Northern Ireland Open snooker: Top 5 blockbuster moments from Belfast with Ronnie O’Sullivan, Mark Allen and Judd Trump

Mark Allen began his run to back-to-back titles in 2021 and 2022 at his home event with a memorable 147 in a 4-1 win against Si Jiahui two years ago.

It was a landmark moment in Belfast that had managed to elude his compatriots Alex ‘Hurricane’ Higgins and Dennis Taylor, Northern Ireland’s celebrated world champions.

“Even the ref said afterwards he could see my head going on some shots. To do it anywhere, but to do it here in front of the home fans is special.”

Former Masters champion and Eurosport analyst Alan McManus was hugely impressed with Allen’s effort.

“We see a lot of maximums in the modern game, but you could write a book about that one,” he said.

Mark Williams produced one of the finest performances of his golden 31-year career to dash Yan Bingtao’s hopes of becoming the youngest ranking tournament winner in history with an epic 9-8 victory in 2017.

It was Williams’ first ranking tournament win since the German Masters in 2011, and was completed after he almost withdrew before the final with his wife Jo back in hospital fighting suspected viral meningitis. It was also a precursor to his third world title a year later.

Three century breaks in the first five frames saw the snooker GOAT rampage into a 5-3 lead, only for Selby to fight back to level matters with a brilliant under-pressure contribution of 72 before a solid closing 28 forced the 11th frame decider.

In the final frame, then world No 1 Selby fluked a snooker on the red forcing O’Sullivan to foul several times trying to hit a red as it appeared certain he would lose the frame and match.

However, he then hit the red, which drifted into a middle pocket before clearing up the colours for an incredible 70-68 win – only two points separating the two fierce rivals.

Completed in just under 10 minutes, it proved to be the 2019 world champion’s first maximum since the 2019 German masters, and came seven years after his first professional 147 at the Antwerp Open.

This one was compiled in Milton Keynes due to the global pandemic.

The Romford player recovered from trailing 5-1 to edge out Hawkins – it saw him make it third time lucky in a ranking final having lost to Stephen Hendry (9-2) in the 1997 Welsh Open and Peter Ebdon (10-4) in the 2004 Irish Masters.

“Just before that event I was actually thinking about quitting. I wasn’t in a good place, I wasn’t playing well and I could barely pot a ball,” said King.

“I was wondering to myself what I was doing, why I was playing. It then all clicked together.

“It was a surreal moment when I potted the green and realised I had done it. I was waiting for the family to come out and everything I had dreamed of and visualised in my mind over the years had finally happened.

“It was an unbelievable achievement, and an unbelievable feeling.”