Final frame woe for Doherty

SNOOKER:Ronnie O'Sullivan won a final-frame decider to send Ken Doherty spinning out of the Masters yesterday afternoon.

The "Rocket" sank a pressure 115 break in a final-frame decider to secure a 6-5 quarter-final victory at the Wembley Arena.

But Doherty, runner-up in 1999 and 2000, missed two good chances to book his place in this year's semi-finals.

Leading 5-4, he had a bad kick on a routine red and missed another shot on a red at 5-5, one which could have presented a match-winning opportunity.

O'Sullivan, with breaks of 77, 85, 53 and 93 before his cool 115 took full advantage to guarantee himself at least £32,000 in prize-money.

The Chigwell potter did not make any comment following the win after being given special dispensation by World Snooker, the sport's governing body, not to fulfil his media commitments this week.

World Snooker said "it is not in the interests of the player, the tournament and the sport" for O'Sullivan to speak to the press this week.

An understandably disappointed Doherty reflected: "I got an horrendous kick, which cost me the match without a shadow of a doubt.

"It's horrible to get a kick at such an important stage because I was on top of the match.

"For that to happen is hard to take. It's just part and parcel of the game, but it's hard to take at the time.

"These things happen at the worst possible moment - and that was it."

Doherty, who had match breaks of 52, 42, 74, 49, 84 and 81, added: "I felt great out there.

"It was a really great match to be involved in. I think the match had everything. It had good safety, good potting and good breaks as well.

"He made a break in the last frame which was so nonchalant, especially because it was at such a pressurised time in the match."

Stephen Maguire set up a mouth-watering semi-final showdown with O'Sullivan via a convincing 6-2 victory over Australian Neil Robertson in last night's other quarter-final.

Left-hander Robertson started the better - and with a cool break of 126, he easily won the first frame of the evening.

Back came the world number nine, though - and it was one-way traffic for the next five frames.

A break of 80 levelled matters, and a 57 was enough to see the former European Open champion edge ahead for the first time in the match.

After more than 30 minutes of battling, Maguire went 3-1 ahead at the mid-session interval with breaks of 43 and then 20 to clinch the frame.

It got even better as further breaks of 59 and 75 saw Maguire put himself within one frame of victory.

Robertson reduced his arrears by winning a long-winded seventh frame, but that merely delayed the inevitable as Maguire deservedly went through with a four-frame cushion.

"That's two good wins I've had," said a delighted Maguire.

"Neil's a good friend. It was a good match - it's just a pity one of us had to get knocked out, because we both play the game well and open the game up and go for our long shots.

"If we're both on form it's good to watch for the crowd. He beat Mark Williams 6-0 in his first match, so he was hitting the ball well."

Maguire soon knew he might be in for a tough match - but he upped his game when he needed to.

"Neil's knocked in a hundred and was looking sharp," he said.