Day 8 World Championship Snooker Extra

Hello again, day eight of the World Championship, we're still here and

still punching. So, too, is Rory McIlroy. The oldest man in this

year's draw and the world number 54 scored that incredible victory over

the current world number two joint favourite for title Judd Trump in

the opening round and his reward is a matchup against a former world

number two, Stephen Maguire, who has taken a long time to get back into

form in the Crucible. His victory over Anthony McGill was his first

win here for five years. Their second-round match is the best of 25

frames this time, the first to 13 will be going through. Maguire took

the first frame. 35 minutes, a sign of things to come? Frame two. Ken

Doherty and Dennis Taylor I or commentators.

Excellent pot, more like it. May want to just get onto the red to the

right of the black, get it out of the way.

Just a couple of loose threads to the left of the pack. Not quite sure

what he will do to get into the pack, he does have a lot of cube

power. And those shots, his bridge hand is

quite close to the cue ball, he seems to vary it depending on the

shot. This is a key shot coming up and a

chance to see the cube power of Rory McLeod but make sure you pot the

black and let the white take care of itself.

He is a bit unlucky here. The white stopped and spun back but he hasn't

got himself onto a red. Nothing available, I don't think. A

plant up into the right corner. A little unfortunate. He is shaping

up to have a look at this red in the left-hand corner pocket. Very fine

cut back. He has to count himself unlucky not

to have a red to go on. Stephen Maguire looking at whether

anything is going to pot into this right-hand pocket.

He picked a plant out there. Very brave shot, wasn't it? A bit of

distance between those two reds and it could've gone very wrong. And

this is a tough shot. One more good pot to get himself

into good position. Referee just caught this down the centre of the

table, giving the referee some time to get behind them.

Stephen Maguire has made his mind up. He doesn't want to get bogged

down with tactical play. The first round when talk words, almost 35

minutes. -- went awkward. At the start of the opening frame, Stephen

was a very aggressive and attacking player.

He was trying to clear the pink spot area. He cleared the spot but the

red was sitting on the spot. That was a nice little cannon. He was

thinking about the black but it is still tied up somewhat.

Looking at his facial expressions, he might not beyond this red. --

might not be on this red. Looks like he will play a safety shot. Quite

unlucky there. He hasn't played the best safety

shot back in the world, that's for sure, he has left a few possible

shots for Rory McLeod. Inwardly, he is smiling at his bad misfortune.

I think that jumped as well. The red seemed to jump up and the whites

didn't come back so that must have been heavy contact. It jumped right

off. He won't be happy with that shot. He

could still cut the brown back in, but he should have landed nicely on

a colour. He is in quite a bit of trouble

here, Rory McLeod. At least five reds out in the open, it's going to

be hard. The two reds close to each cushion, the left and right crucial,

that is the one he's looking at, whether he tries to lay the cue ball

on one of those. It isn't straightforward.

Sometimes you are in a situation and there is no shot available to you. I

can't see any shot available to Rory here. No easy path to land on one of

the reds either side of the table but even if you did that, you'd

leave a pot on. Sometimes, when you're in a situation like this, you

have to hit and hope you hit it safe.

He's going to try to hit one of the reds to the right of the black,

maybe. Yeah, no way I could see him getting

out of that fairly difficult situation.

He's just having a quick glance at the scores.

The problem is he hasn't got the cue ball out. OK, he is on the blue,

but... Going to have to play a good positional shot here. I think if he

gets down, rolls the blue, it might slip past the red and if he flicked

it, he'd be out of position as well. It isn't ideal.

He can get it up into the corner, the red. He only needs this red.

He has judged this nicely, excellent shot.

If he gets his nose in front, which she has done, two frames up, he

might take a bit of stopping because we know what he's like. He is

introduced as On Fire Stephen Maguire. He can certainly Roelof

frames in quick succession, and he did that in McGill. He is looking

pretty good and confident. It will be a tough match for Rory,

over the best of 25. In goes the black and, indeed, the wide. Stephen

Maguire making all the run in in this match so far. He leads Rory

McLeod now, 2-0. Stephen Maguire gets frame number

three under way. That second frame just lasting half the time the first

one did. Not the best break off, Rory can snick this red in.

If he can finish although on this black, he will have a nice angle.

Decided against that. But the black and get on the red to the left of

it. He's very nervous, Rory McLeod, at

the moment. He isn't making a lot of wrong decisions out there -- he is

making a lot of wrong decisions out there and it's understandable. There

was a little bit of movement there, I think, caused by a little bit of

tension. In his opening match against Judd

Trump, I think he missed one black out of 40. That has to be down to an

little bit of tension. You never really settle until you win your

first frame, no matter how long the match is.

Didn't play that yellow too well. He wanted to be straight on that red.

Can he get to the far side of the blue? No, come up short again. He

can do at the black, though. The angle on the black, it is more

difficult, but he can get onto the reds with a little bit of right-hand

side. Oh, unlucky. Unlucky all around

because he hit them perfectly but the white stuck in the pack of reds.

Three-ball plant into the middle pocket.

Anxiously coming around to have a look, seeing if he has left a red

into the middle centre, but he's OK. One red has come out and that is not

a good shot from Stephen Maguire because he's left a chance into the

left-centre or yellow pocket. Struggling out there, Dennis. He'd

have been coming in with great expectations, Rory McLeod.

Especially after the way he played against Judd Trump. But he's started

this match very poorly, 73% his pot success. These longer matches, you

play them in smaller sessions. Rory hasn't settled yet in this second

round match. Saying that, he was 4-0 down to Judd

Trump in his first round match and finished the session 5-4 ahead. Not

a great plan this, though. Don't think he meant it.

The middle red that bunch will pot. -- of that bunch. The top red pots

as well. I thought he had missed this.

Usually at that pace they stay.. When they hit the jaw of the pocket.

-- they stay out. Beautiful shot. That is a potential frame winner. He

tried to force that angle with his power.

I think he is just about OK. Yeah, I thought the pink might have been

just tied up. But there was plenty of room.

The pink will have two go on the black spot, but once again, no

problem. Just a couple of pots away from taking a 3-0 advantage.

Snookers required already. Black to make absolutely certain. Just check

the scoreboard. What is the score? He needs one more red with a colour.

He has finished a bit awkward on the black.

Here, got the wrong angle on the black. Just his -- just see how the

position works out here. That is very well played.

Well, big smiles from Stephen. But that was very careless there when he

needed the red. He could afford to take one blue but

he would need a black off the final red. If he got a red and a blue, he

would be 34 behind. Then a last red and a black, and all of the colours

would give him the frame by one point. What a steal that would be.

The problem is taking this red. He has two hit it with a lot of pace.

-- to hit. He didn't go for it in the end. That is a surprise.

Stephen Maguire will be delighted to see that pink girls safe. Rory will

need that pink should he get another chance to win the frame.

Another good slice of fortune. He held his hand up to apologise. But

he had got a pretty good cue ball with the flick off the yellow, so...

A very timely fluke. You would have to say, that has given Stephen

Maguire this third frame, barring snookers.

Yes, that is three in a row over Stephen Maguire. -- for Stephen

Maguire. It is the yellow going to come to

Rory's rescue? I don't think so. A poor break off in the last frame. He

has done exactly the same. At the moment he doesn't seem with it. A

bit of nerves, concentration. You don't want to be gifting too many

easy opportunities to this man if he gets into a bit of form. Nice red to

split the bunch of reds. Played it nicely, very nicely.

Didn't want that kiss on the red. Again, he has got an angle. He will

take the red on the go into the bunch of reds, bring some more reds

into play. He is slightly hampered. That was a great shot. How is your

luck? He can't even pot it into the left centre. The red is in front of

it. I think we mentioned when this match

started that Rory had beaten Stephen Maguire twice. Stephen has one

victory. That was a group stage in the 2007 Grand Prix. The others,

well, qualifiers at the Welsh Open. That was way back in 2002. And then

he won 4-1. It was a second round in a PTC event. Those events are no

longer played. Now we have got a very awkward table with five reds

already up the other end of the table.

We could finish with all 12 reds up the other end of the table. There

are nine of them already passed the blue spot. -- pasta.

Stephen Maguire has played a decent shot as we look at Rory McLeod's

last pot time. Coming up to more than 22 minutes. Difficult to get

the cue ball back behind the black. He might try to leave the cue ball

in the baulk area but it is difficult with the red over the left

centre, unless he takes that away. He could rest the cue ball on the

right-hand side cushion. He has to be careful where the red goes. Where

is the red going to finish? He has done very well from that position.

An excellent shot. A nice tap on the table. Stephen Maguire will do very

well to get it back from there. Are they going to start knocking all

of these reds back up the table again?!

Is he looking at trying to pot this red into the left centre? He

certainly is. What a shot that was. A/C on the black. Very well worked

out. -- is he on the black? What a clever little shot that was. It is

worth another look. He has finished oak-wood on the black. He knows he

has got to get it. -- awkward. You would think he is bound to finish on

a red if he pops the black. -- pots. That is the angle he is looking at.

It is whether the fight goes near the right middle pocket, that is

what he has got to avoid. That if he just plays it plain ball. He has got

the black and the cue ball to worry about. He is taking it on. It is a

big shot for Rory, 3-0 down. He played it well. It is the sort of

shot that those gives you confidence. -- that does give you

confidence. He would have preferred to have

avoided those reds. But he is still on this black.

No. No. There was a bit of pressure, of course. Never easy when you are

3- down. When you are three - front -- 3-0 in front...

It's amazing in any sport how different one-day can be to the

next. How you can play, how you can feel. Confidence wise you don't get

off to a good start, you struggle a bit. That is exactly what has

happened to Rory today. It has always been the same. I used to

watch Ray Reardon and John Spencer play exhibitions. One night, one

would win 7-0 and the next night the other woodwind 7-0. It is the way

the nature of the game is. Rory is probably trying too hard. He has

done so well to the one of the favourites. He wanted to come out.

He was looking forward to it. Maybe he is trying that little bit too

hard. Yeah, just couldn't get into position.

Just leaving the black. A little bit of insurance if he runs out of

position. He has always got the black.

It has been pretty straightforward for Stephen Maguire. He has had a

lot of chances. And Rory will be in the same situation that he was

against Judd Trump. He will be 4-0 down at the mid-session interval.

Still are few more balls to be parted. But I can't see Stephen

slipping up. I suppose if he can reflect on how well he came back

against Judd Trump from being 4-0 down... Of course, he has got more

frames to get himself back. The best of 25. The last 16 match. I'm just

thinking, this is the 12th frame in a row Stephen Maguire has won.

Incredible, isn't it? That blue puts him 51 ahead with 51

remaining. I can't see him missing his red into the centre. Stephen

Maguire has been quite solid without playing at his best. It has been a

bit scrappy, these first four frames. The highest break only 67.

It has been more of a workmanlike performance but he won't mind. It is

a good start. He is coming to the table. But

barring four snookers, Stephen Maguire has won all four frames.

If he could pot here, he would be nicely on the black.

The red above the black to the right obviously pots into this corner

pocket. A nice angle on the black. If he can

stun into the red directly above the black, if you can get into the

middle one, knock that out of the way, he will be on. It's OK. Not as

he planned but he will settle for it. That has not four reds out. As

well as this into the right centre. It is a good opportunity. Yeah, you

would think you would be totally relaxed having that four frame

advantage. It is a three-day match, this. Some of the rounds our over

two days. Tomorrow afternoon and then we conclude Monday evening. But

the way things are going, unless Rory can get up and running, there

might not be that many frames to be played in the final session. I think

the key for Stephen Maguire, when your opponent is struggling a bit,

he hasn't got going, you have to try to keep your concentration. It's

very easy to drop your concentration. You have to try to

keep it and keep the advantage. Yeah, don't lift your foot off the

pedal, that's what they say. Because the whole thing can change around.

He might have to play another little cannon. A little cannon into the

reds. He is nicely on a red now. He looks set to make 67.

He will now just concentrate on trying to make a century. He has

made 30 centuries this season. He hasn't made a century so far this

year in the world Championship. And we have already had 40 in total.

That red has just gone safe. It may just prevent him from the possible

century. Difficult red in a couple of shots

time. He make get himself onto the green in such a way that he can get

it into play. It's the best ball to move the difficult red off will stop

let's see if he can do that. No, he is going to do it off the blue. It

is difficult of the blue because the green and brown are in their way. He

has to come around the back of the Brown to move it. He will have to be

very precise with his positional shot. Oh, well. He has missed the

blue, he has missed the cannon on the red. It doesn't matter. It was a

fine break of 71. Nothing has changed. Stephen Maguire takes the

frame. He now leads by 5-0. Not quite sure what's happened here.

The marker had to go out somewhere. Not sure what they are doing there!

Is it the button on his jacket? Possibly.

OK, everything back to normal. It is the button on his jacket! It has

come away. He is using a little safety pin. That's the first time

I've ever seen that in the history of the World Championships! look at

this! He has spooked red as well! Now, will that huge slice of luck

give dividends? He has Rory McLeod in all sorts of problems. Even if

you can get to the right corner pocket, he could slip round but back

of it and leave one on. There is a red in the middle of where he's

looking, but he'd have to go very close to another red.

That is the sort of angle would have to look at that red but if he

doesn't get it absolutely spot-on, he is going to leave something on

them. He is playing the shot standing up, which is unusual.

Is he going to slip around the back of it? Well played! That is a super

escape, and he hasn't left the red to the left corner. That makes that

an even better shot. Excellent escape, wasn't it? That had to be so

precise, and it was. He is looking at another plant here,

red onto red, cue ball up. CROWD GROANS.

He has played it pretty well, though, he has covered the red to

the bottom right-hand pocket, he wasn't too far away, either.

What a cracking shot that is! OK, fortunate to cannon the red and

leave the black but when you pot a shot like this, you deserve

everything you get from it. That is the sort of pot he was knocking in

against Judd Trump so can he get himself going here?

Well, he put everything into the pot there, there was noise coming from

the other side of the arena, just finishing a frame off but he carried

on. It's typed this whether he can get near the one near the black. He

might have enough. She played it well, excellent shot,

well played. He's going to require another good

pot, though. That was a good pot, deserves to be

on something and he is. Probably his best chance for quite some time to

get a few points on the board, get his arm going, get some confidence.

When there was ever a time he needed a frame-winning break, it is now.

I'm looking at the table. There are six reds available so you can see

40-50 points, as long as he doesn't do anything care less.

Plenty of reds to play for. He could play into the reds but he doesn't

want to risk it because he could stick into the back of them. Better

to knock some few points in the first of all.

Believe it or not, that break off 30 supersedes his previous ties break,

which was 24. -- his previous highest break.

That beautifully played shot, he had reverse side on that. He would've

gone across the table to the side of the reds but with so much reverse

side to come out to he has. There is another loose red at the back of the

little bunch of six there that he can get on.

He has played that nicely, he had to power that in.

Side bar showed you he needs another 22 points. More or less to leave the

frame safe. He's going to do what you said, Ken,

you said he could do well with winning the frame in one visit. He

isn't far away from doing that. But keep your concentration because you

still need a few more. Rack, a good break under the circumstances, it

has to be said. It started off with a long red, a couple of tricky

blacks. This pink puts him 60 points ahead.

Still 75 remaining. Under the circumstances, I must say

he has been quite impressive, short of pace, he wanted to be topside of

the blue. Well, he started this break with an

absolutely cracking pot virtually on the blue line so can't do much with

the cue ball. So, a medium length pot on the red that would secure his

first frame. The frame is well and truly over

now. Stephen will stay in his seat, he

signals to the referee he has conceded. He's had to wait an

awfully long time and the crowd respond, Rory raises his hands as he

leaves the auditorium with his first frame on the board but he still has

a long way to go. 5-1 behind. Pop the red, play it with pace, hope

for the best. That is all he can do. Well, does the pink pot into the

right centre? He is looking at it. It must be very tight. No.

He will need a good pot on the blue. He is going to take it on. A couple

of reds available if he gets it, a couple of reds available should he

miss it, adding that little bit of pressure.

Maybe, just maybe, that last frame has settled him down.

A little side from Rory, he's disappointed to be straight on the

blue. He needed a nice angle to try to take one of those reds closest to

the black. He doesn't have the angle. He can only drop the blue in.

Didn't want to hold the spot so, hopefully, the blue will go back

onto its own spot. If he held the spot, the blue would go up to the

highest available, which would be the yellow.

There is an area where he could put the cue ball. He's got the red but

if he could get it in the circle, he could cannon the other red. He

wouldn't even have to cannonade. He could just ability and to be beyond

the black. -- he could just roll it into be on the back. If he is

straight and this red, he can roll it in, have the black, and, all of

these sudden, he has got a decent chance.

Don't think this is the best angle. He might take the red into the right

corner pocket. Looks like... Played it very nicely, didn't he?

Had to dig down on the cue ball. What has he done here? That was a

bit of a lapse in concentration because that now, he has to cut this

very thin one in and he needs to watch the white.

Almost centred into the middle pocket. But it is the end of break

unless there is a planned on at the back of the reds, as we show you

that thin shot. He has got an angle on the yellow

but he also has a nice angle on the green, if he wants, and the red

beside the left of the pink or the red right of the black. He has

looked at both of your choices, there are two reds available so

shouldn't really be a problem. He's having a look, to see if he can

pot anything into this right-hand pocket. Nothing does so he needs an

angle. Has he pushed the two reds into a

plant? An anxious look on his way back to his seat. And I think the

way he's shaking his head, he may have left a plant on. He shouldn't

have really missed the red into the middle pocket. Let's have a look as

we pull out. He can make that. It is slightly going to the left side of

the pocket but there's enough distance between the reds to make it

into a plant. But he hasn't got the cue ball where

he wanted. He was trying to brush it off the side of the pack, he has cut

the pink full ball. He was trying to get a good position

type to this baulk crush on. He will be disappointed with that.

Had that have dropped in, look where the green was coming back to, it

would have been a free ball. Well, he tried to screw the cue ball

back to the baulk, taking the pink off the side crush and purposely as

well. He needs the pink out in the open. The fact he has kissed the

yellow has left a half chance here. Long way away from that. He has got

away with it. They have gone very awkward here,

the balls. So, a 36 point advantage is pretty

good with the way the table is looking. He won't risk the double,

will he? He could possibly get it into the left centre. Double is also

a possibility. He tried for the double. Stephen

Maguire might get the extension out to try to knock the red up the

table. That was the only thing with the double Rory took on, he was

going to be putting himself in a spot of bother with the white.

Reasonably awkward safety shot Mac to play after this one.

That was quite an ambitious shot that he attempted. If this red

doesn't pass this other red into the middle pocket, it isn't all that

bad. Oh, there is plenty of room for it

to go. Just having a look at the blue, he'd

love to get the blue or the pink back on its spot.

He could take the easy green but the blue would help matters. Doesn't

have to do much here. Not too much pace, either, give the blue a chance

to drop into the pocket. Quite an acute angle. Would love to be closer

to the blue. But he is going to take it on.

Good pot. Nicely on the red into the left centre.

He can't get back onto the black from the red in the left centre

which is why he is taking this one into the bottom right-hand pocket.

Should be able to control the wide. It's always difficult with the ball

in the pocket but a little trace of left-hand side was always going to

leave him nicely on this red. There is still a pretty awkward table,

though. If you can remove the red, that

would clear the path to pot the one to the right. -- if he can. This

looks about perfect. Well, I say perfect, I think he is just OK. He

can pot that. He has got the one near the middle pocket. A tricky one

along the caution to the right corner pocket. -- cushion. He just

came up a fraction short of where he wanted to be. Just needed to go a

couple of inches more. He may play exactly the same shot

here. He played the same shot. I think he

is short again. It's amazing, isn't it? Fractions. He is virtually in

the same spot. Now this is a tough because the black doesn't go into

the left corner pocket. So how does he get himself onto a colour? The

harder you hit this, the less chance you have of the pocket accepting the

red. How hard is he going to play this?

Just watch the cue power of Rory here. Great shot. Brilliant shot.

It is worth seeing that again. The white came back quicker than it went

through. He couldn't have placed that better

with his hand. Fantastic positional shot. 19 ahead. The black will be

26. Another red and black would be 34. He will put himself in a very

strong position here. Red and black would be 34 with 35 on. Now he has

got to work out as to whether to try to leave an angle to bring that

difficult red into play, or leave a double. What sort of angle has he

got? If he has a nice enough angle, he can screw back. We saw the cue

power and he had with that green. Yeah, I think he can screw back. You

have the picture there to see the outcome. Great effort. Just a

fraction away. That was unlucky, wasn't it? He had to try to force

the black in. He is still in a strong position. The pink is safe.

The cue ball down behind the black here.

He has left a gap between blue and green.

Issey going to attempt the red into this bottom right-hand corner

pocket? -- is he going to attempt to?

This may be a chance for Stephen Maguire. That is a bad mistake. Has

it gone far enough? He will have two force the cue ball in and out of

baulk to get back down for the black.

It is a tough black. He needs the black. The natural angle of the cue

ball is going towards the yellow. Just concentrate on potting this

black. Fantastic pot. Great pot. How is his luck on the yellow? He needs

an angle and he has got it. Just got into it too much. He could

play the snooker. He is shaping up to take the green on. He could play

the snooker behind the Brown if he wished. It was a difficult pot.

You might have been better if he had played the snooker. What do you

think? Here, it was one of those. It depends how you feel on the table.

Rory would like to see this green disappearing.

That was a nice run of the ball for Rory. The Brown came to the rescue.

And that is a nice run of the ball for Stephen Maguire. Blue coming to

the rescue. We have had all sorts here.

Where is the green going? What a chance now for Stephen Maguire. He

needs green to black to win by one point. Has he hit it hard enough?

Checking ahead. He should have been straighter on this Brown.

He played that pretty well. Anything but straight and he can get a up to

the pink. He could play to drop in behind the pink. About 12 inches

behind the pink would be perfect. Watch the side. He will have to do

it with the rest. This is much more difficult than he would have liked.

He is going to fully commit and roll the pink in. I think he played the

blue quite quickly. He should have made sure he got closer. This is

tough, Dennis. Lots of noise coming from the other

table. And Stephen, that's not the first time we have seen him get a

little annoyed with himself. Just the pink to get a second frame

on the board. A little awkward with the extended rest and the extended

Q. He is quite a long way from it. It is quite a bit of a stretch. Just

the pink required. He doesn't need to get on the black. And it is

there! What a fantastic comeback for Rory McLeod. Rory McLeod will get

the final frame of this session under way. And he is sort of doing

what he did against Judd Trump. He lost the first to four and came back

and won five. He lost the first five here. If you this it would a

fantastic comeback, wouldn't it, Ken?

It would. Good pot from Stephen Maguire. Great control of the cue

ball as well. It wasn't a great pack to go into.

He has a red though. Left of centre. Far too thin a contact therefrom

Rory. There was nothing on but you want a telling safety to try to

force your opponent into making a mistake. Preferably behind one of

the colours. A better safety shot, this. But having said that it has

just pulled up somewhat. And Rory might just be forced into taking

this pot on. Just off straight. What another cracker! What another

beauty he has pulled out of there. Look at straight. The Highlander

strikes again. Rory McLeod. Rob Walker introduces him as the

Highlander. He thought he had a nice split but

that red has just come down to block the path of this other red into the

corner pocket. The red just drifted down, blocked the path.

A nice pot. Using his foot to put a brake on the cue ball. That was

funny. He thought the white was going to run on. He was stomping the

floor. What a mess. That is the type of

shot he was missing in the opening frame. -- what a miss. But he might

just have got away with this. I'm not sure what Stephen said to

someone in the audience. I think he said, would you like to come down

and try? Is pretty tough out there. Can he pot this past the Brown and

screw back and leave the black on due it is a very difficult pot but

it is definitely worth the risk. We will know if it is in before he

does. Good shot. There was a good pot on the black.

He is nicely on the red into this corner pocket.

Good angle, the way he used that other red. Push the cue ball over

towards his cushion and he will have a nicer angle on the pink.

He is one of these players, Stephen Maguire, when he gets annoyed and

get a bit angry, he can play better. He certainly was annoyed when he

missed the pink. It sort of fires him up.

Sometimes it can go one way or the other. It does seem to get him a bit

more focused. He needs a little bit of an outlet.

Whatever happens in this frame, Rory McLeod has given himself a chance

anyway. He missed that sitter of a Brown where he could have gone on

and won three frames in a row. Just looking at the monitor to see the

situation of the table. This was the very straightforward Brown that he

missed. Yeah, could have possibly been 5-3. But for all the world at

the moment it looks as if it is going to be 6-2. But there are quite

a cue ball is to be potted. -- a few balls.

Just concentrate on taking reds and pinks. There is no point in even

thinking about the black at the moment. They are nicely situated.

Potting that red will release another red into the same pocket. He

has these two reds left of the pink. Just a series of Little stunneds and

Crewe -- screws in this frame. Here, he has worked it quite well. He will

certainly be pleased with his afternoon's work of 6-2. I suppose

Rory McLeod, even though he got off to that very slow start, will be

pleased he got a couple of frames on the board. All to play for in the

next session. If he wins the next session 5-3, he is right back in

this match. That is an absolute cracking shot. It doesn't really

matter. The fact it has gone on the cushion. Rory is coming to the

table, but barring snookers, Stephen Maguire has got himself into a sixth

- two lead. -- 6002 lead. Lots of noise coming from the other

side. Play has finished. Rory needs four snookers. That is the first

one. Stephen Maguire probably hit most of them. I think it was the

frame before the mid-session interval he needed four snookers.

But... It might be time to just shake hands, go out for a nice meal,

early night and get yourself ready for tomorrow's second session.

Handshakes all around. Stephen Maguire will be happy with his

afternoon's work. He won the first five frames. Rory had a chance to

get back to just two behind. In the end of a good session for the man

from Glasgow. He leads by 6-2. Some acquire very

much in the ascendancy in this match. They will come back for their

second session on Sunday afternoon. Join us in few hours because at ten

o'clock in the morning two for the second round matches get under way.

We have got Graeme Dott, a former champion, taking on Barry Hawkins,

who knows what it takes to get to a crucible final, having done it

himself. And then a blockbuster of a match between Marco Fu and Neil

Robertson. Plenty to look forward to. In the meantime, get some sleep.

Good night. I've had enough of this!

A man's dead!