LIVE updates - John Higgins, Mark Allen, Yan Bingtao and Ricky Walden in Northern Ireland Open semi-final action
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ByEurosport
Updated 16/10/2021 at 21:16 GMT
Follow all the action from the Northern Ireland Open at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast with our live updates. It's semi-final day after we recover from a couple of days of huge shocks. We start with Mark Allen, who knocked out world number one and defending champion Judd Trump, up against Ricky Walden, before Yan Bingtao faces John Higgins.
'This kid's got something different' - Ronnie O'Sullivan believes Yan Bingtao is a born winner
Thanks for your company
It's been a great day of snooker, join us again at 12.45pm tomorrow for live coverage of the first session of the final. Night night.
The final
In the studio Ronnie is absolutely gushing in his praise for a politely embarrassed Higgins sat next to him. Higgins deserves those plaudits, and what a final he's set up for us tomorrow. It's Mark Allen, the Belfast boy in his hometown tournament, looking to secure a romantic victory and win the Alex Higgins Trophy; in his way is the rejuvenated Higgins, one of the all-time greats, playing at the top of his game. After his semi-final victory over Ricky Walden earlier today, this is the final Allen said he wanted. Well, we've got it, and it should be an absolute belter. Don't miss it.
John Higgins is through to the Northern Ireland Open final
Will he ever stop being a sensational snooker player? After a few wobbles early in the match tonight, Higgins dominated Yan Bingtao from 2-0 behind and rattled off six frames in a row to secure an emphatic victory. It was all the more impressive that he did it to Yan, whose four previous victories over Higgins have been in the last eight of tournaments including the Masters final nine months ago. Yan is a prodigy, and the future is his; tonight, the glory goes to the timeless Higgins.
Higgins 6-2 Yan
We don't get the ton, but a 90 caps an awesome performance by Higgins and he's won the match.
Higgins 5-2 Yan (75-0)
There goes frame ball red, and the blue to follow ends the argument. There may be a ton on here as Higgins has moved three reds into better positions off the blue. After a shaky start he's been superb tonight.
Higgins 5-2 Yan (53-0)
Higgins goes into the pack off the black. It's not a great split, but he's got a straight long red to the green pocket and he plugs it right in the centre. Soon after he goes into the pack again to free more reds, cuts in a red despite awkward bridging over another and then strokes in the blue to secure a half-century and counting. He's not far away now.
Higgins 5-2 Yan (24-0)
Here we go in the eighth. Yan has turned around some tough situations already in his fledgling career, but this is probably the tallest order he's ever been handed. He may not even get back to the table; from Yan's break, Higgins strokes in a confident long red to land perfectly on the black, and he's away again.
Higgins 5-2 Yan
Yan is right up against it now; a break of 75 banks a fifth frame in a row for Higgins, who needs one more for victory.
Higgins 4-2 Yan (67-8)
A simple red to the bottom right with the rest, followed by the pink, is going to put this one to bed. Higgins looks unstoppable at the moment.
Higgins 4-2 Yan (49-8)
Higgins moves the break to 44 with a blue, but in trying to shift two reds beneath the pink he connects but doesn't land on anything easy. His answer? Higgins bullets an alternative red into the yellow pocket to land perfectly on the brown. What a great shot, and it might well win the frame.
Higgins 4-2 Yan (8-8)
After a series of up-table safety shots, leaving the white on the bottom cushion, Higgins commits everything to a deadweight red into the right middle. It's close, but it rolls out off the knuckles and he's left Yan a load on. He needed a chance to stop the momentum of Higgins, and here it is. On eight it goes horribly wrong as he misses a simple cut on a blue the left middle, and that could be huge. Higgins now sets about collecting the points that should have been scored by Yan.
Higgins 4-2 Yan
A break of 78 secures the frame for Higgins, his fourth in a row. Yan needs to do something - anything - to stop the momentum of his opponent.
Higgins 3-2 Yan (70-0)
A pink takes this break to 47 and means Yan now needs a snooker with 67 left out there. The points will keep coming though, and Higgins is looking ominous in this match now.
Higgins 3-2 Yan (36-0)
During some tap and nudge safety close to the pack, Yan sportingly calls a foul on himself for a push shot. After a long safety exchange Yan tries a red to the bottom right from distance, but misses and leaves Higgins a thin cut to the green pocket. That goes, and a few shots later a difficult red with the rest goes to and Higgins is on the pink. There are a load of reds plus pink and black to score for here, and Yan is in bother.
Higgins 3-2 Yan (19-0)
Higgins has his tail up here, gliding in a long red to the bottom left and then getting a fortunate kiss on a red to land plum on the black. An early attempt to split the pack doesn't work out though as he ends up stuck to it, and it's end of break.
Higgins 3-2 Yan
Yan has Higgins tied in knots with a series of snookers, one of which draws a four point foul. Higgins eventually gets a look at the final red to the yellow pocket, and nails it from the bottom end of the table! That's a glorious shot, and he's on the green. From there it's routine, as he secures the frame and clears up to the pink to take the lead for the first time tonight.
Higgins 2-2 Yan (61-37)
On 22 Yan pots one red and tries to shift the awkward one into play, but just fails to do so. Instead he brings the pink into play and lays a snooker on the final red. These are a big 35 points that are sat out there.
Higgins 2-2 Yan (61-14)
He won't be doing this in one visit! Higgins leaves himself a difficult red across the table to the bottom right, having to bridge over another to reach it, and he's missed it! Could that be a pivotal moment? Now it's Yan who can fill his boots. One remaining red is tight on the top cushion but there's enough on here to get right back in this at least.
Higgins 2-2 Yan (40-14)
Higgins motors to 40, having to do very little with the cue ball at all. With at least five of the remaining reds in nice positions it looks impossible for him not to take this out in one visit.
Higgins 2-2 Yan (0-14)
We're back, and it's Yan that's away first in the fifth frame. On 14 he finishes low on a plant at the bottom of the pack. It's difficult, and there's distance between the two balls; he goes all out for it and misses, sending reds everywhere as he does so. Nothing goes down, and it's landed like a practice table for Higgins. What a gift; Yan has left the world on here.
Higgins 2-2 Yan
An 83 banks the frame, and we're all square at the interval. We'll see you in 15 minutes.
Higgins 1-2 Yan (71-0)
There goes frame ball red with 67 remaining, and the yellow to follow. Yan won't be coming back to the table in this one.
Higgins 1-2 Yan (60-0)
Higgins just about opens the pack with heavy topspin off the pink, and soon advances to a half-century. There's enough that's easy here in the next few shots to secure the frame.
Higgins 1-2 Yan (22-0)
Yan gives away four after missing an attempt to drop deadweight on a red on the bottom cushion. From there Higgins nurses a red into the right middle, and starts to develop a decent early chance here in the fourth.
Higgins 1-2 Yan
A swift 52 from Higgins secures the third frame.
Higgins 0-2 Yan (70-23)
Yan is in fearless mood here, and gambles everything on potting a difficult long red and holding for the black. It misses badly, and he's left the frame on for Higgins. Red-pink-red-blue-red go quickly, and he's home. The black follows, and he'll be on the board shortly.
Higgins 0-2 Yan (49-23)
Higgins plugs the blue to get to 45, but in trying to run into a cluster of five reds and develop them he catches them thin and leaves the white near the bottom cushion. He tries a red to the left middle - the only ball he can leave - but misses it by a long way. Yan's got a shot at it, long to the green pocket...and he's plugged it right in the middle of the pocket! What a shot. He can only add seven though as he fails to land on a baulk colour, and it's end of break. There are four reds left out there.
Higgins 0-2 Yan (25-16)
Yan tries to make a plant on two reds to the bottom left. It's close but the red spits out, and he's left an easy starter for Higgins. There's a fair few on here, and it's a great chance for Higgins to get a foothold in this semi-final.
Higgins 0-2 Yan (4-16)
Higgins misses a cut on a red to bottom left from distance, loading the white with too much side and sending it off the line of the pot. Yan then picks off a red down the left rail from short range, but can only make 16 as Yan's attempt to open the pack leaves him on nothing. In co-comms, Gentleman Joe Johnson suggests he needs to let his arm go more when he goes into the reds. It's a tiny flaw in an impressive game.
Higgins 0-2 Yan
It's another one to Yan, as Higgins sends a red around the table but leaves it right over the bottom left, and immediately concedes.
Higgins 0-1 Yan (6-51)
There's some superb tit-for-tat safety play going on here as Higgins searches for the snooker he needs. We've had ten minutes without a pot, but this back and forth between two advanced tactical minds is enthralling.
Higgins 0-1 Yan (6-51)
A blue puts Yan 55 ahead with 51 remaining, but he's not on an easy next red. He tries one to the green pocket, down the rail, but it jaws out and Higgins is still in there. It's a lofty order though, with all three reds with blacks, the colours and a snooker needed just to tie.
Higgins 0-1 Yan (6-45)
A mistake from Yan, missing a brown to right middle, serves up a chance to Higgins. He goes into the remaining cluster early and he's just about on a red, and he's quickly turned this into a chance to steal a frame right back. It soon goes awry though as he rattles a blue in and out of the jaws of the bottom left, leaving the frame at Yan's mercy.
Higgins 0-1 Yan (0-37)
After a bout of safety to start the second, Higgins misses a wild attempt at a long red to the bottom right and he's left Yan straight on a red to the right middle. He calmly sets about putting another break together, and quickly clears a path for the black to go to both corners. An attempt to go into the bunch only leaves an awkward cut to left middle to keep the break going, but he dispatches it gently to stay on the black. This is an impressive start.
Higgins 0-1 Yan
That's how you you punish a mistake; Yan empties the table for a 66 that nicks the frame from under the nose of Higgins.
Higgins 0-0 Yan (55-40)
Yan expertly picks off 35 before going up off the blue for the final red in baulk. He's lucky to drift around the back of said red and land on it perfectly, but it soon disappears followed by the yellow. Yan needs the colours off their spots for the steal...
Higgins 0-0 Yan (55-1)
Higgins loses position for a couple of shots, but converts an awkward red to the right middle and then a thin cut on the black to retrieve it. He then picks off a red in baulk, followed by the pink, and it's a half-century. A few more pots and he'll be home and dry, but as I type that he misses the blue to left middle from high on it. This is a real chance now for Yan to land an early blow.
Higgins 0-0 Yan (24-1)
Both players miss early long reds, before Yan drills one into the bottom right and splits the pack wide open as he does so. That's a really attacking shot, but he can't follow it with a difficult pink to the yellow pocket and he's left Higgins a great chance. There's a load on and Higgins sets about racking it up.
Here they come
Our MC Phil Seymour brings the players into the arena. Between these two, Yan has the wood over Higgins. It's four victories to two in meaningful encounters, and alongside that Masters victory, Yan put him our of the UK Championship in the quarters in 2019.
Here we go then; best of eleven to face Mark Allen in the final tomorrow.
The Tiger
It was Yan Bingtao that beat Higgins in that Masters final, and at just 20-years old he became the youngest player to win a Triple Crown since Ronnie O’Sullivan. He also won the Riga Masters as a teenager, and was runner-up in this event after losing a decider to Mark Williams in 2019 when he was only 17. Yan is the most prodigious talent currently operating in the game, and walloped Mitchell Mann 5-0 in the quarters yesterday.
The Wizard
Higgins wasn’t happy with his performance against David Gilbert last night but hey, he’s here; and if we take a longer view, he reached the Masters final in January and then obliterated a quality field to win the Players Championship the following month. That was his first ranking event win in three years. Whatever the elusive ‘it’ is, he clearly still has it.
Evening folks
Welcome to live coverage of the second semi-final of the 2021 Northern Ireland Open from the Waterfront Hall in Belfast.
Mark Allen of this locale is already in the final after beating Ricky Walden this afternoon, and we’ll find out who will be facing him shortly. It’s bona fide legend John Higgins against the reigning Masters champion Yan Bingtao, and we’ll get going in about 15 minutes.
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Thanks for your company this afternoon
We've got the second semi-final for you in a couple of hours, a repeat of the Masters final earlier this year as John Higgins faces Yan Bingtao. We'll be with you at 6.45pm.
Mark Allen is through to the Northern Ireland Open final
The local lad has done it! Belfast's Mark Allen will contest the final of the Northern Ireland Open at the Waterfront Hall on Sunday. What a great moment for him, and it's thoroughly deserved. Although Ricky Walden pegged him back to 2-2 Allen was the better player over the course of the match, and pulled away emphatically at the end. In his post-match interview he stresses how much victory in his home tournament would mean to him; tomorrow he'll have a shot at winning the Alex Higgins Trophy.
Allen 6-3 Walden
A total break of 73 sorts it, and Mark Allen has won.
Allen 5-3 Walden (72-0)
A pink puts Allen 72 ahead with 67 left. In doing so he tickles open the remaining five reds which leaves one on to the bottom right. It's there; Mark Allen is going to the final!
Allen 5-3 Walden (50-0)
With the winning line approaching Allen tries to canon a red out off the bottom cushion when potting the black, fails, and seems to be on nothing. He then fashions a superb double on a red to take the break to 50 and also open the door to victory. Great shot.
Allen 5-3 Walden (25-0)
Walden leaves a red in the jaws of the bottom left at the start of the ninth. Allen can't see it direct, but plays another red into it to secure the pot and land on the blue. He's racking up points quickly again, and this is another decent chance to close out the match.
Allen 5-3 Walden
Back comes Walden though! Allen misses a few sighters at a long blue, before Walden snicks it into the green pocket to both take the frame and stay in the match.
Allen 5-2 Walden (48-63)
Oh my word, Walden's missed frame ball blue! He left himself a harder shot than necessary after a poor positional shot off the brown, but that's a shocker. Allen's not got a look at a pot as he comes back, but he's still in with a chance to secure frame and match.
Allen 5-2 Walden (48-52)
This is an admirable display of moxie from Walden, who mops up 47 to take the lead. The last red is over to the right of the table and he drops in behind it to leave it on to the yellow pocket. This is a huge shot...and he's drained it to land on the yellow! That's a fantastic shot, and he should see it home from here.
Allen 5-2 Walden (48-4)
Allen's break ends on 37 as his attempted split of the pack doesn't come off. What has Walden got left? The exit door is propped open for him here, and he needs something quickly. Is this it? Allen kabooms in a long red to the bottom left, but the white careers off the bottom cushion and into the right middle.
Allen 5-2 Walden (35-0)
It's another error from Walden, who tries to dump the white on the bottom cushion with a containing safety but leaves a red on to the bottom right. Allen picks it off, and he's quickly into his break. This is a promising situation; he's got several reds in the open and the black on to both corners.
Allen 5-2 Walden (11-0)
Walden looks really out of sorts now, and misses a long red to the bottom left by such a margin that he leaves it on to the yellow pocket. It's not easy for Allen, who has to use the spider to bridge the blue, but he jabs it in and he's away again. He runs out of position on 11 though, and has to play safe back to baulk. Walden returns to the table with the white nailed to the top cushion.
Allen 5-2 Walden
A red for 63 is frame ball, swiftly followed by the black to make certain. Can he ton up? Yes, he can! The final red sorts that out, followed by the pink and the colours for a superb total clearance of 133.
Allen 4-2 Walden (53-0)
Like the flick of a light switch, Allen is illuminated. He motors to a half-century in no time, and has developed enough open reds to comfortably take this out in one hit. He is edging towards an appearance in the final of his home tournament here.
Allen 4-2 Walden (27-0)
New frame, new Allen. At the start of the seventh he shakes off the memory of the last frame and drains a wonderful long red into the bottom left to land on the blue. That's more like it! Allen is in determined mood here, going into the pack off the black early in the break and developing more reds. His break is 27 and counting, and he looks a completely different player to the one who struggled through the sixth.
Allen 4-2 Walden
Allen picks up another four as Walden misses in an escape from a snooker, but the attrition goes on. Walden then double kisses on a safety and he's left Allen the yellow to left middle; it's in, and the green is frame ball. Allen composes himself to roll it in, followed by the brown, and this 52 minute grind is over!
Allen 3-2 Walden (38-23)
Bless this mess! Walden takes red-pink, then misses a difficult yellow by a huge margin but doesn't leave it. This is an absolute shocker; I've seen frames as bad before, but I'm usually contesting them in the club with one of my pals. 'The tape of this frame afterwards needs destroying,' says Neal Foulds in commentary. I'll say. We're on to the colours though, and whoever does win this curious and almost unwatchable epic will gain a huge psychological boost.
Allen 3-2 Walden (38-16)
A snooker by Allen draws four points, and then when Walden gets out of another he leaves Allen a difficult red to the bottom right and he can't convert it. Walden then has a chance at a mid-ranger as a result, which he misses by a big margin. This frame is all over the place, and both players are struggling. Walden eventually leaves Allen a red he simply can't miss, but the confidence of the latter has dipped somewhat and he barely attempts to get on a colour. A later attempt by Allen at the final red misses to the right middle by a huge margin, and he's served it up over the yellow pocket for Walden.
Allen 3-2 Walden (33-16)
We're up to half an hour in this frame now, and we're still bogged down in safety. I think it must be ten minutes since the last pot, a run that Walden ends by potting a red as a shot to nothing. He misses a long black thereafter, and leaves Allen a chance at a red with the rest. Allen misses it though, but doesn't leave anything. Both players are right out of rhythm, and this is hard work. Allen eventually gets a red down but position doesn't come with it, and this Homeric frame continues.
Allen 3-2 Walden (32-15)
Walden gets the red in, but misses the blue. This has gone really scrappy, but it's a big frame in the context of the match. There are four reds left, bunched near the right rail, and we could be here for some time.
Allen 3-2 Walden (32-14)
Walden gets in, dropping a red down to land on the blue. It's a horrible table, with a group of six reds around the lower left rail, so he'll do well to put a sizeable break together here. The break is over quickly when he misses a black off its spot, and he's left Allen on a red to the right middle. That was a poor shot, he caught it way too thick. Allen though can only add six before missing a long red to the green pocket, and he's left it for Walden.
Allen 3-2 Walden (25-0)
It's cagey safety to start the sixth, and Allen gets out of bother by dropping a long red deadweight into the bottom right. He can't add to it though, and tense safety exchange ensues until Allen picks out a plant to the bottom right and lands on the brown. It's hard work early in the break, with pink and black tied up, but he grafts hard to get 18 together before freeing up the pink when potting a red. The blue follows, and he's steadily turning this into a chance. As I type that he lands badly on the pink, and with no comfortable pot on he goes back to baulk.
Allen 3-2 Walden
It's over now, as Walden leaves Allen a cut to the left middle and it's duly dispatched followed by the brown. Allen adds 21 in total, and regains the lead in the match.
Allen 2-2 Walden (64-0)
This is such a poor shot from Allen; needing only a colour and one more red to secure the frame he goes up to baulk and lands on nothing. He tucks the white up tight behind the yellow, but he'll be furious with himself. There's still 75 left out there.
Allen 2-2 Walden (40-0)
It's a dangerous table again, with reds everywhere, and a superb safety from Allen draws a mistake from Walden, who clatters into other reds when attempting to find his way back to baulk and he's left Allen in. The pink and blue are out of commission for the moment but if he can clear the route for the black to both corners rather than the one currently available, this is a great chance. In moving to 19 he does precisely that, and it looks routine from here on.
Allen 2-2 Walden (21-0)
We're back, and Walden twice shorts a one-cushion escape from a snooker at the start of the fifth to chuck Allen eight points. The second is short that he leaves Allen a thin red to the bottom left; in it goes, and position on the black comes with it. He can only make 13 though before landing in no man's land after potting the brown, and plays safe back to baulk.
Allen 2-2 Walden
The 73 to secure the frame is sorted, and his tenth black takes it to 80. From it though he fails to canon into a cluster of reds, instead clattering full ball into the pink, and that's nixed everything. He tries to swerve around the cluster and pot a stray red, but misses. Gah! The frame's won though, and a fascinating match is locked at 2-2 at the interval.
Allen 2-1 Walden (0-49)
It's now six reds and blacks, so thoughts are inevitably turning to a potential second maxi of the week. A mistimed canon leaves Walden a long red to the green pocket, but he drops it in smoothly and he's on the black again. Securing the frame is paramount, but this is a chance for the big one. Have at it Ricky!
Allen 2-1 Walden (0-32)
A misjudged safety by Allen, catching the blue on his way back to baulk and leaving the white in the middle of the table, gifts Walden an easy mid-range starter in the fourth. He's getting his arm through the shot very smoothly now. It's four reds and four blacks so far, but work to develop the bunch will be needed shortly.
Allen 2-1 Walden
Welcome to the party pal; Walden empties the table for a 73 that secures the third frame.
Allen 2-0 Walden (21-74)
Walden tacks on a quick 30 points, and Allen now needs a snooker. He won't get a shy at it though, as Walden rolls the second to last red in along the bottom rail, followed by the black. He'll be on the board shortly.
Allen 2-0 Walden (21-36)
A nice split on a cluster of three below the pink keeps Walden's break chugging, but only for seconds as he underhits his next red to the left middle and it doesn't reach. Allen picks it off, and he has a great chance to counter. There are five reds below the black, some blocking others, so it's not the easiest of tables. That point is borne out as Allen tries to plant two of those said reds into the bottom right, and misses; chance now for Walden.
Allen 2-0 Walden (1-16)
It's a dangerous table at the start of the third, with reds everywhere. Walden eventually leaves one over the bottom right, which Allen gobbles up; the pink that follows to left middle strays offline though, and rolls out off the knuckles. This is a great chance for Walden to establish himself in the match.
Allen 2-0 Walden
He's done it; Allen cruises past the winning line, making a 61 before missing another red with the rest. No matter though, as he's just extended his lead in the match.
Allen 1-0 Walden (51-20)
Allen is taking these very smoothly, as he advances his break to 37. There's comfortably enough in the open here for him to secure a two frame lead.
Allen 1-0 Walden (14-20)
It's the first proper chance of the match for Walden now, as he picks out a plant from the bunch and comes back up the table for the yellow. He runs out of position on 19 though, and misses a long yahoo at a red into the yellow pocket. Walden's soon back in though, courtesy of an outrageous fluke, but he misses a brown to the right middle thereafter and he's left Allen in.
Allen 1-0 Walden (14-0)
Walden gets a look at a mid-ranger to the bottom right at the start of the second, but jaws it in and out. That leaves a simple starter for Allen, who doesn't waste any time. His positional play is a bit off so far though and he lands awkwardly on a red in baulk. Rather than risk it he plays safe instead, nixing his break on just 14.
Allen 1-0 Walden
Walden picks off 23 off three of the remaining reds, and will try to elicit a free ball with a snooker off the final one. The balls are in good positions for snookers, so it's worth a crack. Walden lays some fine snookers, only to see Allen escape repeatedly. After Allen then lands a snooker Walden can't escape from, the frame is conceded.
Allen 0-0 Walden (68-0)
This is nice stuff from Allen. He loses position slightly when trying to go in and out of baulk again, but recovers position off the green to land on frame ball red. He makes sure of it before knocking the blue safe; with only 59 left out there, Walden needs two snookers. A miss when trying to escape from a snooker makes it three, and Allen is going to be one up shortly.
In commentary it's just been noted that the great Terry Griffiths is 74 today. It's his birthday now, you know.
Allen 0-0 Walden (52-0)
Allen is settling more quickly here, and clips in a long red to land on the pink. This time it looks like a chance that will stick, with Allen jabbing in reds around the pink and having very little to do with the cue ball. His break is at 26 and counting.
Allen 0-0 Walden (26-0)
Walden errs, catching a double kiss on a red when playing safe and leaving Allen on one to the bottom right. That goes, and after almost going in-off in the left middle Allen starts cobbling a break together. He can only make 18 though before smashing full ball into the yellow when trying to go around the angles in baulk and leaving himself stranded.
Allen 0-0 Walden (8-0)
Allen's away first, glancing in a long red to the bottom left to hearty applause. He's flicked the black over the left middle too, and he's on it. Signs of nerves follow early in the break though as he misses a red to the bottom left with the rest horribly. He's not left anything, but it's end of break on eight.
Here we go
Our MC Phil Seymour announces the players into the arena, now restructured to make it a one table situation. Best of eleven then for a place in the final, let's get about it.
Walden
For a shot at that he’ll have to get past Ricky Walden, and on the evidence of this week that will be far from a doddle. The world number 29 has taken out Neil Robertson and Shaun Murphy on his way to the semi-finals and is slowly returning to form after the back injuries that have severely affected his game in recent seasons. Prior to those, Walden had won three ranking events and been in the top 10 of the world rankings for four seasons in a row.
The Pistol
Yesterday afternoon, Mark Allen was 3-0 behind against Judd Trump, who had frame ball to make it a four-frame lead and establish a surely unassailable lead in their quarter-final. Trump missed, and Allen rattled off five on the spin to knock out the three-time winner of this event. It was an extraordinary turnaround, and it’s opened the door to something potentially very special indeed. Winning any ranking event is great, but there’s an extra sprinkle of stardust if you can snag one in your own back yard.
Good afternoon!
It’s semi-final day of the 2021 Northern Ireland Open, live from Waterfront Hall in Belfast.
We’ve got two crackers for you today, and this tournament is now wide open after the elimination of Judd Trump and Shaun Murphy yesterday. First up today we’ll have local lad Mark Allen against Ricky Walden, and we’ll return in the evening for John Higgins versus Yan Bingtao.
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'It was embarrassing' - Higgins tears into his own performance
John Higgins was unhappy with his performance during his 5-3 win over David Gilbert in the quarter finals of the Northern Ireland Open.
The Scot’s form had been up and down during the week, with some impressive play during his victory over Mark Williams in the previous round.
He was kept cold by Gilbert early on, but knocked in an 81 in the third and an outrageous fluke in the fourth tipped the scales in Higgins’ favour.
Read full story here.
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'It was embarrassing' - Higgins rips his own performance apart
SATURDAY ORDER OF PLAY
Sat 16 13:00
- Mark Allen v Ricky Walden
Sat 16 19:00
- Yan Bingtao v John Higgins
- -
Stream the Northern Ireland Open live and on demand on discovery+, the Eurosport app and eurosport.com.
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