{"id":423492,"date":"2026-04-29T13:56:08","date_gmt":"2026-04-29T13:56:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/423492\/"},"modified":"2026-04-29T13:56:08","modified_gmt":"2026-04-29T13:56:08","slug":"allen-through-to-crucible-semis-after-dramatic-victory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/423492\/","title":{"rendered":"Allen through to Crucible semis after dramatic victory"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mark Allen seized on an “unforgivable” blunder by his opponent Barry Hawkins to book his place in the semi-finals of the World Snooker Championship for the second time in four years.<\/p>\n

The Antrim man looked set to be hauled into a nerve-shredding decider after Hawkins fluked a red and was faced with a simple tap up behind the pink to leave Allen in all sorts of trouble.<\/p>\n

But Hawkins inexplicably came up short with the cue ball, instead plunging himself into problems and ultimately gifting Allen the chance to clear up and win the match 13-11.<\/p>\n

“I wouldn’t have fancied going 12-12,” admitted Allen. “My heart sank a little bit when he fluked that red out of the snooker and that summed up the match for me. I played 24 frames and I don\u2019t think I had to say sorry once.”<\/p>\n

Hawkins, the 2013 runner-up, held the upper hand for most of the contest, with Allen required to haul back 7-4 and 8-6 deficits, but increasingly faltered on the big balls in the final session, leading to the dramatic conclusion.<\/p>\n

WHAT AN ENDING!!!<\/p>\n

Mark Allen’s quarter-final clash with Barry Hawkins ended with all kinds of drama!#WorldChampionship<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/0AfrgCDnMZ<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 WST (@WeAreWST) April 29, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

“It\u2019s unforgivable not reaching it,” admitted Hawkins. “I was worried about over-hitting it, believe it or not. I didn\u2019t want to twitch, throw a quick one in and push the white past. But I just didn\u2019t go through the ball.<\/p>\n

“I was just thinking, that\u2019s it, game over. I was gutted, obviously. What a way to lose. It\u2019s a horrible feeling, knowing that you played an absolutely terrible shot. It\u2019s just gutting, a sinking feel, after such a long match and playing well for the most part.”<\/p>\n

Allen first reached the semi-finals as a fresh-faced 23-year-old in 2009, when he almost retrieved a 13-3 deficit against John Higgins, eventually losing 17-13 but prompting Higgins to describe his opponent as a “street fighter”.<\/p>\n

Allen said: “I think I have always had that. I think it\u2019s just being from Northern Ireland, we\u2019re all the same in all sports, we have a never-say-die attitude.<\/p>\n

“I still haven\u2019t been anywhere near my best but I\u2019m in the semi-final. Ninety-five per cent of the tour would snap your hand off for that. Maybe I should try to talk myself up a little bit because maybe there\u2019s a lot more good snooker that I\u2019m just not believing in.<\/p>\n

“Every year I come here thinking I can win it, and it\u2019s no different this year. The first hurdle is getting through that first round, and the next one is ‘can you get to the one-table set-up’. Then you want to give yourself a chance on Sunday or Monday. I haven\u2019t done that yet and that\u2019s the next step for me.”<\/p>\n

Neil Robertson maintained his two-frame advantage over John Higgins, carving out a 9-7 lead in a match set to play to its completion on Wednesday evening.<\/p>\n