Tournament favourite Ronnie O’Sullivan is two frames away from exiting the 888.com World Championship after being blown away by John Higgins.

Ronnie O’Sullivan turned on the style to pocket a magnificent maximum 147 break at the Kilkenny Irish Masters.

Ronnie O’Sullivan went out of the Welsh Open to Neil Robertson this afternoon.

DEFENCE Minister Willie O’Dea took the salute yesterday from five young men and a woman who became the latest batch of officer cadets to be commissioned at the naval base in Haulbowline.

Ryan Day made short work of an out-of-sorts Jimmy White to blast into the third round of the Welsh Open at the Newport Centre.

Judd Trump, the youngest ever qualifier for the final stages of a ranking event, was beaten 5-3 by Gloucester’s Robert Milkins in the first round of the Welsh Open at Newport tonight.

Graeme Dott is not traditionally renowned as a good traveller but the diminutive Scot came within only two frames of landing the Malta Cup title 12 months ago and will be looking to go one better as he starts his Portomaso campaign tonight.

Ronnie O’Sullivan overcame a hesitant start to gain an invaluable first session lead over Stephen Maguire at the Embassy World Championship in Sheffield today.

SNOOKER star Paul Hunter has been diagnosed with cancer. The 26-year-old Englishman, who still intends to compete at the World Championship in Sheffield on April 16, almost withdrew from last month’s Irish Masters in Dublin because of stomach pains.

Snooker star Paul Hunter has been diagnosed with cancer.

Stephen Hendry overcame the discomfort of a pulled muscle in his side to continue his progress in the China Open in Beijing this morning.

Paul Hunter can be forgiven for not having his mind entirely on this week’s China Open - he is awaiting the results of a biopsy taken on six cysts on his colon.

Mark Williams taught home hope Liang Wen Bo a snooker lesson by racing to victory at the China Open in Beijing.

RONNIE O’SULLIVAN faces the toughest possible start to his defence of the Embassy world title next month.

Ronnie O’Sullivan has withdrawn from the China Open citing medical reasons.

Adopted Yorkshireman Shaun Murphy is hoping ‘home’ advantage will help him break his duck at the Embassy World Championship next month.

Ronnie O’Sullivan held off a superb fightback by Matthew Stevens to capture his third Irish Masters championship in Dublin tonight.

Matthew Stevens threw himself a lifeline by winning the last two frames of the opening session to prevent Ronnie O’Sullivan from running away with the Failte Ireland Irish Masters final in Dublin today.

Ronnie O'Sullivan tonight reached the final of the Fáilte Ireland Irish Masters, beating Mark Williams 9-5 at the CityWest Hotel.

Ronnie O'Sullivan leads Mark Williams 5-3 at the interval in the Irish Masters at the CityWest Hotel in Dublin this evening.

Ronnie O’Sullivan made four century breaks on his way to the Irish Masters semi-finals tonight but insisted: “I made far too many mistakes.”

Mark Williams continued his return to form with a quarter-final win at the Irish Masters against Stephen Lee this afternoon.

KEN DOHERTY’S search for his “holy grail” ended in customary failure at the Fáilte Irish Masters in Dublin yesterday.

Ken Doherty’s search for his “holy grail” ended in customary failure at the Failte Irish Masters in Dublin today.

Ireland's Ken Doherty and Michael Judge will both be hoping to book places in the quarter-finals of the Irish Masters at the CityWest Hotel this afternoon.

PETER EBDON lost his grip on the Irish Masters title in Dublin last night. The 2002 world champion lost 5-4 in a gruelling match against Dave Harold after being 4-1 up.

Ronnie O’Sullivan will be reported for failing to attend his after match press conference at the Irish Masters tonight.

Peter Ebdon lost his grip on the Irish Masters title in Dublin tonight but will be kicking himself all the way back to his Wellingborough home.

Peter Ebdon believes his impressive performances in the recent Rileys Club Masters prove he is running into form just as the snooker season nears its climax.

Former world number one Peter Manley defends his Irish Masters title at Rosslare's Crosbie Cedars Hotel this weekend.

Ken Doherty has learnt that he will take on Barry Pinches in the opening round of the Irish masters following today’s draw.

Ken Doherty, the 1997 world champion, made the last 16 of the Malta Cup tonight after completing a 5-2 victory over Welshman Ryan Day.

John Parrott taught teenager Ding Jun Hui a snooker lesson en route to booking his place in the second round of the Welsh Open in Newport today.

Chinese teenager Ding Jun Hui produced another dazzling display in Prestatyn today to move to within two rounds of qualifying for the final stages of the Irish Masters.

Stephen Maguire claimed a two-frame lead over Mark King in their semi-final showdown at the Travis Perkins UK Championship in York today.

John Higgins produced an awesome display to march into the British Open final at Brighton today – and put it down to a small piece of wood.

Aussie bad-boy Quinten Hann swaps his boxing gloves for a snooker cue today as the Totesport Grand Prix enters its third day at Preston’s Guild Hall.

Feuding cuemen Mark King and Quinten Hann plan to settle their differences in the boxing ring but snooker’s real heavyweight clash takes place at the Embassy World Championship in Sheffield tonight.

Ronnie O’Sullivan denied Crucible newcomer Stephen Maguire a debut win at the Embassy World Championship in Sheffield today.

Peter Ebdon’s bid to regain his Embassy world title ended against Lancashire hot potter Ian McCulloch in Sheffield last night.

Jimmy White may be enjoying his best season for more than a decade but so too is the Whirlwind’s opening opponent at the Embassy World Championship in Sheffield today.

Former world champion Ken Doherty insists the days of first-round whitewashes at The Crucible are long gone.

Jimmy White had double reason for celebration after reaching the semi-finals of the Daily Record Players Championship in Glasgow today.