2007 888.com World Championship

MATCH BY MATCH LIVE MATCH NOTES [CLICK ON MATCH FOR LIVE COMMENTARY, NEWS, QUOTES]

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KEN DOHERTY v

MARK ALLEN

Round One - Match 8 (Best of 19 frames)

Match Notes - LIVE information as it happens.....  This match is due to start at 1430 Monday but due to the dramatic conclusion of the match between Fergal O'Brien and Barry Hawkins, where Hawkins has fought back from 6-9 to 9-9, there will be a delayed start to this afternoon match... but read our live commentary on the final frame shoot out as Hawkins or O'Brien will clinch a place in round two... and Fergal prevailed... but which of the Irishmen in this match will win? North v South...

...and Mark breaks off, his first ever shot at the Crucible... Mark comes to the Crucible with an awesome pedigree from his Amateur days... he became the youngest ever winner of the Northern Ireland title, usurping Alex Higgins... from there he went on to win the European Amateur title in 2004, the IBSF World Amateur title in 2004 and the European Under 19 crown in 2005... of course his opponent today, Ken Doherty still holds the record as the only man to win the IBSF World Under 21 title, the IBSF World Amateur and the World Professional title...

... a missed red there from Ken but he's left nothing easy for Mark... well I say it's not easy as he fires a red into the centre pocket as if he'd been here for years... he's a very attacking player, but with Terry Griffiths in his corner as his coach, he's learned a lot about tactics, match preparation and the mental side of the game from the famous coaching guru... he's moved along nicely to 15 and he's settled down really quickly, unlike his coach who still used to be shaking well into the third frame! Incidentally we have two fabulous competitions on GCS this week and in one you can win a signed cue and case from the former World Champion Terry Griffiths... click here to enter... this is very assured from Mark.. the break reaches 40 and he's got every red open, although a couple are down the baulk end... Being a fellow Irishman Ken already knows a lot about his young opponent and looking at Mark's competent start he'll have to be at his crafty best to slow Mark down... Referee Terry Camilleri is having to run round the table to keep up with the quick fire Belfast potter.... 54 already... he's won the frame.. now can he make a century in his debut frame, he's onto 83 now... he couldn't get the last red off the cushion but a fabulous 92 break... what a start for Mark...

...we first saw Mark as a very raw 12 year old when we took a party of Welsh Juniors over to play their Northern Ireland counterparts in Belfast... in the very first frame of the day an unknown player stepped up to the table and fired in an 82 break and not once was he in position, he just kept potting balls... and we knew we'd seen an exceptional talent emerging... at the time I billed him as the best talent since Alex Higgins and many thanks Mark for proving me right! Ken forced a foul out of Mark at the start of frame two as he's snookered him... If Mark shows his true talents on the game's biggest stage then the Crucible and vast television audiences are in for a treat... he's safely hit the reds this time... During the 2004 European Championship in Austria, which Allen went on to win... he met World Ladies champion Reanne Evans... a friendship developed which has since blossomed into a permanent partnership and Reanne gave birth to their first child last May... but still managed to retain her world ladies title a few weeks previously... she's held on to her crown again this year... this time Mark's given Ken a chance to get his hand on the table and get some points in the bag.. 20 so far but he's got a good set of reds to go at... but he's lost position on the colours now... so the break ends at 21 and he's run back down to the baulk cushion with the white... One department of the game that we do expect Ken to be stronger is in the safety and tactical exchanges... but not if you pot balls like that... a fearless long pot from Allen... and he's rattled along to 25 in no time at all... this is all going to put pressure on Ken... obviously Ken was pre-match favourite amongst those who'd not seen Mark before... and if Ken misses he can see what's going to happen... in the build up Mark said "there are always shocks at the Crucible and I see no reason why I shouldn't cause one of them"... he's one the frame now a break of 79 and more to come... well he's missed blue but a superb 95 break.. you can't ask for more than two ninety breaks in your first two frames at the Crucible...

.... oh dear oh dear... just a glimmer of a red from Doherty's break off and Allen has thundered a red in... he's on fire here today... but he's got no position this time... Of course Ken has the temperament and experience to cope with this onslaught so he won't be panicking at all yet... but Allen has found another red to get himself going again... he's missed the blue trying to force it with side to get to a red... Ken's not getting the running at the moment and he's given young Mark another chance... which he's pouncing on at speed... on to 27 and a lead of 42 already... he's missed a red with the red and extension trying to screw back for the blue... and a good opening red from Ken... now can he punish Mark for his error... the last three reds are on the top cushion so there's no chance for Ken to win the frame at this visit... so only 13 and a containing safety shot... ooh a bit of luck for Ken, missed the red on the way up and caught it on the way back, but Mark has whistled another brilliant red into the pocket... the roar from the other table as Ronnie wins has nearly lifted the roof off but Mark carries on potting, totally undisturbed by the noise... and he's going to be 3-0 up... with a 43 clearance... he couldn't have dreamed of this sort of start...

... and now the players have the whole Crucible arena to themselves... the partition is up and the audience that packed into to watch Ronnie and Ding can enjoy this match now... well shock... Allen has missed a long red but no damage done... Doherty has spread the reds on this safety shot, whoever gets in could have a feast of scoring.... Mark's forced into a pot as he had no safety, a great pot to the middle but there's no colour for him... with the reds all over the place safety is not easy... so he's taken on a near impossible green and left it... a chance for Ken... it's not easy to thread a route round the table and Ken is carefully calculating where he needs the cue ball for each shot... 12 so far and plenty of reds but he's missed on.... so a real chance for Mark to open a 4-0 lead... he's got a few open reds but he will need to dislodge some off the cushion if he's going to win in one visit... but he won't as he's lost position and had to play safe, so the scrappiest frame so far, Mark lead 18-12 and a brilliant safety from Ken... that's forced an error from Mark, a difficult red for Ken but he's got it... he's still got the problem of travelling all round the table to find the next red... well he's over-hit that red and lost position for a colour... so back to baulk with the white, Ken leads 26-18... with five reds left... Ken's eyeing up a long red but it hasn't gone in... he's shaking his head in his chair... a stunning pot along the rail by Allen, at pace to force the white out... he's got no fear... so he goes back into the lead and there are 3 reds left but he's got to get the awkward red off the rail... the yellow is also on the side cushion, but first he's got to move the red from the pink, he's chipped it but not moved it so an extremely tough red down the cushion... and he needed the extension on his cue... that was a shot too far but he's not left it on.... Allen wallops the last red in at 100 miles an hour, he's favourite, well he was until he missed the blue, so Ken is still in the frame... a bit of over-excitement from Mark there... Mark leads 49-26 as they battle on the yellow, which Ken has fluked... but he's not on the green... and nor is Mark as Ken's snookered him and Mark has missed it... he can have another try and he's not left it on.... you'd make Ken favourite in the safety exchanges and Mark's left him half a chance at this green... but he'll have to pot it and swing the white right round the table... so he's opted for safety... the blue is on the cushion giving Mark a bit of insurance as Ken needs all the balls, while Mark only needs the green and brown... which Ken has missed... but he's not left it... another snooker laid by Ken... this frame is becoming important in the context of the match... Ken would dearly love to win it to be only 3-1 down... and Ken is making this very hard for Mark keeping him snookered or very safe.... it's the longest frame of the match so far... Ken's tried to pot the green there and it's just stayed out but run safe... and now it's Mark's turn to put Ken in all sorts of trouble... he's got him snookered and angled.... if he doesn't hit it then it's a certain free ball and he's come round the back of it... but it's run far enough not to be a free ball, no value to Mark so it's going back... now that's left Mark 13 up on the green and that's an excellent escape but he's left it for Mark... and in it goes.. and it's 4-0... I wonder what the odds were on that score line...

Join us again after their 15 minute interval.... and they're back and first blood to Ken as he spots a plant... but he's missed a black of its spot... this will drain Ken's confidence and give Allen a further boost, not that he needs it looking at the way he's played so far... no immediate advantage and Mark can't gain position, but he's pulled out a good safety, in fact it's nearly a snooker... That's forced Ken into taking a pot on and it's an excellent red, but a very hard black here now... but he's got it... and after that he's missed an easy red.... nothing on so a bit of tip tap for a minute, giving everyone time to draw breath... Ken's left his safety short and Mark's got a red but he's gone in-off now does Ken fancy a long red from the baulk line... it didn't get into the jaws... and Mark's missed a tricky red across the table to the centre... another chance for Ken... this is a good chance, can he improve on his highest of 21 so far in this match... a special good afternoon to a visitor to GCS from Bjærangen in Northern Norway... you are the furthest North on our visitor tracker map this afternoon... this is much better from Ken, he's moved on to 29, leads 47-13 with three reds left... he's lost position, he's caught the brown as he tried to go in and out of baulk... and he's missed the hard red so he leads 53-13 with 43 left on the table... Ken's left this safe... he's still strong favourite to take the frame especially as the pink and black are covering each other and the yellow in one the side cushion... bad shot from Ken, attempted a red, missed it and brought the yellow into play... and our Southernmost visitor at the moment comes from Highett, Victoria in Australia... out to the East I can see someone from Omiya, Japan, and over in the west a visitor from Oakland, California... a truly global spread of visitors... Ken has played a very careless shot there, he's tried to trickle up to the green and not reached... Allen still trails 54-17 with one red left.... Ken's won a frame at last, putting away the final red... Mark's going to battle on, he's got a good snooker on the yellow but he still trails by 38 points... good hit from Ken and he's fluked a snooker... so it's 4-1...

... a nice opening red from Ken from Mark's break-off but he's unlucky, he hasn't split the pack nicely off the black.. he went into it a bit tentatively... so he's nestled into the pack...  Ken's opened the reds a bit wider off his next safety shot, but only got the white as far as the baulk line and that's an invitation for Allen to fire a red in... but he's unlucky now as he goes into the pack and lands on nothing... it's a tactical exchange now... this will suit Ken better than Mark... and he's got an easy red for starters... but Ken's not looking at all in form and he's only put 14 points on the board and given Mark a good opening... he's lost position so Ken's turn... they've both gone off the boil now... the score reads 41-23 in Ken's favour and we've got two reds left... Ken's safety has given him a red but no position... but he's 19 up now with only one red left... he's clawing his way back into this match with his clever play... That's not like Ken, he took on a very risky red and has left it for Mark... but he's missed an easy pink... he's lost his edge a bit at the moment, that's the effect Ken can have on you and just the green for Ken... and it's 4-2, it could have been 5-1...

... into frame seven and this could be a crucial frame... can Mark reassert himself or will Ken continue his fight back... A cracking opening red by Mark, the black has had to go up on the blue spot and the pink is tied up so he's got a lot of work to do here... well he's got the black onto the pink spot now and got it open into the middle pockets... he's moved along to 24 but he's got to be very precise with these positional shots... but a bang of the fist on the table there as he gets a kick, the red is in but he's got a tough black now... no problem, but he's lost the white now and has got a hard red... but he's 56 ahead already... and in goes the red... he's opened the rest of the reds... and now the black has covered the pink... he's done a little dance of exasperation... he's loving it out there... he's taken his medicine and run for baulk after a good 56 break... he's whacked another red in but had to play safe... not quite a snooker.... Ken's tried a long red dead-weight and he's left it... it should be 5-2 now barring any error from Mark...

... now Mark is guaranteed an overnight lead, but can he stretch it in these last two frames of the afternoon... Mark's got a kick and thrown a red off line and Ken has the chance... he's not taken it, just 18 points and Mark has already made that and has smashed the reds open... but perhaps he got excited, the black stays out, he probably frightened the pocket the pace he'd hit it... another reprieve for Ken... no it's not happened for Ken, a nasty little red eludes him... now the scores is 41-23 in Mark's favour, he's got two reds on the side rail and he'll need them for the frame... it helps that he's left-handed as he could reach one of the reds which he's fizzed down the rail, but he's taken his eye off the black... careless... so 5-23 with two reds left... yet another opportunity for Ken... a good last red by Ken, he's got the colours at his mercy and he needs them all... just the pink and black left... a brilliant shot on the pink from Ken, just the black... and in it goes... that's a huge frame to win...

... Ken breaks off in the final frame of the session and how important this is... success for Mark would give him a 6-3 lead but can Ken claw it back to only 5-4 down, he'd be delighted considering his poor form so far... Opening red to Ken but the long blue stays out... Allen looks very fluent in the balls, sometimes too quick as he's liable to miss an easy one sometimes, but so far so good as the break reaches 44... he's onto 61 just a red needed... and it's in... a nice 74 to wrap up his afternoon's work.. the match resumes on Tuesday morning at 10.00BST...

... Good morning, welcome to Sheffield... you rejoin us for the final frames of this absorbing match... Debutant Mark Allen holds a 6-3 overnight lead... but I'm sure Ken Doherty will have something to say about that... the first frame will be crucial to the outcome of this match... Mark Allen has broken down with only 12 on the board and now we'll see how Ken is striking the ball today... On the adjoining table we can see the opening session of Joe Swail v Mark Williams, it's reminiscent of the heyday of Alex Higgins and Dennis Taylor to see two Northern Ireland lads in action at the same time... Ken's made 16 and opted for safety... the other NI player who enjoyed a great run at the Crucible a few years ago was Patrick Wallace who reached the quarter finals before losing to his great friend Joe Swail... Mark and Ken look like they've been cloned in their identical 110sport and Highland Spring waistcoats... Ken's tried to con a red in with side but has failed and he's left Mark amongst the red but there's nothing straightforward waiting for him... but Mark's found a red and he's now got three reds in good position so he can start to build a break here... awkward bridging has caused him to miss a black, so a few early jitters as Mark leads 24-16 but he won't for long as he's left a red for Ken... Glancing across the partition we can see that Mark Williams is also in the Highland Spring regalia... Highland Spring were just one of the sponsors introduced to the game by the legendary Ian Doyle, the Chairman of 110sport... Ian has announced his retirement this week and I'm sure our countless visitors will join me in wishing Ian a very happy retirement... A good long red from Ken and black to follow but the reds are now all on the cushion so he can't clear up at this visit to the table... a great shot off the black by Ken, he's managed to force the white across and develop all three reds... now he's got a frame-winning opening... he leads 45-24 with black to add and then just the last two reds... Ken just needs the last red as he's 35 ahead now... ooh well he's left it in the jaws... Mark can tie with red, black and all the colours.... but he's missed the black and conceded... so the vital first frame goes to Ken and the lead shrinks to 6-4...

...Ken's found a good long red to start frame eleven but he's landed very awkward for the next one so he's forced to play safe... Ken's safety left a red available and Mark's popped that in, now he needs to re-impose himself in this match, although he leads he can feel Ken breathing down his neck... a cracking long red to the green pocket keeps Mark's break going but again he's missed a routine black... that's twice his morning... he just can't afford to do that... so the chance falls to Ken... he's 37 ahead now leading 59-22 with 3 reds left... Ken looks more fluent now... breaks of 39 and 66 so far this morning... and more important he's only one frame behind now...

...A great red to middle gets Allen off and running frame twelve... now he needs to reassert himself... but he hasn't he's missed his third black of the morning and given the table back to Ken... this will all help Ken's confidence... Ken's unlucky not to land on anything easy as he splits the pack off the blue.... and that's forced him to miss a tough red.. but he's taken the white back to baulk... unlucky for Mark as he pots a fabulous red but goes in-off in the middle.... That's left Ken another chance to increase his lead... and he's 46 ahead now with 3 reds left... the red disappears so it looks like 6-6 now...

...frame thirteen now assumes epic proportions in the context of this match... it's damage limitation for Allen now and how pleased would Ken be to take a lead into the final interval and win all four frames this morning.... Allen's safety has caught the pink and left the white amongst the reds... not a good start... but Ken's let him off the hook, he's missed with only 9 points made... Allen must take this chance.... but he hasn't, he's missed a red with the rest.... he's not left anything but he needs to settle down... now he's got a chance to do just that... he's played a good red there but he's faced with a long blue... that's whistled in, that'll make him feel a bit better... but he just can't afford to miss... he's got to 30... the score is now 53-15, the break 47, but there's still 3 reds left... this is a good effort, he's had a torrid morning and he's come back fighting as the break passes 60... and it ends at 76 and they're off for their last interval....

... here we go and Doherty flashes in a good red straight from Mark's break off... he's progressed to 37 but he's struggling to find another red... a good shot to find a red to centre... and he's up to 62 now, needs one more red... this is by far Ken's best break of the match... all of a sudden he's found his fluency... a fabulous century and this could be the first total clearance.... you can see Ken's century on our Sizzling Snooker Thermometer and a fabulous 135 total clearance, the highest break of the event so far...

So it's all level again as Ken breaks off... Mark's fluked a red as he clips the pack with his safety but no colour, so he's laid the snooker... this shouldn't be a problem for Ken if he can lay on the red on the top cushion or nestle into the pack... and he's laid on the red nicely so no damage done... An attempted long red by Mark stays out and it's an early opening for Ken... he's so unlucky there, the white has flown off the top cushion and instead of being on the black he's stuck amongst the reds... he's in trouble no as he's snookered on all colours... he's hit the black but there's a red on for Mark... a great positional shot by Mark sees him land on the black.. that goes back on its spot now so he could do some damage here... so far so good and he's up to 31... just one red needed as the break reaches 61... the break ends at 68, Ken's coming back to the table but he needs a snooker... Mark leads by 53 with 43 on... well that pile driver red puts it beyond doubt now...

... a good break off this time by Allen... he's snookered Ken... and that's produced a chance for young Mark Allen... he's showing no outward signs of nerves yet but he must be feeling them as he gets closer to the winning line... he's had two kicks already in this break of 17... but he's still on the black... Allen's is pulling out some fabulous shots now... a plant rifles into the pocket and he's moved along to 47... but he's lost position and the break ends at 54, but he's been lucky and covered the red... Mark looks extremely fired up, he finished the last frame with a barrage of exhibition shots... it may be that the danger to him in this match now is if he gets over excited.... the first error on the safety could produce a frame winning opening for either player... all the reds are in the open... and a good long red gives Ken the chance... he's made 29 now, there are three reds left, he'll need to break one of them off the pink and get one off the cushion... superb break-building he's achieved both those aims... he's favourite to win the frame now... he moves to 43 and he's on the last red into the middle... well he opted to take it to the yellow pocket and he's missed it... so Mark lead 54-43 and he's potted the last red... he needs yellow and green to lead 9-7... he's got an awful kick on the yellow but down it goes and there goes the green... he's one frame from a remarkable victory...

... Mark has opened the reds off his safety so both players need to be very careful.... the first chance goes to Mark but the balls aren't well set at the moment, the black is out of the game... he's picked his way to 35 all off the pink... he's lost his white as the break reaches 53... he'll have to play safe... he needs to put a colour safe as a bit of insurance... the winner of this match will play Matthew Stevens in round two... there are still 7 reds left... this is hard for Ken to mount a recovery... the black is still tied up, the brown is on the baulk cushion.. Ken's forced a foul out of Mark and he's also knocked the green off the cushion... a bit careless... but Ken's put him back so the green goes back on the cushion... a much better safety from Mark this time... and now he's put the yellow on the cushion... Ken's trying to manipulate this safety so that he can hit the cluster of reds and bring the black into play... you would always make Ken favourite to win a tactical battle... there are five reds on the top cushion in a bunch and two reds by the black a few inches away... but Ken has over hit that safety and left a red on... the red goes down for Allen, but he's going to have to break the reds apart if he's to win the frame and match... he's walloped in a long blue but he can't find another red at this visit... the lead is 56 and there are six reds left... Ken's left a red but it's too tight for Mark to pot it... more tense safety... a good escape by Mark... there's one extremely hard red but Ken's turned that down in favour of the safety but he's merely pushed the green from side cushion to top cushion...  should Mark win this match he will secure a place in the Top 32 for next season, a rise from 62 at the start of the season... there are some nerves on show now... Ken's snookered him again and got him under pressure despite the lead... the safety has brought the reds and black into play, but the pink is now safe on the side cushion... Mark's got another red despite having to pot it off the cushion... and the black follows, he's won now.... and Joe Swail has stopped playing on the other table as he knows his great friend is pulling off a famous victory... a sad exit for Ken and it means that he can't achieve his ambition of being World Number One at the end of the season...

...you can enjoy our live commentary on Mark Williams v Joe Swail and rejoin us at 1430BST as Stephen Hendry starts his 2007 campaign, bidding to win an 8th World title, against debutant Dave Gilbert...

FRAME SCORES

1. 6-92(92)

2. 27-95(95)

3. 13-93(43)

4. 40-65

5. 59(35)-17

6. 51-24

7. 4-88(56)

8. 63-50

9. 1-74(74)

WINNER

FRAME SCORES

10. 59(39)-25

11. 74(66)-22

12. 68(42)-14

13. 19-82(76)

14. 135(135)-0

15. 16-110(68,41)

16. 43(43)-76(54)

17. 4-85(53)

18.

19.

QUOTES

MARK ALLEN

(before the match)

"My family and friends are coming over from Antrim and Reanne's family are also travelling up from Wolverhampton. Of course I will be nervous so to have up to 50 people on my side for my first appearance is a big plus."

"I get excellent advice from Terry Griffiths on how to handle situations like this and he is a great person to have in your corner."

"I want to be world champion and world number one and you can only do that by getting to the Crucible and playing in the blue riband event, which has its own aura and is so special to every snooker player."

"Ken has won all our competitive games so far and is a tough opponent but I've done well against him in practice and I know what it takes to beat him. He won't blow you off the table but he doesn't give you many chances - I just have to capitalise on the few openings I get."

"My daughter Lauren will be there and I when I compete now I always want to win for her, she gives me that extra motivation and hopefully that will drive me on to a victory."

(after the match)

KEN DOHERTY