Ireland's Fergal O'Brien followed Ken Doherty out of the LG Cup in Preston after a shock 5-4 defeat to world number 63 Gerard Greene. Greene has now won more matches in this tournament than he has in the whole of last season. O'Brien was only one ball away from victory and a place in the quarter-finals but he missed an easy red and Greene took control.
"I looked to be out of the game but Fergal missed that red and I started to play well," said Greene. "I got myself a new cue in the summer because my old one was bent and I've not lost too many matches with it. I've also got a seven month old baby, Kienan, and I have to win to keep him in food and nappies," he joked afterwards.
Meanwhile, reigning champion Stephen Lee crashed out of this year's event after Alan McManus produced another suprise result on a day of shocks in Preston. McManus overcame the holder 5-4 to progress to the quarter-finals where he will meet either Nigel Bond or David Gray despite the fact that Lee led 4-3 and was 57-0 up before disaster struck.
In the eighth frame, while attempting to sink the final yellow, Lee missed his pot and watched in disbelief as the cue ball suffered a cruel in-off. McManus won the frame on the black and then produced a superb 51 clearance in the decider after Lee missed a pink into a middle pocket.
"I don't remember the last time I lost to Alan but if you are not firing on all cylinders that's what happens," said Lee. "I don't think Alan played that well either but I couldn't get over the line. I felt good at 4-3 but nothing seemed to happen. That was a one-in-10 chance the white going in, but even then he didn't clear up from there. To be honest, I'm disgusted with myself. I'm going to take three weeks off and then come back for the British Open," said a disappointed Lee afterwards.
The other results of the day saw Patrick Wallace beat Dublin's former world champion Ken Doherty, Welshman Matthew Stevens lost out to David Gray, while Nigel Bond put out world number 16 Joe Swail.
Filed by Amanda Fennelly
