SPORTS DIGEST/Snooker: Ken Doherty became the fifth member of the game's top eight to lose when he was beaten 5-4 by English left-hander Andy Hicks in the British Open in Brighton yesterday.
World number seven Doherty joined Mark Williams, Paul Hunter, Matthew Stevens and Peter Ebdon on the casualty list after losing his 4-2 lead.
Hicks highlighted his recovery with a break of 134 in the seventh frame and clinched the decider with a run of 103. The world number 51 is now through to his first major quarter-final since the 1996 European Open.
Hicks said: "I'm playing great snooker and proving to myself I can compete with the best players in the world. It's amazing how things can change."
Ronnie O'Sullivan's mood improved with his game as he stormed into the quarter-finals. O'Sullivan, who questioned his snooker future after scrapping past John Parrott in the previous round, fired two century breaks in defeating Stephen Lee 5-0.
The world champion, who extended his run of victories in ranking events to 13 matches, was far happier with life - with any thoughts of retirement apparently long forgotten.
"There's no point quoting me because what I say from one day to the next will be different," O'Sullivan admitted.
"It's important to play well and put in good performances for your whole well being. I didn't enjoy my match with John - but I enjoyed that (today)."
O'Sullivan, whose only British Open title success came 10 years ago, opened the match with a break of 127 and ended it with one of 100 to extend his record against Lee to nine victories in 11 meetings.
EQUESTRIAN SPORT: Kevin Babington, a member of Ireland's Olympic show jumping team, finished sixth in the $60,000 Canadian World Cup round at the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto on Wednesday night, writes Grania Willis.
Babington, who finished just out of the medals in fifth at the Games in Athens, had a fence down in the first round with his Olympic horse Carling King. Clocking the fastest time of the four-faulters, Babington slotted into sixth.
The class was won by American Todd Minikus, whose aptly named Flier was fastest of only two clears against the clock. Dutchman Eric van der Vleuten was more than two seconds slower for the runner-up slot with Audi's Jikke, while a fence down left Britain's Michael Whitaker third with Porto Fino.
BOXING: An international against Holland, involving six senior bouts and under-aged contests should see Ireland begin the season with a comfortable win at the National Stadium this evening , writes Pat Roche.
The Neilstown light heavy Ken Egan, the only reigning national senior champion in the home side, faces an unknown quantity in Muhammed Uysal. But given Egan's consistent record in major competitions he will be difficult to beat here.
Middle weight Eamon O'Kane of St Canice's Derry, who took bronze at the Four Nations tournament in Glasgow earlier this year, should have the measure of Vincent Kersten.
SENIOR PAIRINGS: Light - JJ McDonagh v H Kocabas. Welter - Roy Sheahan v O Ostrk. Middle - E O'Kane v V Kersten; Darren Sutherland v D Serdjoek. Light Heavy - Ken Egan v M Oysal. Super Heavy - J Upton v J Ignacia.
