Elmer
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Posts: 7,318
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Post by Elmer on May 1, 2009 9:09:45 GMT 1
Mark Allen 2-6 John Higgins A scrappy first session in which both players initially struggled to cope with the table conditions. So much so that the balls were changed during the interval. After that, Higgins seemed to adapt while Allen continued to struggle. Higgins won the last 3 frames of the session to lead 6-2. Allen will probably need to win at least 4 frames in the second session to stand a realistic chance of making the final. I think he needs to win the session 5-3 to stand a chance. Think 10-6 or 11-5 is too big a mountain. He probably feels Ronnie was his final right now.
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Post by Shireblogger on May 1, 2009 12:42:29 GMT 1
Higgins now leads 13-3. I've got tickets for tonight's session - I might only see 4 frames.
Still, at least I'm better off than anyone with tickets for Saturday afternoon's "final" session of this semi-final.
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Post by Panda on May 1, 2009 13:18:23 GMT 1
Higgins now leads 13-3. I've got tickets for tonight's session - I might only see 4 frames. Still, at least I'm better off than anyone with tickets for Saturday afternoon's "final" session of this semi-final. Nice one! Hope it at least goes beyond the interval. Do they have a contingency plan in place in case there's no final session? I don't know whether they did anything last year when Ronnie beat Hendry.
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Post by Panda on May 1, 2009 13:22:02 GMT 1
Mark Allen 3-13 John Higgins Near-total domination from Higgins as he moves within touching distance of a place in the final. Allen couldn't get going and two centuries helped Higgins to an 11-2 lead. Allen pulled one back with a century of his own but that's as good as it got for him. Higgins was going for a 147 in the final frame but missed a difficult black (that he wouldn't have gone for had the match been closer). Allen couldn't take advantage and Higgins is well on course to wrap up victory with a session to spare.
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ligerdog7
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hollyyyyyyyyyyyy..... ages get bak post laters
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Post by ligerdog7 on May 1, 2009 16:42:28 GMT 1
Higgins now leads 13-3. I've got tickets for tonight's session - I might only see 4 frames. Still, at least I'm better off than anyone with tickets for Saturday afternoon's "final" session of this semi-final. whare u get tickets from how much how i get em ronnye game i foget u getbem get em online yooo# doo tell mooo yooooooooooooooo nooo diigtyyy uppppppppppppppppppppppp
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ligerdog7
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hollyyyyyyyyyyyy..... ages get bak post laters
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Post by ligerdog7 on May 1, 2009 20:54:08 GMT 1
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Post by Panda on May 1, 2009 21:28:23 GMT 1
Allen's not punching the air because he's getting his arse kicked. It's not really Higgins's style. He usually only does it when he wins a match. Dennis Taylor and Steve Davis are commentating at the moment.
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ligerdog7
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hollyyyyyyyyyyyy..... ages get bak post laters
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Post by ligerdog7 on May 1, 2009 21:41:33 GMT 1
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Post by Panda on May 1, 2009 22:39:23 GMT 1
Mark Allen 9-15 John Higgins A fightback from Allen in session 3 ensures that they come back for the final session tomorrow. Apart from 2 frame-winning breaks, it was a very poor session for Higgins, whose concentration seems to have been affected by being so far ahead. It'll be interesting how he responds if Allen can win the first couple tomorrow.
Shaun Murphy 9-7 Neil Robertson This one continues to be tight. Murphy did threaten to run away with it after winning 5 of the first 6 frames this afternoon to lead 9-5, but Robertson won the final couple of frames to stay in touch. Surprisingly, no century breaks in this one yet.
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Post by Shireblogger on May 2, 2009 8:13:24 GMT 1
Higgins now leads 13-3. I've got tickets for tonight's session - I might only see 4 frames. Still, at least I'm better off than anyone with tickets for Saturday afternoon's "final" session of this semi-final. Well, it turns out I got full value for money. Not the best snooker I've ever seen at the Crucible, but plenty of tension and tight games. Whilst the BBC reports say that Higgins lost concentration, in the theatre it seemed that Allen was struggling to maintain focus. He missed some really easy shots at crucial moments. In hindsight it is surprising Allen won the session 6-2. Higgins potted more long shots. Allen had most of the bad luck, including some nasty kicks. Higgins had the 2 biggest breaks, I think. However, to me, Higgins' failing was trying to play too cautiously - I can't recall him ever going for a really difficult shot. Two great moments - I don't know whether they came over on television. When they came out after the mid-session break, with Allen trailing 14-6, one of his superb Northern Irish fans shouted out "finish him off now Mark", which Allen laughed at. Later on, after Higgins had fouled, Allen stepped up to the table and had a good look at the balls, and then walked away again. Higgins stepped back up to the table, assuming he was being asked to play again, just as Allen returned carrying his extension. The two players grinned at each other, and Higgins returned to his seat. Btw, the refurbishment at the Crucible is looking great - the public areas outside the auditorium are much improved, whilst the fantastic atmosphere and view inside are unchanged.
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Post by Shireblogger on May 2, 2009 8:29:59 GMT 1
whare u get tickets from how much how i get em ronnye game i foget u getbem get em online yooo# doo tell Between mid-January and mid-February each year the tickets go on sale. If you live near Sheffield, then you can buy them directly from the Crucible Box Office. Otherwise, use the World Snooker Championships website to print off the application form, which you then post to the Crucible. The top 16 players names have already been put in the draw by the time the application form is printed. Therefore, you can choose which matches you watch, and which players you see (assuming they haven't been knocked out by that point). So, you would be able to pick tickets for Ronnie's games. The Final is, unsurprisingly, the first match to sell out. To get tickets for the more popular sessions, such as the evenings and the semi-finals, you have to be quite quick. Apparently the last tickets for any game sold out about 2 weeks before the tournament started, so if you aren't too fussy, and you are flexible with time, then you've got a good chance of seeing some live action. My tickets last night cost £30 each. The evening sessions are more expensive than morning and afternoon. And the price rises as the tournament gets closer to the final. First round tickets for the mornings are a real bargain - as low as £10 each if my memory serves me well. I love the tournament. I try to go each year. This was the 8th semi-final I've seen in the past 11 years. I've seen Ronnie twice, John Higgins 4 times, Hendry, Doherty, Williams, Stevens, Ebdon, Maguire, and the much missed Paul Hunter.
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ligerdog7
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hollyyyyyyyyyyyy..... ages get bak post laters
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Post by ligerdog7 on May 2, 2009 18:16:02 GMT 1
whare u get tickets from how much how i get em ronnye game i foget u getbem get em online yooo# doo tell Between mid-January and mid-February each year the tickets go on sale. If you live near Sheffield, then you can buy them directly from the Crucible Box Office. Otherwise, use the World Snooker Championships website to print off the application form, which you then post to the Crucible. The top 16 players names have already been put in the draw by the time the application form is printed. Therefore, you can choose which matches you watch, and which players you see (assuming they haven't been knocked out by that point). So, you would be able to pick tickets for Ronnie's games. The Final is, unsurprisingly, the first match to sell out. To get tickets for the more popular sessions, such as the evenings and the semi-finals, you have to be quite quick. Apparently the last tickets for any game sold out about 2 weeks before the tournament started, so if you aren't too fussy, and you are flexible with time, then you've got a good chance of seeing some live action. My tickets last night cost £30 each. The evening sessions are more expensive than morning and afternoon. And the price rises as the tournament gets closer to the final. First round tickets for the mornings are a real bargain - as low as £10 each if my memory serves me well. I love the tournament. I try to go each year. This was the 8th semi-final I've seen in the past 11 years. I've seen Ronnie twice, John Higgins 4 times, Hendry, Doherty, Williams, Stevens, Ebdon, Maguire, and the much missed Paul Hunter. wow u so lucky seeing ronnye play u from sheilfed one days ill go snooker live tv ave u got thing sinned ronnye meet him talk him on i from norwitch i get ticks online World Snooker Championships website to print off the application form, my printer not woorking grrrr £30 ide pay dat mo cheep moorning afftoon mo big buxs night colser gets fineal cheers dude yooo moppoooooo upppp ggg
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Post by -Big Dan- on May 2, 2009 22:13:41 GMT 1
Shaun Murphy has fought off a great comeback from Neil Robertson and goes through to the final after winning 18-14.
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Post by Panda on May 2, 2009 23:44:58 GMT 1
MARK ALLEN 13-17 JOHN HIGGINS Allen's fightback continued as Higgins struggled again but he eventually fell over the line. Allen started well with a 106 break and followed that by winning two scrappy frames to make the score 15-12. Allen had a chance to make it 15-13 but missed after getting in the balls and Higgins cleared up with a 116 to move within one frame of victory. Allen won the first frame after the interval and had a chance to pull it back to 16-14 when he looked set to clear up after Higgins had missed on 60. However, he missed a simple blue to hand victory to Higgins, who is in the final for the 4th time.
SHAUN MURPHY 17-14 NEIL ROBERTSON Murphy is through to the final for the 2nd time after a strange semi-final. Resuming with a 9-7 lead this morning, Murphy won the first 5 frames without really dominating, to lead 14-7 and he might've had his eye on an early finish. But Robertson fought back, taking the last 3 frames of the session with breaks of 66, 68 and 101, the latter being the first century of the match. Robertson's comeback continued in the evening and he won the first 4 frames (including a very bizarre frame where Murphy made 40, Robertson made 45 and left a difficult snooker from which Murphy missed 4 times, and Robertson then twice sent balls flying off the table when trying to put the frame to bed once and for all) to level the match at 14-14. After the interval, it was all Murphy. Robertson barely got a look in as Murphy sealed victory with breaks of 106, 81 and 94.
This will be the first final involving two former champions since Mark Williams beat Ken Doherty in 2003. This will be the 6th time this decade that the final has featured a Scotsman and an Englishman.
Murphy will end the season as world #2 if he wins the final. Higgins will be #4 regardless of the outcome though he will go into the first tournament of next season as provisional #1.
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Post by Earl Purple on May 3, 2009 21:21:52 GMT 1
As Shaun Murphy has reached the final, it means that every Crucible winner (and I think every winner ever) has reached at least one other final.
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Elmer
Member
Posts: 7,318
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Post by Elmer on May 4, 2009 9:32:06 GMT 1
As Shaun Murphy has reached the final, it means that every Crucible winner (and I think every winner ever) has reached at least one other final. Yeah that's true. Even the mighty Joe Johnson did it the year after
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Post by Panda on May 4, 2009 11:57:28 GMT 1
A huge session for Higgins last night, taking full advantage of a poor display by Murphy. He could win the title this afternoon but Murphy should come back to at least force the match into a final session. It's worth remembering Higgins led Selby 12-4 two years ago and that match ended much closer. Murphy came from 10-6 down overnight to beat Matthew Stevens in 2005.
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Post by Earl Purple on May 4, 2009 16:00:38 GMT 1
John Spencer hasn't actually played in another Crucible final but he has played in other World Championship finals in pre-Crucible days.
If Murphy loses then it will be the case that all the winners will have been runners-up at least once except for Ronnie who has won all 3 of the finals in which he has appeared.
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Post by -Big Dan- on May 4, 2009 21:10:21 GMT 1
John Higgins had joined Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan in the list of players who have won the World Championship at the Crucible at least three times, by beating Shaun Murphy 18-8. A thoroughly deserved victory IMO, he was the best all-round player in the tournament, by a considerable margin.
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Post by Panda on May 4, 2009 21:48:03 GMT 1
18-9 actually, Dan. But I totally agree that Higgins deserved to win the title. I wasn't sure how much he'd have left after his previous matches so it was surprising that it was Murphy who failed to deliver in the final. I do wonder how the tournament would've panned out if Higgins hadn't come back to beat Jamie Cope. I feel Selby would've beaten Cope in the quarters and probably Allen in the semis. Selby v Murphy could've been a classic final and one we will probably see in the future. As defending champion, Higgins will be seeded 1 for next year's tournament with Ronnie 2, meaning they could meet in a dream final... They did play each other in the 2001 final but both are playing much better snooker than they were 8 years ago.
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