# 1998 Irish Open

The 1998 Irish Open was a professional ranking snooker tournament, held from 14 to 20 December 1998 at the National Basketball Arena, Tallaght, Republic of Ireland, of which only one edition was held. Mark Williams won the tournament by defeating Alan McManus 9–4 in the final.

## Prize fund

The breakdown of prize money for this year is shown below:

## Main draw

| Last 32 Best of 9 frames | Last 32 Best of 9 frames | Last 32 Best of 9 frames | Last 16 Best of 9 frames | Last 16 Best of 9 frames | Last 16 Best of 9 frames | Quarter-finals Best of 9 frames | Quarter-finals Best of 9 frames | Quarter-finals Best of 9 frames | | Semi-finals Best of 11 frames | Semi-finals Best of 11 frames | Semi-finals Best of 11 frames | | Final Best of 17 frames | Final Best of 17 frames | Final Best of 17 frames |
| John Higgins | John Higgins | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Tony Knowles | Tony Knowles | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Tony Knowles | Tony Knowles | 3 | John Higgins | John Higgins | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Stephen Lee | Stephen Lee | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Stephen Lee | Stephen Lee | 5 | Stephen Lee | Stephen Lee | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Quinten Hann | Quinten Hann | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Quinten Hann | Quinten Hann | 0 | | | | Stephen Lee | Stephen Lee | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | John Parrott | John Parrott | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| Matthew Couch | Matthew Couch | 5 | | | | | | | John Parrott | John Parrott | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| Alain Robidoux | Alain Robidoux | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Alain Robidoux | Alain Robidoux | 1 | Matthew Couch | Matthew Couch | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | John Parrott | John Parrott | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| John Parrott | John Parrott | 5 | John Parrott | John Parrott | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Dominic Dale | Dominic Dale | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Dominic Dale | Dominic Dale | 4 | | | | | | | | John Parrott | John Parrott | 1 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | Mark Williams | Mark Williams | 6 | | | | |
| Mark Williams | Mark Williams | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | Mark Williams | Mark Williams | 6 | | | | |
| Lee Walker | Lee Walker | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Lee Walker | Lee Walker | 3 | Mark Williams | Mark Williams | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Graeme Dott | Graeme Dott | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Graeme Dott | Graeme Dott | 5 | Graeme Dott | Graeme Dott | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Mark King | Mark King | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Mark King | Mark King | 4 | | | | Mark Williams | Mark Williams | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Ken Doherty | Ken Doherty | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| Bradley Jones | Bradley Jones | 5 | | | | | | | Ken Doherty | Ken Doherty | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| Nigel Bond | Nigel Bond | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Nigel Bond | Nigel Bond | 1 | Bradley Jones | Bradley Jones | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Ken Doherty | Ken Doherty | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Ken Doherty | Ken Doherty | 5 | Ken Doherty | Ken Doherty | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Gerard Greene | Gerard Greene | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Gerard Greene | Gerard Greene | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | Mark Williams | Mark Williams | 9 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Alan McManus | Alan McManus | 4 |
| Jimmy Michie | Jimmy Michie | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Alan McManus | Alan McManus | 4 |
| Ronnie O'Sullivan | Ronnie O'Sullivan | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Ronnie O'Sullivan | Ronnie O'Sullivan | 4 | Jimmy Michie | Jimmy Michie | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Billy Snaddon | Billy Snaddon | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Billy Snaddon | Billy Snaddon | 5 | Billy Snaddon | Billy Snaddon | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Anthony Hamilton | Anthony Hamilton | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Anthony Hamilton | Anthony Hamilton | 4 | | | | Billy Snaddon | Billy Snaddon | 3 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Alan McManus | Alan McManus | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| Paul Davies | Paul Davies | 5 | | | | | | | Alan McManus | Alan McManus | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| James Wattana | James Wattana | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| James Wattana | James Wattana | 4 | Paul Davies | Paul Davies | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Alan McManus | Alan McManus | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Alan McManus | Alan McManus | 5 | Alan McManus | Alan McManus | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Dave Harold | Dave Harold | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Dave Harold | Dave Harold | 4 | | | | | | | | Alan McManus | Alan McManus | 6 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | Tony Drago | Tony Drago | 3 | | | | |
| Peter Ebdon | Peter Ebdon | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | Tony Drago | Tony Drago | 3 | | | | |
| Jimmy White | Jimmy White | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Jimmy White | Jimmy White | 4 | Peter Ebdon | Peter Ebdon | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Tony Drago | Tony Drago | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Tony Drago | Tony Drago | 5 | Tony Drago | Tony Drago | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Karl Broughton | Karl Broughton | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Karl Broughton | Karl Broughton | 4 | | | | Tony Drago | Tony Drago | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Stephen Hendry | Stephen Hendry | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| Paul Hunter | Paul Hunter | 5 | | | | | | | Stephen Hendry | Stephen Hendry | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| Steve Davis | Steve Davis | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Steve Davis | Steve Davis | 4 | Paul Hunter | Paul Hunter | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Stephen Hendry | Stephen Hendry | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Stephen Hendry | Stephen Hendry | 5 | Stephen Hendry | Stephen Hendry | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Joe Perry | Joe Perry | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

## Final

Final: Best of 17 frames. Referee: Len Ganley National Basketball Arena, Dublin, Republic of Ireland, 20 December 1998. :
| Mark Williams Wales | 9–4 | Alan McManus Scotland |
| Afternoon: 62–25, 64–8, 64–20 (64), 44–36, 78–4 (64), 135–0 (135), 47–60, 49–53 Evening: 7–91 (71),68–1 (53), 75–16 (62), 0–82 (82), 107–0 (65) |||
| 135 | Highest break | 82 |
| 1 | Century breaks | 0 |
| 6 | 50+ breaks | 2 |

## Century breaks

* 139, 133, 118, 103, 101 – Mark Williams
* 120 – Alan McManus
* 118, 102 – Bradley Jones
* 117 – James Wattana
* 109, 100 – Ken Doherty
* 106 – Tony Drago
* 104 – Anthony Hamilton
* 104, 100 – Stephen Hendry