough career out of it.

    Look at Peter Ebdon, he didn’t exactly set the snooker world alight with numerous ranking titles but then changed his game to suit himself and not his opponents and duly won a UK and world title. Talent will only get you so far but grit and determination get you over the line.

    However the less said about Rod Lawlor the better 😀

    Agree on all that. I liked what murphy said about fergal during one of the tournaments recently, when he explained how he was struggling despite the fact he was working hard and doing lots of practice and fergals first words were "double it". There is a lot of respect for him out there.

    I'm sure if he wasnt irish or such a great guy, i mightnt have such time for him. But there you go.


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    #21
    Joe_ Public
    Registered Users Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    Watching selby 3-1 vs Chen Zifan. The standard of this match is woeful, mcmanus on commentary is giving chen a hard time but selby hasnt been much better.


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    #22
    FR01
    Registered Users Posts: 194 ✭✭FR01


    Joe_ Public wrote: »
    Watching selby 3-1 vs Chen Zifan. The standard of this match is woeful, mcmanus on commentary is giving chen a hard time but selby hasnt been much better.

    It’s pretty grim all right, Chen looking a very average player, no surprise he’s only won 6 matches in the last two seasons !


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    #23
    Joe_ Public
    Registered Users Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    FR01 wrote: »
    It’s pretty grim all right, Chen looking a very average player, no surprise he’s only won 6 matches in the last two seasons !

    Hard for him on a tv table, but reality is he's obviously not good enough and he's far from only one at basement end of rankings. Saw a stat before UK that 12 players on tour hadnt won a match all season, not sure where it stands now. No idea how those guys make it pay.


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    #24
    Chalk McHugh
    Registered Users Posts: 3,534 ✭✭✭Chalk McHugh


    El_Duderino 09 wrote: »
    That's an OK strategy to get by as a journey man. But he'll never get to the later stages of events playing like that.

    I can Completely see why Hearn would much prefer to give a fresh young lad a tour card than have Fergal clogging up a table for 6 hours in a best of 7 match.

    Never mind getting to the latter stages of tournaments, Fergal seems to go out in the first round of 90% of tournaments. Surely he should be winning a few more matches than that every year? His brutal record in recent years is embarrassing imo. And i see Fergal around and like him as a person.


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    #25
    Chalk McHugh
    Registered Users Posts: 3,534 ✭✭✭Chalk McHugh


    Trump easing to victory against a very poor looking Billy Castle.


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    #26
    Joe_ Public
    Registered Users Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    Chalk McHugh wrote: »
    Never mind getting to the latter stages of tournaments, Fergal seems to go out in the first round of 90% of tournaments. Surely he should be winning a few more matches than that every year? His brutal record in recent years is embarrassing imo. And i see Fergal around and like him as a person.

    Well, this season - not his best it has to be said - he's played 11 tournaments and lost first round in 7 so its not quite 90%, and he wont be happy with it, but i dont see why its "embarrassing" either. Nobodys claiming he's the best pro that ever lived, keeping his card at this stage would be acceptable season and he's not far off doing that, needs one more decent result, getting to crucible would seal it if he could manage it. Dont know what expectations people have of him frankly. Should ken be embarrassed too? His results arent a whole lot better.


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    #27
    Chalk McHugh
    Registered Users Posts: 3,534 ✭✭✭Chalk McHugh


    Whats his record going out in first or second rounds over the last decade? Very high no doubt. Yes he's making a living but his results are atrocious for a long time at this stage. So many tournaments these days that you'd think he'd put a small winning run together in one of them. So many players like Anthony Hamilton and Mark King getting to and winning ranking finals in recent years. Fergal got to a Masters final decades ago so there's a good player there somewhere its just disappointing he never puts a few wins together with all the oppurtunities he has. And i doubt there's many neutrals queing up to attend his matches as the grinding, slow play is a little off putting.


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    #28
    Chalk McHugh
    Registered Users Posts: 3,534 ✭✭✭Chalk McHugh


    Joe_ Public wrote: »
    Well, this season - not his best it has to be said - he's played 11 tournaments and lost first round in 7 so its not quite 90%, and he wont be happy with it, but i dont see why its "embarrassing" either. Nobodys claiming he's the best pro that ever lived, keeping his card at this stage would be acceptable season and he's not far off doing that, needs one more decent result, getting to crucible would seal it if he could manage it. Dont know what expectations people have of him frankly. Should ken be embarrassed too? His results arent a whole lot better.

    Ken isn't there on merit. Am i right in saying he was given a wild card to make the tour along with Jimmy White? If thats the case i dont think he should be there at all.


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    #29
    waynescales1
    Registered Users Posts: 2,013 ✭✭✭waynescales1


    Cut the tour to 64 players, do away with best of 7s, problem solved.


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    #30
    Chalk McHugh
    Registered Users Posts: 3,534 ✭✭✭Chalk McHugh


    Ive no problem with the 128 on tour or whatever it is. If they can allake a living good luck to them. I dont believe in any players getting special privileges or wiild cards. Get there on merit or dont get there at all.


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    #31
    Joe_ Public
    Registered Users Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    Chalk McHugh wrote: »
    Ken isn't there on merit. Am i right in saying he was given a wild card to make the tour along with Jimmy White? If thats the case i dont think he should be there at all.

    He did get the wild card though it expired before last season so he did at least retain it this time on results. I dont like the business of them myself, as you have hearn prattling on about players having to earn their keep while at the same time handing a card out to a guy just because he's a mate.

    As for fergal, it depends how you view it. Someone mentioned journeyman above and i doubt he'd take that description as a huge insult. If you asked people involved in irish snooker in 80s/90s who was going to be next best irish player after ken, i doubt many would have put fergal in their top 5. There were many others blessed with far greater talent who never made it. I just look at his overall career in that context, he's had good times and bad but is still in there fighting to stay in the game at nearly 48. Thats more than ok in my book.


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