Northern Ireland Open snooker 2020 LIVE – Ronnie O'Sullivan gets campaign underway

ByEurosport

Updated 16/11/2020 at 22:48 GMT

Northern Ireland Open 2020 LIVE - World champion Ronnie O'Sullivan and defending champion Judd Trump are both in action on day one of the Home Nations event, live on Eurosport between 16-22 November in Milton Keynes. Trump is bidding for a third straight victory at the tournament, having narrowly defeated O'Sullivan 9-7 in the final in 2018 and 2019 at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast.

Ronnie O'Sullivan and Judd Trump.

Image credit: Eurosport

Join us again tomorrow

That concludes our live coverage of the first day of the Northern Ireland Open. We'll be back just after lunch tomorrow for more first round coverage from the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes. Night all!

Around the tables

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Aaron Hill 3-4 Jackson Page

Jack Lisowski 1-4 Ashley Carty

Kurt Maflin 4-1 Fraser Patrick

Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-1 Jamie O’Neill

Brandon Sargeant 2-4 Louis Heathcote

Mark Davis 2-0 Ian Burns

Stephen Maguire 4-2 Alex Borg

Shaun Murphy 0-4 Ryan Day

Matthew Selt 0-3 Joe O’Connor

Stephen Maguire is through to the Second Round

It was a spirited comeback by Borg from three frames behind, but a swift gear change by Maguire in the final frame got him over the line and into the last 64.

Stephen Maguire 4-2 Alex Borg

Maguire takes his break to 84 before going in-off in the right middle when trying to get on the final red. No matter; he's won frame and match!

Stephen Maguire 3-2 Alex Borg (53-1)

On 34 Maguire goes into the pack of reds off the blue. It’s not a great split, but it leaves him a thin cut on a red to the bottom left, which he nicks home, followed by a brown to the left middle to come back down the table. He completes his half century, and there are enough in the open to put this match to bed.

Stephen Maguire 3-2 Alex Borg (14-1)

Borg strokes in a long red across the table to start the sixth frame, but then overcuts a black to the bottom left pocket. Maguire steps in to cut in a thin red down the rail and into the bottom right by way of return, landing perfectly on the blue as he does so. There are five open reds and blue, pink and black are available; this is a good chance.

Stephen Maguire 3-2 Alex Borg

Maguire misses a red to the bottom right that’s just off-straight, and he leaves it near the pocket for Borg. He makes a quick 20 that leaves Maguire needing snookers, before turning it into 31 to take the frame and reduce Maguire’s lead to 3-2.

Stephen Maguire 3-1 Alex Borg (14-40)

Borg can only make eight before running out of position and having to play safe. Soon after Borg misses a wild red to the bottom right by a distance, and leaves Maguire an easy red to right middle to get going. He can only make seven however before missing a red to the green pocket. It's an awkward table now, with three of the remaining five reds close to cushions.

Stephen Maguire 3-1 Alex Borg (7-32)

Maguire has just missed a long red and scattered the pack everywhere as a result; Borg now has the chance to step in and reduce his arrears to 3-2.

We're switching

For the remainder of the evening we'll take you through the conclusion of the match between Stephen Maguire and Alex Borg. Maguire currently leads 3-1.

Around the tables

Aaron Hill 3-3 Jackson Page

Jack Lisowski 1-4 Ashley Carty

Kurt Maflin 4-1 Fraser Patrick

Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-1 Jamie O’Neill

Brandon Sargeant 2-4 Louis Heathcote

Mark Davis 0-0 Ian Burns

Stephen Maguire 3-0 Alex Borg

Shaun Murphy 0-4 Ryan Day

Matthew Selt 0-2 Joe O’Connor

Ryan Day is through to the Second Round

What a fluctuating sport this is. A few days ago Shaun Murphy made a 147 in the qualifiers, tonight he was thrashed by Ryan Day who overwhelmed him with breaks of 84, 107 and 79 in the opening three frames.

Shaun Murphy 0-4 Ryan Day

Day clears the final two reds and the colours up to the pink, and that's enough to whitewash Murphy.

Shaun Murphy 0-3 Ryan Day (52-39)

Murphy gets to 43 but after appearing to play the shot that might win the frame, bringing the last awkward red off the side cushion, he then misses as slow red to the left middle off the knuckle. He's also left it on for Day, who can win the match here.

Shaun Murphy 0-3 Ryan Day (29-39)

A let off for Murphy here, as Day can only make 28 before missing a difficult plant to the bottom right. The reds were far apart, and not in line with the pocket; that was poor shot selection from Day, who had a red to the bottom left with the rest as another option. Murphy, who needs to get going here if he's going to at all, picks off a loose red and starts to piece together what could be his first meaningful break of the match.

Shaun Murphy 0-3 Ryan Day (9-20)

After a long safety exchange Murphy blinks first, catching a red on his way back up the table and leaving Day a straight one to the right middle. The match is right here for him, and he quickly goes to the baulk area to pot the black and get it back on its spot. Murphy is in serious trouble here.

Shaun Murphy 0-3 Ryan Day (9-11)

Murphy gets a red down but nothing more. Both players then suddenly lose their safety game, trading four point fouls, and we're bogged down all of a sudden. That should suit Murphy, as it might knock Day out of rhythm.

Shaun Murphy 0-3 Ryan Day (0-7)

A poor break from Murphy leaves Day a red to the right middle. Day strokes it in to land perfectly on the blue, and he's off to the races again; he then misses an off-straight black off its spot though, and Murphy is in. Can he claw his way back into the match here?

Shaun Murphy 0-3 Ryan Day

A break of 79 gives Day a three frame lead. Murphy has done very little wrong here, other than miss a couple of pots; Day has simply blasted him off the table in return.

Shaun Murphy 0-2 Ryan Day (1-54)

You know what? He might well do it. This is brilliant stuff from Day, who has managed to get the pink spotted on the black spot and is manufacturing a handy break around it. He's sorted out another half century here, and he's zoning in on a three frame lead.

Shaun Murphy 0-2 Ryan Day (1-14)

After a scrappy start to the third frame Day eventually gets the first real chance, and glides in a nice thin cut on the yellow to secure position in the bottom half of the table. The black is tight to the bottom cushion and the pink doesn't appear to go to the corners, so he'll do incredibly well to secure another frame in one visit from this.

Around the tables

Aaron Hill 3-1 Jackson Page

Jack Lisowski 1-4 Ashley Carty

Kurt Maflin 4-1 Fraser Patrick

Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-1 Jamie O’Neill

Brandon Sargeant 2-3 Louis Heathcote

Mark Davis v Ian Burns (delayed)

Stephen Maguire 0-0 Alex Borg

Shaun Murphy 0-2 Ryan Day

Matthew Selt v Joe O’Connor (delayed)

Shaun Murphy 0-2 Ryan Day

It's a century for Day, who clears up for a 107. Murphy needs to get his hand on the table and his cue arm going quickly here, or he'll be back in the hotel in time for the ten o'clock news.

Shaun Murphy 0-1 Ryan Day (25-69)

Day moves to 69 and Murphy is at the snookers required stage. This is a very impressive start.

Shaun Murphy 0-1 Ryan Day (25-25)

This is a poor shot from Murphy, who cues across a mid-range blue and misses it to the bottom right. That leaves Day in, who doesn't look in the mood to go home wondering tonight. He goes into the pack off one red to fashion a nice split, and he soon draws level on points in this frame.

Shaun Murphy 0-1 Ryan Day (16-0)

Murphy misses a mid-range red to the bottom right at the start of the second frame, but Day can't take advantage; cueing across the table, Day rattles a red in the jaws of the bottom left and leaves Murphy in.

Shaun Murphy 0-1 Ryan Day

A break of 84 secures the first frame for Day.

Shaun Murphy 0-0 Ryan Day (0-64)

A superb shot on the blue by Day sees the white stun gently into the pack and free a couple of reds. A few shots later he affects a near perfect split on the remaining reds in the pack, and this frame is at his mercy now. This is a great start by Day, who is up to 60 and counting.

Shaun Murphy 0-0 Ryan Day (0-26)

Murphy has a go at long red, which rattles in the jaws of the bottom left and then leaps off the table. That's four to Day, who also gets the bonus of an easy starter and plenty of loose reds beyond that.

Next up

We'll now switch to covering Shaun Murphy versus Ryan Day, who are just about to enter the arena.

Around the tables

Aaron Hill 3-0 Jackson Page

Jack Lisowski 1-2 Ashley Carty

Kurt Maflin 2-1 Fraser Patrick

Ronnie O’Sullivan 4-1 Jamie O’Neill

Brandon Sargeant 2-1 Louis Heathcote

Mark Davis v Ian Burns (8pm)

Stephen Maguire v Alex Borg (8pm)

Shaun Murphy v Ryan Day (8pm)

Matthew Selt v Joe O’Connor (8pm)

Ronnie O'Sullivan is into the second round

That was an emphatic way to secure victory, and Ronnie O'Sullivan advances into the last 64 in Milton Keynes.

Ronnie O'Sullivan 4-1 Jamie O'Neill

O'Sullivan completes his third century of the season, clearing the lot for a break of 125.

Ronnie O'Sullivan 3-1 Jamie O'Neill (52-0)

Aggressive stuff from O'Sullivan, who clearly wants this sorted in the next five minutes. A series of attacking positional shots develop reds at a rapid pace, and he's up to a half century already. This looks done.

Ronnie O'Sullivan 3-1 Jamie O'Neill (18-0)

O'Neill is up against it now. He goes full-blooded at a red to the bottom left, in the knowledge that he'll leave O'Sullivan in if he misses. He does miss, and O'Sullivan is indeed in; he clips in a thin cut on a red to the bottom right from mid-table, and he's away here. It's not the easiest of tables though; the black is surrounded by reds and won't pot, while the pink is in an awkward position on the right of the table.

Ronnie O'Sullivan 3-1 Jamie O'Neill

O'Sullivan adds 22, and that's enough to secure the frame and leave him one away from victory.

Ronnie O'Sullivan 2-1 Jamie O'Neill (57-0)

The break ends on 57 after too many looses shots catch up with O'Sullivan and he leaves himself without a pot on a red. O'Sullivan plays safe, from which a disastrous return safety by O'Neill leaves Ronnie with an easy starter to the left middle. That should be curtains for this frame.

Ronnie O'Sullivan 2-1 Jamie O'Neill (36-0)

O'Sullivan's long game is off tonight, and he misses a long, deadweight red to the bottom left. O'Neill can't drain a long red to the green pocket in return though, and that leaves O'Sullivan in; a beautifully timed red to the bottom right develops two others as he lands perfectly on the black. It's a nice table, and there are a lot of points on here. O'Sullivan is up to 36 in no time, and this is looking ominous.

Around the tables

Aaron Hill 2-0 Jackson Page

Jack Lisowski 1-1 Ashley Carty

Kurt Maflin 2-0 Fraser Patrick

Ronnie O’Sullivan 2-1 Jamie O’Neill

Brandon Sargeant v Louis Heathcote (8pm)

Mark Davis v Ian Burns (8pm)

Stephen Maguire v Alex Borg (8pm)

Shaun Murphy v Ryan Day (8pm)

Ronnie O'Sullivan 2-1 Jamie O'Neill

After potting the brown O'Sullivan has a couple of attempts at landing a snooker, before O'Neill clips in the blue to take the frame and get himself on the board.

Ronnie O'Sullivan 2-0 Jamie O'Neill (48-73)

O'Sullivan does get in next, and oh boy does he make O'Neill pay; he takes the five reds all with blacks, including a spectacular shot to take the white in and out of baulk off the black to leave himself perfect on the next red. Yet just as O'Sullivan looks certain to claim a spectacular steal, he goes in-off on the green! What a reprieve for O'Neill, who stuns in the green and O'Sullivan now needs snookers.

Ronnie O'Sullivan 2-0 Jamie O'Neill (6-66)

O'Neill misses a red with the rest, which he really should have stroked in. There are five reds left on the table so there's still 67 available here if O'Sullivan can get in next.

Ronnie O'Sullivan 2-0 Jamie O'Neill (6-50)

That's a half century for O'Neill, who suddenly looks transformed. There's a nice spread of the seven remaining reds, so he should mop up the frame from here.

Ronnie O'Sullivan 2-0 Jamie O'Neill (6-22)

After a prolonged safety exchange O'Sullivan, hampered by the green, drains a lovely long red into the bottom right. He can only add a blue though before running out of position and playing safe. O'Neill then responds with a superb long red of his own, and gets position on the right side of the blue. He's flowing now, and this is a chance to get back into the match.

Ronnie O'Sullivan 2-0 Jamie O'Neill

This one's over as O'Sullivan drains a long red and adds 19 in total to take the second frame.

Ronnie O'Sullivan 1-0 Jamie O'Neill (57-0)

O'Sullivan gets the better of a safety exchange, forcing a mistake from O'Neill who leaves him a red to the left middle from the bottom cushion. In the blink of an eye O'Sullivan gets to 40, but will need two of the five remaining reds which are a bit awkward. He pots one, but can't land on the second; it's end of break on 47 but O'Sullivan lands O'Neill in a full ball snooker behind the yellow as his parting shot.

Ronnie O'Sullivan 1-0 Jamie O'Neill (9-0)

The first chance of the second frame falls to O'Sullivan, as O'Neill tries to play safe off the pack and drop in behind the black, but leaves the white too far from the bottom cushion and with a red on to the right middle. O'Sullivan can only make nine though before losing position on the black and playing safe.

Ronnie O'Sullivan 1-0 Jamie O'Neill

O'Sullivan dispatches a half century which takes him past the winning post in this frame. He ultimately makes 60 before missing a double on a red, and O'Neill concedes.

Ronnie O'Sullivan 0-0 Jamie O'Neill (24-30)

O'Neill puts 30 together, but loses control of the white when stunning into the pack off the blue, leaving himself marooned on the bottom cushion. He tries an ambitious thin cut to the left middle but rolls the red out off the knuckles, and leaves it for Ronnie into the same pocket. This is a gift chance for the world champion.

Ronnie O'Sullivan 0-0 Jamie O'Neill (24-0)

The boys are baized, and we're underway. O'Sullivan immediately draws ten points in fouls after trapping O'Neill behind he green for a full ball snooker. Ronnie then misses a long red to the bottom right, but O'Neill then fails to cut the offending ball into the same pocket. That's gifted O'Sullivan an easy starter, and he's away; he can only make 14 though, inclusive of a stunning blue to the green pocket, and he's left O'Neill in.

Who's your money on?

Well probably on O'Sullivan, given that he's the world champion and Jamie O'Neill is the world number 82. This is best of seven though, a format in which O'Sullivan has suffered a couple of upsets so far in Milton Keynes this season. He'll be jonesing to win the Northern Ireland Open though; the Rocket has lost the last two finals in the tournament to Judd Trump.

Ronnie talks

He's in a philosophical mood in his interview with Alan McManus. Yes, he's missing the variety of venues that the tour normally offers, and the crowds; but, like we all must, he accepts that this is what this is and he's thankful to be able to play.

Here's your full evening menu

Aaron Hill v Jackson Page

Jack Lisowski v Ashley Carty

Kurt Maflin v Fraser Patrick

Ronnie O’Sullivan v Jamie O’Neill

Brandon Sargeant v Louis Heathcote (8pm)

Mark Davis v Ian Burns (8pm)

Stephen Maguire v Alex Borg (8pm)

Shaun Murphy v Ryan Day (8pm)

Evening session begins

Greetings everyone, welcome back to live coverage of the Northern Ireland Open.

The headline act tonight is Ronnie O'Sullivan getting his campaign underway.

The afternoon session is in the books

Join us in half an hour, 6t.45pm GMT, for O'Sullivan-O'Neill and Murphy-Day. That second one, especially, should be a belter.

Brecel speaks

He says the table was quite heavy, and because he knew Filipiak wasn't going to punish him, his level dropped. He plays better against the top players, he reckons, and struggles against those lower-ranked. In practice, he's playing the best he's ever played and feels he can win any tournament, but needs to develop "winning confidence". He says Lawler is slow but attacking and is expecting a tough game.

Around the tables

Doherty 4-1 Wakelin (finished)

Zhou 4-0 White (finished)

Brecel beats Filipiak 4-0

Brecel administers a whitewash without registering a fifty break - his highest was 47 - which tells you all you need to know. He plays Rod Lawler next.

SCENE-SETTER

Ronnie O'Sullivan gets his campaign for a first Northern Ireland title underway against world number 82 Jamie O'Neill in the first round on Monday 16 November at 7pm LIVE on Eurosport.

The world champion has lost the past two finals at the event 9-7, on both occasions to world number one Judd Trump, who is hoping to lift the Alex Higgins trophy for a third straight year.

Trump – winner of the English Open last month – begins his bid against Ireland's world number 74 Gerard Greene at 1pm on Monday with that encounter live on Eurosport.

The best of the first-round action sees 2005 world champion Shaun Murphy meet two-times ranking event winner Ryan Day at 7pm on Monday.

Both men have hit two of the three 147s made so far this season with four-times world champion John Higgins celebrating the other maximum at the recent Championship League.

The 2017 champion Mark Williams faces fellow Welshman Jamie Jones on the opening afternoon.

Champion of Champions winner Mark Allen meets Anthony Hamilton in his tournament opener on Tuesday evening as the Antrim man bids to claim his home tournament for the first time, while European Masters winner Mark Selby takes on Andrew Higginson.

All matches are played over the best-of-seven frames until the quarter-finals, which increases to the best-of-nine.

The semi-finals are contested over the best-of-11 frames, with the best-of-17 frames final on Sunday 22 November.

Due to the global health pandemic, all remaining World Snooker Tour events in 2020 – including the German Masters qualifiers, UK Championship, Scottish Open and World Grand Prix – will continue to be staged behind closed doors at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes.