Ken Doherty and Fergal O’Brien win at World Snooker Championship qualifiers

Ken Doherty and Fergal O'Brien led an Irish charge towards the Crucible yesterday in Sheffield.

Former world champion Doherty (45) beat Lee Walker 10-6 in the Betfred World Championship qualifiers and now stands just one win away from reaching the final stages.

Doherty, who lifted the trophy in 1997 beating Stephen Hendry in the final, has only made it to the iconic venue as a player in three of the past six years.

And he would love to delay his involvement as a presenter and pundit with the BBC by being involved as a player and taking his place in Thursday’s draw pitting qualifiers against the top 16.

Doherty now faces England's Mark Davis, who came through against talented tour rookie Oliver Lines 10-7.

The tournament proper starts on Saturday – and world number 46 Doherty’s fellow Dubliner O’Brien, the former British Open winner, is also still very much in contention to be there.

World number 26 O'Brien beat the fast-improving Chris Wakelin of England 10-8 to move into the third and final qualifying round.

And he now plays the winner of the match between Steve Davis and Kurt Maflin to take his place alongside the elite top 16 automatically guaranteed a spot in the line-up.

Londoner Maflin, who moved to Norway a decade ago, led the six-time world champion Davis, 57, 8-1 going in to last night’s concluding session.