Swail to face McCrudden in Irish Championship opener

Defending champion Joe Swail will take on Martin McCrudden in the first round of the Irish Professional Snooker Championship in Dublin next month.

Elsewhere, world number two Ken Doherty takes on Robert Murphy, Fergal O’Brien plays Dermot McGlinch, and the legendary Alex Higgins meets Joe Delaney.

In other big first-round clashes, Colm Gilcreest plays Davy Morris, Gerard Greene takes on Brendan O’Donoghue and Mark Allen faces Garry Hardiman.