SNOOKER: The contrasts between their performances could hardly have been more apparent, but the outcome for Stephen Hendry and John Higgins yesterday was a place in the last 16 of the €635,000 Irish Masters.
While Hendry maintained his recent revival by making two centuries on the way to beating Mark Selby 5-2, Higgins continued the battle for consistency which has characterised his season, but still emerged a 5-2 winner over Robert Milkins.
"I was pretty shocking, just didn't play well at all," remarked Higgins, the defending champion. "It was lucky for me that Robert didn't play as well as he has been doing, because at the moment I don't feel like a contender."
While the 27-year-old Scot laid plans to "have some fresh air, and maybe play a bit of golf" in an attempt to clear his head for tomorrow's match against Anthony Hamilton, Hendry looked carefree following his defeat of Selby.
After losing the opening frame to the teenager, Hendry always looked in control, compiling breaks of 125 and 108 to move within two of becoming the first player to make 600 tournament centuries. He also had two half-centuries on route to a clash with Paul Hunter tonight.
Jimmy White, twice the winner of this title during the 1980s, continued his wretched season by going down 5-1 to Chris Small of Scotland. The 40-year-old repeatedly failed to capitalise on chances as Small grew in strength. Small rounded off his victory with a break of 118.
Small used his post-match press conference to suggest crowd control at the venue was not all it should be, claiming White's supporters had attempted to distract him by coughing on his stroke and moving while he was on the table.
Ken Doherty will start his 13th bid to win his home tournament tonight, against Dave Harold of England.
IRISH MASTERS FIRST ROUND: Results: A Hamilton (Eng) beat A McManus (Sco-10) 5-2 (0-106, 74-63, 19-66, 117-0, 69-39, 58-48, 65-2); J Higgins (Sco-4) beat R Milkins (Eng) 5-2 (8-74, 86-38, 91-1, 60-33, 36-79, 58-35, 66-43); J Burnett (Sco) beat G Dott (Sco-12) 5-1 (66-32, 71-16, 75-19, 26-68, 95-1, 70-26); S Hendry (Sco-6) beat M Selby (Eng) 5-2 (6-55, 72-14, 125-8, 76-43, 125-0, 27-80, 65-38); M Stevens (Wls-8) beat D Henry (Sco) 5-2 (70-53, 21-60, 58-59, 101-0, 77-15, 87-0, 63-16); J Perry (Eng-13) beat N Dyson (Eng) 5-1 (13-75, 118-2, 100-0, 96-16, 62-53, 66-65); C Small (Sco) beat J White (Eng-10) 5-1 (75-8, 60-42, 49-57, 75-2, 67-39, 118-0)
TODAY'S PLAY: First round: 10 a.m. S Lee (Eng-7) v S Davis (Eng), M Williams (Wls-3) v R Lawler (Eng), Q Hann (Aus-14) v G Greene (NI); 2 p.m. R O'Sullivan (Eng-2) v S Bingham (Eng), P Ebdon (Eng-1) v B Morgan (Eng), J Swail (NI-16) v S Maguire (Sco); 7 p.m. K Doherty (Irl-5) v D Harold (Eng). Second round: 7 p.m. P Hunter (Eng-9) v S Hendry (Sco-6), M Stevens (Sco-8) v J Perry (Eng-13).
