Reanne Evans continued her quest to join the main tour as she knocked out Ireland’s Greg Casey in Q-School Event One in Burton on Sunday.
The Englishwoman, who gained widespread media coverage during the World Championship qualifiers when she competed against another Irishman in Ken Doherty, edged Cork’s Casey in a tight contest 4-2.
Casey’s exit means that there is only one remaining player from Ireland in the draw for the first of the two qualifying events that will provide eight graduates onto the pro circuit.
TJ Dowling, Josh Boileau, Dessie Sheehan and Chris Kilcoyne were all comfortably beaten at their first hurdle with just one more chance for each of them to realise their dream of a pro ticket.
Still in with a shout of making a return to the professional scene, though, is Leo Fernandez – the ex pro who reached the last 32 at the Crucible in 1999.
A brace of wins has left the 38 year-old in a promising position, with a further three victories required to rejoin the main tour.
Fernandez takes on Oliver Brown next before a potential clash against either Alex Davies or Ben Harrison, with Scotland’s Rhys Clark also in his section of the draw.
For Evans, the 10-time ladies world champion has countryman Ashley Hugill for company in round four with China’s Chen Zhe a potential threat later down the line.
Also still in contention is former World Championship semi-finalist Andy Hicks, who dropped off the tour in 2013, while the likes of Adam Duffy, Daniel Wells, Zhao Xintong, Sam Craigie and Eden Sharav ensure that it is a highly competitive field gunning for the coveted spots.
The first Q-School event concludes on Tuesday.
