THE BetVictor Northern Ireland Open begins on Thursday, with two rounds of qualifying being played in Leicester until Sunday.
Eight Irish players, including two amateur wildcards nominated by the Northern Ireland Billiards & Snooker Association, will attempt to join world number 10 Mark Allen in the last 64 and strengthen the home challenge when the action moves to the Waterfront in Belfast between October 19 and 26.
Veteran Ken Doherty is first into the action at 10am on Thursday, against Yao Pengcheng of China, with the winner taking on Oliver Lines in round two.
The two NIBSA wildcards are on the afternoon programme, with Carrickfergus-based Zak Sheldon taking on Poland’s Antoni Kowalski at 1pm and Northern Ireland U21 champion Joel Connolly from Belfast facing Sam Craigie at 4pm.
Friday (4pm) has thrown up an interesting all-Irish encounter between Antrim’s Robbie McGuigan and Coalisland rookie Fergal Quinn. A clash with Zak Surety is the reward for the winner of that one.
Cork’s Leone Crowley plays later that evening, against fellow teenager Bulcsu Revesz from Hungary, with England’s David Lilley awaiting the winner.
In round two, on Sunday evening, Aaron Hill will face Liu Wenwei – whom he beat 5-2 on Wednesday to qualify for the final stages of the Xi’an Grand Prix – again if the Chinese player beats his compatriot Gao Yang, while Antrim’s Jordan Brown takes on the winner of the round-one contest between England’s Mitchell Mann and Germany’s Umut Dikme.
Meanwhile, Brown will join Hill in the final stages for Xi’an next month after beating Oliver Brown 5-1 on Tuesday, but McGuigan and Doherty both lost 5-1 on Wednesday, to Scott Donaldson and Daniel Wells respectively.
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