Northern Ireland Open results: Williams comeback sets up semi-final showdown
Mark Williams produced three consecutive centuries to reach the Northern Ireland Open semi-finals as Friday’s results confirmed the final four at Belfast’s Waterfront Hall.
Williams recovered from 4–2 down to beat David Gilbert 6–4 and set up an all-Welsh meeting with Jak Jones on Saturday, 24 October. Jones edged Scott Donaldson 6–5 in the only quarter-final to go the distance.
Kyren Wilson and Sam Craigie will contest the afternoon semi-final after convincing victories over Anthony McGill and Elliot Slessor respectively.
Northern Ireland Open results: Friday’s quarter-finals
Anthony McGill 1–6 Kyren Wilson
Sam Craigie 6–2 Elliot Slessor
David Gilbert 4–6 Mark Williams
Jak Jones 6–5 Scott Donaldson
Williams turns quarter-final around
Gilbert held leads of 3–1 and 4–2, but Williams transformed the match with a remarkable burst of scoring.
Breaks of 104, 115 and 101 in successive frames took the three-time world champion into a 5–4 lead. He followed those centuries with a break of 68 as he completed a four-frame winning streak to secure his place in the last four.
The performance keeps the 2017 Northern Ireland Open champion in contention for another Belfast title and gives Jones a clear warning about the scoring power he will face on Saturday evening.
Wilson and Craigie progress comfortably
Wilson took control against McGill by winning the opening four frames, compiling breaks of 77, 75 and 122 along the way.
McGill avoided a whitewash by taking the fifth, but Wilson won the next two to complete a 6–1 victory and maintain his challenge for a second Northern Ireland Open crown.
Craigie secured his place alongside Wilson with a 6–2 win over Slessor. His reward is a meeting with the former world champion, with a place in Sunday’s final at stake.
Both players arrive in the semi-final after winning their quarter-finals with frames to spare, setting up an intriguing contest between two confident performers.
Jones comes through deciding-frame test
Jones faced the closest examination of Friday’s four winners as Donaldson pushed their quarter-final into an eleventh frame.
With the match level at 5–5, Jones delivered a decisive break of 84 to settle the contest and complete the semi-final line-up.
His victory guarantees Welsh representation in Sunday’s final, with either Jones or Williams advancing from Saturday evening’s encounter.
Saturday’s Northern Ireland Open semi-finals
1pm: Kyren Wilson v Sam Craigie
7pm: Mark Williams v Jak Jones
Both semi-finals are best of 11 frames, with the first player to win six progressing.
Wilson’s strong quarter-final display makes his meeting with Craigie one of the key contests of the weekend. Craigie will need to take his scoring opportunities and prevent Wilson from establishing the early control he enjoyed against McGill.
The evening match brings together Williams’ attacking quality and Jones’ ability to withstand a tense finish. Williams demonstrated how quickly he can change a match against Gilbert, while Jones arrives having held his nerve in a deciding frame.
Sunday’s final, on 25 October, will be played over the best of 17 frames, with the winner lifting the Alex Higgins Trophy.
External links:
World Snooker Tour — Northern Ireland Open