Fergal O'Brien reaches final 32 at Snooker Shoot Out

Fergal O'Brien was among the players to reach the final 32 at the Snooker Shoot Out in Leicester.

The Dubliner, who had overcome England's Zak Surety in the opening round on Thursday, followed that up by beating Wales' Jackson Page 69-32 in their round two match in Friday's early afternoon session.

But 1997 world champion Ken Doherty endured a 76-0 defeat to another Welsh player in the shape of Dominic Dale.

Meanwhile, former Snooker Shoot Out champion Michael Holt made the most of his late call-up to make the last-32.

Holt, the 2020 champion who made a tournament-best break of 116 in his first-round victory over Lei Peifan, beat Northern Ireland's Robbie McGuigan 37-13 in the one-frame event despite owning up to his lack of match preparation.

"Life's got in the way a little bit," the Englishman Holt told Eurosport.

"I've been playing the least amount of snooker I've ever played in my life.

"I had a few hours when I got the call-up, but you just try your best."

As well as winning the BetVictor Snooker Shoot Out three years ago, Holt finished runner-up in 2019 and has now won the most matches in the history of the tournament.

He said: "If you embrace the atmosphere and tournament you can enjoy it whatever happens. "You've got to enjoy the chaos basically, and fortunately I have done in the past."

Reanne Evans had become the first woman to win a match in the event by beating Stuart Bingham in the opening round on Thursday.

But Evans was instantly on the backfoot as Gary Wilson fluked a red to set up a 44 break, and the 'Tyneside Terror' wrapped up a comfortable 83-4 victory.

Moldovan Vladislav Gradinari, just 14, reached the last 32 with a 42-20 success over Victor Sarkis. Another 14-year-old Riley Powell lost 38-2 to his fellow