Doherty fails to rise to occasion

SNOOKER: Ken Doherty made a shock exit from the Regal Masters in Glasgow last night when he was beaten 6-3 by Marco Fu in the quarter-finals.

The 23-year-old Hong Kong-born star followed up his 5-2 win over world number seven Peter Ebdon by defeating fourth seed Doherty, who was 2 to 1 on favourite to reach the semi-finals. However, apart from making a break of 90 to lead 2-1, the 1993 and 1994 champion was always struggling.

"I had to rely on Ken missing a few safety shots and I took advantage of his mistakes," said Fu.

And it was Doherty who made most of the mistakes. From 2-1 down Fu knocked in breaks of 48 and 90 to lead 3-2. Doherty levelled at 3-3 but then lost three in-a-row including the ninth frame when he carelessly squandered a frame-winning opportunity.

"I just never got motoring though it wasn't a great performance by either of us," said Doherty. "Sometimes you get days like these. You've got to try and grind out results and I just didn't do that. Marco won some good frames and good luck to him."

GOLF: John Kelly from the Ward Driving Range kept his hopes of making the second stage of the European Tour Qualifying School alive when he shot 72 at Carden Park yesterday for a three-round total of 213. He is 13 shots behind leader Nick Dougherty, who added a second successive 65 for a total of 200.

At Chart Hills, Eamon Brady shot 72 for 214 to also stay in touch with the leader Carl Richardson, who added a 68 for 208.

CANOEING: Coach Gabor Kulcsar, a former World Champion, has parted company with the Irish Canoe Union after two years. No new coach has yet been named to succeed the Hungarian.

Neil Fleming, who won the junior world marathon title in Stockton-on-Tees last month, had a less happy time at the junior world sprint championships in Brazil. A bout of sickness weakened him, but he managed to make the B finals in both the K1 500 and K1 1,000 metre events.

MOTOR SPORT: Alex Zanardi was told yesterday that he had had both legs amputated following his crash in a CART race in Germany last weekend. He was given the news by his wife Daniela after he had been brought out of his medically-induced coma.

"Alex just said I don't care as long as I have still got you and Niccolo (their young son)," said a spokesman for Zanardi's team.