DENNIS TAYLOR the 1985 world champion, reached the last 16 of a ranking tournament for the second time this season when he defeated Dubliner Fergal O'Brien 5-4 in the second round of the Welsh snooker Open at Newport yesterday.
The 47 year old from Coalisland and O'Brien (23), spent 5 1/2 hours resolving a scrappy battle in which the last frame took 69 minutes to complete.
"In matches like this I always think back to that last frame when I won the World championship on the black all those years ago. It helps me to relax, there is no substitute for experience in matches like this."
Taylor's victory kept him on course for a return to the top 16.
I'm moving in the right direction and its up to me whether I make it", added Taylor, whose next opponent is the 1991 world champion, John Parrott.
Terry Murphy (24) from Derry, beat Gary Wilkinson 5-3. "I've swapped from wearing glasses to contact lenses and its made such a difference to my game. I used to be frightened of certain players; but not any more, its all down to self belief," said Murphy, who faces Ken Doherty or Mark Williams in the last 16.
A former Benson & Hedges Irish Masters champion, Terry Griffiths, who was beaten 5-2 by Tony Chappel, announced afterwards that he plans to retire from competition at the end of the season.
