Ronnie O'Sullivan wins clash of the snooker greats to reach John Virgo Trophy final
Ronnie O'Sullivan defeated Stephen Hendry 6-1 in a clash of snooker's two greatest players of all-time to reach the final of The John Virgo Trophy.
The seven-time world champions last met on the professional circuit in 2011, and although their latest encounter isn’t classed as official top-flight competition, it was brilliant seeing the two legends share the baize again on television.
Held in honour of the beloved former UK Champion Virgo who unexpectedly passed away in February, the tournament was being staged at the iconic Goffs in Kildare - an atmospheric and popular venue that hosted the Irish Masters for over two decades.
It was also being competed under unique ‘Snooker 900’ rules, where frames can last no longer than 15 minutes - 900 seconds, hence the name. Should a frame not be completed in that time, whoever is winning it in points takes it. There is also a 20-second shot-clock.
Featuring a spotted cueball, players must either pot a ball or make contact with a cushion for every shot. All fouls result in the incoming player awarded with cueball-in-hand, meaning they can place it wherever they choose on the table.
The opening frame was a scrappy affair that went down to the colours, but O’Sullivan potted a brilliant blue with the rest to open his account.
Hendry - who barely plays at all these days apart from being on his award-winning YouTube channel - showed glimpses of his pomp past with classy efforts of 30 and 61 in frame two as he levelled up.
The ‘Crucible King’ also got in early in the third frame, but whilst on a break of 30, he potted a thin pink and was unfortunate to watch the cueball pot the brown in the same shot. O’Sullivan came to the table with cueball in hand and made a decisive 75 to go back in front, before a run of 87 in the next put him into the mid-session interval 3-1 up.
On resumption, Hendry missed a pot with cueball in hand and was dealt heavy punishment by ‘The Rocket’ who fashioned a 96 - missing the final pink with the rest for a century.
The 50-year-old Englishman then made it 5-1 before wrapping up victory with contributions of 51 and 46 in the final frame.
In tomorrow evening’s final, O’Sullivan will face John Higgins who defeated the other member of snooker’s fabled ‘Class of 92’ Mark Williams 6-4 earlier in the day.
Williams will face Hendry in a third-place playoff on Sunday afternoon before the title decider.
O’Sullivan was making his first competitive outing since reaching the final of last month’s World Open in Yushan, China.
During that event, the record 41-time ranking event winner created history by constructing a 153 - the highest break ever made in professional competition.
His two-year-plus wait for a ranking title continues, though, as he was stopped by an inspired Thepchaiya Un-Nooh in the final, with the Thai striking a maximum 147 break in the final.
It is set to be a very busy spell of play for O’Sullivan. Later this month he launches his latest bid for a record eighth Crucible crown at the World Championship, and following that he will be making his debut at the World Seniors Snooker Championship that is also held at the famous Sheffield venue.
O’Sullivan still won’t be done then, as he is in the field for the inaugural Global Pluto TV Snooker 900 Championship in Reading - a tournament held to the same rules he has just played at Goffs.
The John Virgo Trophy final begins at 19:00BST and will be live on the Pluto TV channel, website and app. For those in the UK, it will also be simulcast on 5Action.