Former top 10 snooker star’s 33-year career comes to an end with loss to world No125 in World Championship qualifier

SNOOKER star Fergal O’Brien called time on his professional career following a defeat to Mostafa Dorgham on Tuesday.

The 52-year-old lost 10-8 to Dorgham at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.

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Fergal O’Brien has retired from snooker[/caption]

He suffered the defeat in the first round of qualifying for the World Championship, which is set to kick off at the Crucible next week.

O’Brien got off to a flying start, leading 3-0 before the world No125 drew level at 4-4.

The match was level again at 7-7 before Dorgham took another three frames to win the match.

The Dublin-born star’s highest career ranking was recorded in the 2001-02 season, when he was world No9.

He beat Anthony Hamilton in the British Open final in 1999 on his way to breaking into the top 10.

Fearless Fergal also made history in 2017 when he was locked in a frame that broke the all-time duration record.

When playing against David Gilbert in the final preliminary round of the World Snooker Championship, and with the score at 9-9, the two players could not be separated.

After 123 minutes and 41 seconds, which included a 30 minute battle on the yellow, O’Brien eventually took the win.

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Fearless Fergal is also one of just 43 people to have scored more than 200 century breaks on the main tour.

He announced his plans to retire back in January, 33 years after kicking off his professional career.

A statement from the World Snooker Tour hailed O’Brien as “one of the game’s true gentlemen”.