KILDARE's Joe Canny won his seventh successive group match at the World amateur snooker championship in New Zealand yesterday and is now virtually certain of a place in the last 16 of the tournament.
His 4-2 victory over local player Dave Withehira means Canny and defending champion, Sakchai Sim Ngam, of Thailand, are the only players in their group with a 100 per cent record. The pair meet today with the winner likely to finish top of the group at the end of the qualifying stages on Tuesday.
Carlow's Billy O'Neill, who cannot now reach the last 16, beat Marlon Manola, of the Philippines, 4-3 yesterday. In the same group Thailand's Anan Teranonon collected a cheque for $15,000 after a 147 break in his match against Paul Morgan of England.