Ronnie O'Sullivan kept his nerve in a disappointing evening session to comfortably dismiss Mark Williams and clinch his place in the final of Fáilte Ireland Irish Masters in Dublin.
O'Sullivan defeated Williams 9-5, but the much-anticipated high-class showdown between snooker's two top-ranked stars failed to materialise as both players struggled to hit top gear in the final session.
They each missed a succession of easy pots, but O'Sullivan managed to keep his head and set up a clash with Matthew Stevens in the best-of-19-frames final.
“It was hard work for both of us, and we were missing balls all over the place,” said O'Sullivan.
“We've played loads of times and would have liked to have peaked against each other - but it didn't happen. It wasn't much of a match to watch.”
The world's best two players fell out with one another at the Irish Masters two years ago, after unflattering comments about Williams appeared in O'Sullivan's autobiography.
The feuding cuemen have not met since. But today's meeting looked more mismatch than grudge match in the early stages as O'Sullivan opened a 3-0 lead and threatened to win the fourth as well.
Leading 62-0, O'Sullivan failed to make the frame safe - and Williams cleaned up with 69.
It swung the momentum his way, and the Welsh left-hander fired in breaks of 74 and 57 to level at 3-3.
O'Sullivan compiled a break of 91 to edge 4-3 ahead - before clearing with 63 from 0-46 in the last of the session to claim a two-frame advantage.
At 6-4, O'Sullivan powered in a break of 104 to go three frames clear again. But he lost the 12th on the black in what turned into a comedy of errors.
Both players appeared to feel the pressure as they missed a succession of balls, before Williams eventually stroked home the black to close to 7-5.
More misses followed as the nerves continued, and Williams fluffed his chance to reduce his arrears when he missed the yellow in the 13th - from which O'Sullivan cleared up to lead 8-5.
A run of 52 in the next gave the world number one an early advantage - and he got in again later in the frame to secure victory. Williams had been looking for his first ranking event final since he won the LG Cup in October 2003.
“It wasn't the best match, and I dragged Ronnie down,” he said.
“It showed how far off I am from where I used to be. He didn't play well, but I still didn't get anywhere near beating him.”
Result: R O'Sullivan 8-5 M Williams
Frame 1: O'Sullivan won 65-40
Frame 2: O'Sullivan won 106-29 with a break of 63
Frame 3: O'Sullivan won 74-16 with a break of 74
Frame 4: Williams won 69-62 with a break of 69
Frame 5: Williams won 74-0 with a break of 74
Frame 6: Williams won 72-3 with a break of 57
Frame 7: O'Sullivan won 98-13 with a break of 91
Frame 8: O'Sullivan won 63-46 with a break of 63
Frame 9: O'Sullivan won 81-38 with a break of 60
Frame 10: Williams won 55-24
Frame 11: O'Sullivan won 126-0 with a break of 104
Frame 12: Williams won 65-53
Frame 13: O'Sullivan won 59-40
Frame 14: O'Sullivan won 64-14 with a 52 break
