Ken Doherty will face a semi-final showdown with Peter Ebdon should he overcome the challenge of Stephen Lee at Dublin's CityWest Hotel this evening. Ebdon ended world number one Mark Williams' hopes of making the last four of the Irish Masters with a 6-4 victory on his 27th birthday, and he will now await the outcome of this evening's game between the Dubliner and LG Cup champion Lee to see who stands between him and a place in the final.
Ebdon, the 1995 Irish Masters champion, compiled a break of 110 to win the second frame and pounced with 77 to claim the third after Williams had broken down on 51. In the fourth, Ebdon laid a snooker on the last red and cleared to the black when Williams left it on in escaping. A second century break, 113, carried Ebdon three frames clear at 4-1 and he fashioned a 93 clearance in the seventh to lead 5-2.
Williams, staring defeat in the face, then played his best snooker of the match as he closed to 5-4 with runs of 53 and 69 but he missed a black in the 10th frame and Ebdon mopped up to clinch a semi-final place.
Filed by Shane Murray
