China

Macguire sends Ding home

(Eurosport)
Updated: 2007-01-30 08:57

Stephen Macguire booked his place in the last 16 of the Malta Cup with an excellent 5-2 victory over Ding Junhui. Macguire meets Peter Ebdon in the next round after seeing off the challenge of the provisional world number five.

Ding knocked in a break of 68 in the first frame after the mid-session interval to bring the match to 2-3, but Macguire dominated the final two frames to progress.

In Monday's other first round match, former World Champion Mark Williams was pipped at the post by Fergal O'Brien.

Williams established a 52-point lead in the deciding frame, but Dubliner O'Brien took advantage of a miss by the Welshman to win it with a frame and match-clinching break of 55.

In another match played Monday, John Parrott beat home favourite Tony Drago 5-4 in a qualifying match held over to allow Drago to play in front of the Malta faithful.

Parrott moved in to a 4-2 lead, but Drago - cheered on by some passionate fans in the Hilton Conference Centre - roared back to take the match to a final frame.

But Parrott held his nerve to close out the win and book a place against Michael Holt in the final qualifying round to fight for the chance to face Masters champion Ronnie O'Sullivan in round one.