Mark Allen beats Andy Lee in late-night finish to keep Northern Ireland title defence hopes alive

Mark Allen kept his hopes of defending the Northern Ireland Open title alive, but only just as he fell over the line in beating Andy Lee 4-3.

Allen arrived in the last 32 as arguably the form player following impressive wins over Chang Bingyu and Chen Zifan, but he was way below that level against Lee.

However, despite being well short of his best, he scrapped his way into contention and won a deciding frame to set up a clash with Xiao Guodong.

The opening frame was a scrappy affair, with both players handing chances to each other.

A lengthy safety battle ensued and it seemed inevitable that it would boil down to a battle on the black.

Both had shots at it and after Allen saw an attempt wriggle in the jaws of the green pocket, Lee rolled it in to claim a 33-minute opener.

The scrappy nature continued in the second, with Allen placing Lee in a series of snookers behind the brown – and the latter repeatedly escaped by rolling up into the pack.

Allen found a telling snooker, tight up to the brown, and Lee’s escape chipped out a red.

It looked set to free up Allen as he picked off a series of pots, but he surprisingly missed a simple red into the bottom left which Neal Foulds said on Eurosport commentary “he would miss those one in 100.”

Lee did not take the chance, but a further error from Allen handed him a second bite which he took in confident fashion to move two frames to the good.

Allen continued to struggle in the third, but eked out an advantage and after forcing an error from Lee he got a frame on the board.

An excellent shot to nudge out the final red suggested Allen was finding something, but the fourth was another scrappy affair which the defending champion took after Lee missed a long yellow.

Allen required a spark of inspiration and a double of a red to the right middle provided it. It was a shot with little risk, as the only ball he could leave was the one he played, but he was rewarded for playing it and a break of 57 – his first half century of the contest – moved him into the lead for the first time in the match.

Lee built his lead on defensive snooker, which he continued as Allen fought his way back into the contest.

At 3-2 down, Lee elected to go on the attack. He took on a black down the bottom rail he would have refused earlier in the match, and was rewarded for his endeavour as it wriggled in the jaws before dropping and it set up a break of 91 to force a decider.

The decider began a shade before 1am, and the hardy few who remained at the Waterfront Hall were given something to cheer as Allen got over the line.

It was not a one-kill frame – it was never likely to be – but Allen worked an advantage with a break of 51. It was a break that summed up the match, as he rarely had the cue ball in prime position, but doggedly kept going to secure a cushion.

Lee crafted a chance of his own with a clever safety and worked his way into a match-winning situation, but he missed the final red and Allen stepped in and wrapped up the win with a superb yellow along the top rail.

David Gilbert was in excellent form as he made breaks of 132, 134 and 88 in his 4-1 win over David Lilley. The Angry Farmer will take on Tom Ford in the last 16 following his win over Judd Trump’s conqueror Aaron Hill.

Stephen Maguire set up a meeting with Mark Williams thanks to a 4-1 win over Kyren Wilson. The Scot last secured a tournament victory in 2020, but has made good progress in Belfast and breaks of 102 and 91 helped him into the last 16.

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