Runaway O'Sullivan rockets to UK title

Ronnie O'Sullivan swept to his first ranking snooker title in nearly three years with a superb 10-2 victory over Stephen Maguire in the Maplin UK Championship Final in Telford last night.

The twice world champion followed up his 147 maximum in the semi-finals by brushing aside world No 10 Maguire with an almost effortless display of his irresistible natural ability.

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O'Sullivan, the Wembley Masters champion, had not won a ranking event since the Irish Masters in February 2005 and has suffered troubled times on and off the table.

But 12 months after he walked out on his UK quarter-final against Stephen Hendry — which later cost him a £20,000 fine — O'Sullivan, now 32, signalled that he remains the player the rest have to beat.

He picked up £35,000 for his 147 against Mark Selby as well as the £100,000 winner's cheque.

O'Sullivan, congratulated by his partner Jo and baby daughter Lily, said: "I knew I had to be at my best, I never envisaged this margin — Stephen is the best of the young contenders, he's the real deal.

"The semi was a hard game, but the most comfortable I felt was at 8-8. I thought it was never going to end. But I've enjoyed the match. If you love the game, you'd rather still be playing."

Maguire, who won £46,000, said: "He came out of the blocks like a whippet. He was far too good."

O'Sullivan opened yesterday's final with a perfect session, taking all eight frames against the stunned Scot to leave himself needing only two of the evening's scheduled 11 for the trophy.

When Maguire showed signs of a revival with a 99 in the first frame of the night, O'Sullivan unfolded a superb 126 clearance to black, then saw off the Scot with a 94 clearance.

It was O'Sullivan's fourth UK title, 15 years after he lifted his first just before his 18th birthday and seven since he blew away Ken Doherty 10-1.

Maguire, who won the Northern Ireland Trophy in Belfast last month, surged to the final past bitter rival Shaun Murphy, looking to become only the 11th player to pull off back-to-back ranking titles.

But O'Sullivan needed no time to find his rhythm, making a break of 54 from his very first shot before sealing the frame with another run of 66.

Maguire began nervously and was given little chance to make his mark as 'The Rocket' took the second with 33 and 35 breaks.

Although Maguire looked favourite to take the third with a 43-point lead, he was punished for over-cutting a red to the middle and O'Sullivan cleaned up.

The 2004 UK champion had a great chance when O'Sullivan potted a red when attempting to split the pack in the final frame before the interval. But another missed red to the centre let the favourite back in and a 66 break sealed a clean sweep of the opening four frames.

Both men missed pots in a disjointed fifth before O'Sullivan once again took the initiative.

This time a break of 53 was enough to clinch it. There was no such trouble in frame six.

After Maguire hit the jaws with a green, O'Sullivan clocked up a mesmerising break of 78.

Maguire was among the balls after a scrappy start to the next but underhit a routine red on 24, allowing O'Sullivan another halfcentury. He completed a clean sweep in the eighth.