Ireland's Ken Doherty was comprehensively beaten 10-1 by Ronnie "The Rocket" O'Sullivan in the conclusion of today's UK Championship Final at York. The world champion, who maintains he played the best snooker of his life in beating Mark Williams to reach today's final, proved how he earned his nickname when he continued his spectacular form against the Dubliner this afternoon, taking an 8-1 lead into tonight's session.
O'Sullivan took the opening frame after Doherty missed a straightforward green but Doherty high straight back with a superb break of 95 to level matters at 1-1. O'Sullivan then began his seven-frame run with a break of 72 but it was Doherty's failure to pot a red along the cushion that presented him with that opportunity. He then compiled a brilliant 106 to extend his lead to 3-1.
In the first frame after the interval, the Dubliner again let in O'Sullivan and soon it was 5-1 as he made another break of 72. O'Sullivan extended his advantage with a 62 and then pounced on another loose shot by Doherty to go up 7-1 with a 49. Doherty had the chance to pull one back in the final frame of the session but his confidence and morale were at an all-time low and O'Sullivan snatched it with a 59.
When play resumed this evening, O'Sullivan needed less than twenty minutes to wrap up his first title of the season. The match continued in the same vein as in the earlier session with another error from Doherty leading to an O'Sullivan break of 66 and the world number two secured the trophy for the third time with a break of 58 in the following frame. The margin of success was the greatest in the UK final since it reverted to a best-of-19 format in 1995, although Steve Davis beat Terry Griffiths 16-3 in 1981.
Afterwards, Doherty admitted he was embarrassed by the result but acknowledged that otherwise it had been a very good week for him. "I'm very disappointed to lose 10-1 - it's a bit of a joke for a UK final. In some ways I was lucky to get one because Ronnie played so well, but I lost a couple of frames I should have won. In others, I just didn't get a look in."
In that form, Ronnie is the toughest man to beat. It's very hard to play against him. You must get on top of him and put him under pressure, and I didn't. It just didn't happen for me. It's embarrassing to lose 10-1 but it's better to reach the final than go out in the first round. These things happen - worse things go on in life," he added.
Filed by Amanda Fennelly
