Watch: Stephen Maguire misses century chance at Championship League due to 'ill-timed ice cream van' but recovers to win group
Updated 01/07/2025 at 08:58 GMT+1
Stephen Maguire was trying to keep cool indoors in the baking heat of Leicester's Mattioli Arena on Monday, but the Scot probably did not think an ice cream van would be a source of annoyance during his 3-1 win over James Cahill on the opening day of the Championship League. The jingle of an ice cream van prompted a rueful smile as he missed a century on his way to winning Group 15 in style.
Maguire thumps table in frustration after losing position
Video credit: TNT Sports
Stephen Maguire was feeling the heat at the Championship League in Leicester, but the former UK champion did not expect an ice cream van to knock him out of his stride indoors.
With temperatures outside reaching an uncomfortable 32C, Maguire kept his cool to wrap up a 3-1 win over James Cahill in his opening match in Group 15 on the first day of the ranking event at the city's Mattioli Arena.
After watching former Crucible qualifier Cahill pocket the opening frame with a break of 71, the Scot showed his scoring class with breaks of 99, 119 and a closing 59 wrapping up the win with his opponent restricted to only eight points in three frames.
But this was not before the familiar summer sounds of an ice cream van bizarrely cost him the chance to make a second century of the match.
"A very ill-timed ice cream van outside," said commentator Phil Yates as Maguire was left sporting a rueful smile.
"Not that it matters. He will take a lot of confidence from that, because he played nicely to get over the line," Yates said.
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The two-table ranking event began at 12pm on Monday and Maguire certainly did take confidence as two 3-0 victories over Liam Graham and Michael Holt respectively saw him book his spot in the next round as section winner.
Breaks of 74, 58 and 50 were too good for Holt, who finished second in the group, five points behind Maguire.
Meanwhile, tour newcomer Yao Pengcheng won Group 26 with a 2-2 draw against Lyu Haotian, a 3-1 win over Jamie Jones and a 2-2 draw with Hanyang Zhao enough to join Maguire in the next group phase.
Jones and Lyu finished on four points, a point behind Yao despite a 3-1 win for Welshman Jones over Lyu settled on the final black in the last group match.
The Championship League runs between June 30 and July 23 with 32 groups of four producing 32 winners, who are then split into eight groups of four.
Two final groups of four will determine who contests the final on July 23, with the winner earning ÂŁ33,000 and a place in the Champion of Champions event in Leicester in November.
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