Wednesday, 29 April 2009 Mark Allen lines up a shot in his match against Ryan Day during yesterday’s quarter-finals at the Crucible Mark Allen
needs to win just four more frames against Ryan Day at the Crucible this afternoon to book his place in the World Championship semi-finals as he bids to become Northern Ireland’s first World Champion since Dennis Taylor in 1985. The Antrim potter, second round conqueror of World Champion Ronnie O’Sullivan, finished with a flourish to move 9-7 ahead of Day last night. Allen began the second session 5-3 ahead of but the Welshman won three of the next four frames to leave the score at 6-6 at the mid session interval. The next two frames were shared — the 14th secured thanks to a quickfire 119 from the Ulsterman — and then Allen (pictured below) held his nerve to sink a tricky final black to move 8-7 ahead, punching the air with delight, before clinching the last frame of the night to make it 9-7.
The winner will face either John Higgins or Mark Selby — who are locked at 4-4 after their first session — in the semi-final.