Dafabet Masters S Final: Stephen Maguire v Ronnie O'Sullivan

Saturday 18th of January @ 7pm

Stephen Maguire v Ronnie O'Sullivan

Click for Head to Heads

Overall O'Sullivan Leads 14-4
Main Tournaments O'Sullivan leads 12-4
World Championship O'Sullivan leads 2-0
Masters O'Sullivan leads 2-1

DRAW

ORDER OF PLAY

Mags v Ronnie semi it is then...

I know it wasn't what many were expecting, especially from Mags part, but I honestly think he'll give Ronnie a good game and won't get thrashed.

His record against Ronnie isn't good I know, but in recent times Mags has always pushed Ronnie to the limit and Ronnie himself had to play extremelly well to beat like in that German Masters Final. I certainly don't think it'll be a match like their semis here in 2009 when Ronnie beat him 6-1 or 6-2.

It might be close, but I think Ronnie will edge it of course.

Mags's fourth Masters semi, as he's lost every one of them so far, each time to the eventual winner of the whole tournament. Maybe it'll change tomorrow, maybe not. (I'm going for not).

Skullman wrote:Mags's fourth Masters semi, as he's lost every one of them so far, each time to the eventual winner of the whole tournament. Maybe it'll change tomorrow, maybe not. (I'm going for not).

Mags has actually beaten Ronnie here, 2008 first round, 6-5 Ronnie being defending Champ.

It was a match Ronnie should really have won, I was sick when he missed the final blue with the rest, remeber it like it was now, and after that Mags potted blue and pink to win.

But their other 2 matches here, both semis, Ronnie beat him, first in 2007, 6-4, but didn't play that well, and then in 2009 6-1 playing some excelent snooker.

Well the difference between a semi and a first round is that Ronnie's had some time to gather momentum.

At the moment I can only see one outcome in this match with O'Sullivan winning comfortably (but not as comfortably as has happened in the first couple of round. That said, I don't think many tipped Maguire to reach the Semi-Finals at the start of the week.

Maguire is certainly capable of beating O'Sullivan, but at the moment it'd be a surprise.


One thing to bear in mind, this is O'Sullivan's 10th Masters Semi-Final. He's won all nine previous.

I already talked about the similarities of this years and the 2009 Masters earlier today. And here's another. Ronnie playing Maguire in the semis. It was a fairly comfortable win that year, it surely will be much tougher tomorrow. Maguire really impressed me today, he really went for his shots and played some very good safeties.

Ronnie of course produced an all time great performance today. He's extremely focused, every department of his game is in great shape and he badly wants another Masters crown. I think he'll be too strong for Mags.

This tournament will be epic conclusion of the Ronnie Selby Masters trilogy, I just know it.

Snooker Overdrive wrote:
This tournament will be epic conclusion of the Ronnie Selby Masters trilogy, I just know it.

It could be their last ever Major Final, and if everything goes according to plan and both reach the Final, with one win each in 2009 and 2010, both will badly want to beat one another, it has all the makings of being one of the very best matches in snooker history.

My only fear is another comeback from Selby. I won't be that disappointed if Selby wins with a few frames to spare, say 10-6 or 10-7, but it will all depend on how the match goes.

Ronnie will be trying his absolute hardest of course.

Both though have to reach the Final,so no garantees here.

Snooker Overdrive wrote:I already talked about the similarities of this years and the 2009 Masters earlier today. And here's another. Ronnie playing Maguire in the semis. It was a fairly comfortable win that year, it surely will be much tougher tomorrow. Maguire really impressed me today, he really went for his shots and played some very good safeties.

Ronnie of course produced an all time great performance today. He's extremely focused, every department of his game is in great shape and he badly wants another Masters crown. I think he'll be too strong for Mags.

This tournament will be epic conclusion of the Ronnie Selby Masters trilogy, I just know it.

It's not a Hollywood franchise. It doesn't have end at three, although I hope it does. Would be good to give someone else a crack at these major finals.

Skullman wrote:

Snooker Overdrive wrote:I already talked about the similarities of this years and the 2009 Masters earlier today. And here's another. Ronnie playing Maguire in the semis. It was a fairly comfortable win that year, it surely will be much tougher tomorrow. Maguire really impressed me today, he really went for his shots and played some very good safeties.

Ronnie of course produced an all time great performance today. He's extremely focused, every department of his game is in great shape and he badly wants another Masters crown. I think he'll be too strong for Mags.

This tournament will be epic conclusion of the Ronnie Selby Masters trilogy, I just know it.

It's not a Hollywood franchise. It doesn't have end at three, although I hope it does. Would be good to give someone else a crack at these major finals.

Hollywood never stop after 3 parts, they just keep making them as long as it's profitable.

Snooker Overdrive wrote:
Hollywood never stop after 3 parts, they just keep making them as long as it's profitable.

Most of the good stuff stops at three.

...So maybe Hollywood wasn't the best example.

Something I wonder whether is worth bearing in mind is that because there's a lot of expectation on O'Sullivan to win here, is it almost setting up for him to lose.

Maguire will not have much pressure under him, and O'Sullivan may find himself in a similar spot to the UK Championships where having reached the quarter-finals with no problems (other than a couple against Duffy when he beat him 6-3) and found things a lot more difficult with the first opponent to give him more than a decent test, with greatest respect to Mitchell, Milkins, Campbell and today Walden.

PLtheRef wrote:Something I wonder whether is worth bearing in mind is that because there's a lot of expectation on O'Sullivan to win here, is it almost setting up for him to lose.

Good point, there certainly is a lot more pressure in Ronnie to win his match than there is with Selby to win his, and that won't work in Ronnie's favour here.

Of course he can't produce the sort of snooker he did against Walden, that's just impossible, but if he keeps his game in good shape, knocks in some long ones and scores heavily then I really can't see anything but a Ronnie win here.

Mags though as he said in his interview won't be too worried about that performance from Ronnie and will just play his own game, because as he said another day, another match.

There is always a lot of pressure on Ron, if he loses then it will be because Mags has played a great game. To those saying Ronnie hasn't had a test yet, Walden wasn't given an opportunity to test him.

Blavdes wrote:There is always a lot of pressure on Ron, if he loses then it will be because Mags has played a great game. To those saying Ronnie hasn't had a test yet, Walden wasn't given an opportunity to test him.

Don't think anyone in here said Ronnie hasn't had a test. In the first round against Milkins that might have been the case in some frames, but as you said in his win against Walden he was "unplayable" so you couldn't really see how Walden was playing apart from first frame when he did play well.

But Mags of course will test him, because let's be fair it's virtually impossible for Ronnie, even with his genious, to repeat a performance like that.

Andre147 PGC wrote:

Snooker Overdrive wrote:
This tournament will be epic conclusion of the Ronnie Selby Masters trilogy, I just know it.

It could be their last ever Major Final, and if everything goes according to plan and both reach the Final, with one win each in 2009 and 2010, both will badly want to beat one another, it has all the makings of being one of the very best matches in snooker history.

My only fear is another comeback from Selby. I won't be that disappointed if Selby wins with a few frames to spare, say 10-6 or 10-7, but it will all depend on how the match goes.

Ronnie will be trying his absolute hardest of course.

Both though have to reach the Final,so no garantees here.

cant believe how carried away snooker fans gets.


one ball, one pot, one frame, one match at a time

Tough one to call, could be a cracker or a damp squib as both are so unpredictable even thou they both are the form players of this tourney. I'm going for a ronnie win 6.3 because mags has a bit of ronnie fear.

Maguire played well last night but I think Ronnie will beat him comfortably - 6-3 or 6-2.

Yeah, I reckon Ronnie takes this.

Mags should be playing Milkins today.

Would be brilliant if Stephen could beat Ronnie tonight,it,s been ages since he managed it.
It was ages since he beat Robbo too but he finaly got the job done yesterday,it,s high time to get the job done against Ronnie.



Come on Stephen!!,eat some porridge for breakfast,plenty of yummy haggis for lunch,so you can tank up lots of vitamins and energy for tonight and have a few BIG glasses of Irn-Bru,that,ll get you going.

hendry_fan wrote:Would be brilliant if Stephen could beat Ronnie tonight,it,s been ages since he managed it.
It was ages since he beat Robbo too but he finaly got the job done yesterday,it,s high time to get the job done against Ronnie.



Come on Stephen!!,eat some porridge for breakfast,plenty of yummy haggis for lunch,so you can tank up lots of vitamins and energy for tonight and have a few BIG glasses of Irn-Bru,that,ll get you going.

I'd like him to, but sadly I don't think he's got the beating of Ronnie at the moment. Ronnie is too on form.

Well last time they played, Mags won.But that was in China, not Ronnie's home turf. And Mags was by far the superior player then, but only managed to fall over the line 5-4 on a fluked respot.

Clearly Ronnie'll have to basically hand him the victory if Mags is to win. Somehow doubt that'll happen.

Skullman wrote:Well last time they played, Mags won.But that was in China, not Ronnie's home turf. And Mags was by far the superior player then, but only managed to fall over the line 5-4 on a fluked respot.

Clearly Ronnie'll have to basically hand him the victory if Mags is to win. Somehow doubt that'll happen.

Mags beat Ronnie at Wembley a few years back, but he aint going to do it today.

SnookerFan wrote:

Skullman wrote:Well last time they played, Mags won.But that was in China, not Ronnie's home turf. And Mags was by far the superior player then, but only managed to fall over the line 5-4 on a fluked respot.

Clearly Ronnie'll have to basically hand him the victory if Mags is to win. Somehow doubt that'll happen.

Mags beat Ronnie at Wembley a few years back, but he aint going to do it today.

I just checked the stats and yes,indeed the last time he beat Ronnie was at the China Open in 2012,i thought the last time he beat him was way longer than that!.



But yeah,apart from beatin him there,the last time was in 2008 at this very tournament where in the decider only blue,pink n black were left and Ronnie ended up missin the blue.

Bookies have Ronnie at 5/6 minus 2.5 frames. That looks about right to me. Cant see Mags getting more than 3 frames. I back Ronnie handicapped most games and wins most times,especially in the big ones

Just thinking. So far Ronnie has onlynlost one frame in two matches. I wonder how much he loses tonight? Any?

SnookerFan wrote:Just thinking. So far Ronnie has onlynlost one frame in two matches. I wonder how much he loses tonight? Any?

In their 2009 semi here he only lost 1 frame, but in 2007 it ended 6-4 and here I don't think it'll be one sided, my guess probably 6-3 in Ronnie's favour, maybe 6-4 if Mags starts well.

6-0 to Mags.