Snooker

john the tinca · Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 12:35 pm Post subject: Snooker

Stephen Hendry will battle it out with defending champion Shaun Murphy on Friday for a Malta Cup semi-final spot after drawing 3-3 with Stephen Maguire.
The Scot won the three frames he needed against fellow countryman Maguire to force a deciding Group Three match.

Elsewhere, Masters champion Mark Selby, who failed to qualify for the last four, eased to an impressive quickfire win over local favourite Tony Drago.

The Leicester cueman pocketed breaks of 76, 43, 110 and 101 in a 4-2 win.

Maltese professional Drago had breaks of 57 and 43 in the sixth frame, but by then the damage had been done as Selby triumphed in a staggeringly quick 58 minutes.

The going was not as easy for Hendry, but the veteran did at least extend his unbeaten run to three matches on day four of the £76,000 tournament.

"I know I've got to beat Shaun to get through, but I was pretty happy with the way I played," said Hendry, who only made one break of note - 65 - compared to Maguire's runs of 67, 63 and 71.