Ken Doherty bounced back from the loss of his Embassy World snooker Championship title in fine style last night as he denied Jimmy White the chance to end the longest barren spell of his career.
Three weeks after losing to John Higgins in the climax to the game's blue riband event, Doherty gained partial consolation by winning the Dr Martens Premier League at the Diamond Centre in Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire.
The 28-year-old Dubliner, who also won the invitation tournament in 1996, collected the first prize of £60,000 thanks to a runaway 10-2 victory over an out-of-sorts White.
"To win this thing twice against such top-quality opposition is a real feather in my cap, not to mention a lot more cash in my pocket," said Doherty.
"I was really disappointed over losing at the Crucible but now I'll go into the summer break feeling a lot happier. I'm going back home for a good rest and a few pints of Guinness."
Doherty lacked nothing in confidence after edging out Stephen Hendry 6-5 in the semi-finals yesterday - despite sitting out a 147 maximum break from his Scottish rival.
Runs of 40, 85, 44 and 62 helped Doherty forge into a 4-1 lead which became 5-1 when he stole frame six by putting together a green-to-pink clearance.
White, attempting to lift his first trophy since the 1993 European League and figuring in his first final since the 1994 World Championship, looked set to salvage the next.
But after leading 56-5 he carelessly missed a simple black off its spot. Doherty pounced with a 55 clearance and when the opening session reached its conclusion he found himself 7-2 to the good.
