Ian McCulloch won his battle of the big Macs in Sheffield on Monday night and is now relishing his Embassy World Championship quarter-final with Stephen Hendry.

The Preston potter served up a 13-6 victory over Alan McManus to reach the last eight at Sheffield for the first time in his career.

"If you have aspirations of winning the tournament then you have got to beat the top players," said the 32-year-old Lancastrian.

"But they don't come much tougher than Hendry," added McCulloch, who has resumed the final session 11-5 in front.

"I have only been to one final," admitted the 2002 British Open runner-up.

"Maybe it's my time. Maybe it's about time," he added.

McCulloch's place in the last eight was rarely in doubt after taking all but one of the first eight frames on Sunday.

"The match is only to there to be lost at that stage," said McCulloch, who knocked out 2002 champion and Irish Masters title holder Peter Ebdon in the last 32.

"I knew Alan would be pulling my eyes out to get back into the match today. So, it was massive for me to come out 4-4 after the second session.

"I've played two similar players in Peter and Alan. But it will be a different style against Stephen.

"I spent too many years being negative and if you don't go for your shots then you don't give yourself a chance of winning," said McCulloch, who has benefited from regular sessions with sports psychologist Graham Slater.

World number 10 McManus has now failed to get beyond the last 16 every year since his 1993 semi-final appearance.

"Ian was on top of his game, especially in the first session, and I didn't have much confidence," he confirmed.

"By the end I was just trying to make it respectable because I was never in the match.

"This morning I still thought I had a chance, because I came from 7-1 down to beat Dominic Dale earlier this season.

"But I just never got going, Ian punished my mistakes and he deserved to win. I would much rather have lost playing well, as Barry Pinches did this afternoon."