Snooker: Shaun Murphy ousts John Higgins to reach Masters final

Published on Sunday 22 January 2012 01:32

Neil Robertson and Shaun Murphy will battle for snooker’s BCG Masters title today after both reached the final for the first time.

Robertson held off a fightback from rising star Judd Trump to prevail 6-3 in the first semi-final. He will now meet Murphy, who beat Scotland’s John Higgins 6-4.

Murphy took the first frame with a break of 86 and a superb opening red put him in among the balls in the second, which he duly wrapped up before coming from 62 behind to take the third with a 70.

Higgins needed to get himself on the board in the final frame before the interval and did well to pick out a long red to get him started, but was unlucky to go in off after potting a green.

There were no excuses for a missed black off its spot at his next visit, but he finally got over the line after snookering Murphy. He took the fifth as well but Murphy responded with a break of 122 to move 4-2 ahead.

Higgins was in first with 20 in frame seven but then missed a black off its spot. Murphy could only make eight, though, and the Scot took the frame. Another wretched missed black from Higgins allowed Murphy to the table in frame eight, and he took full advantage with a run of exactly 100 to move 5-3 ahead.

Higgins kept himself in it by winning the next frame with a 72 but Murphy took a step towards victory with a 55 break in the next. A wobble with the winning line in sight allowed Higgins to come back into the frame with a 48, but he missed a difficult pink and Murphy claimed his final place.

Earlier, Robertson was the more clinical in a scrappy match with Trump. Robertson had been upset by cheers from the audience when Trump fluked shots but claimed it helped him to secure the victory.

“If anything it made me play better,” Robertson said. “It’s disappointing because Judd is a fantastic lad and he is nothing like those guys.”

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Tightfisted

Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 04:49 PM

How great that THIS particular Scot lost !! I'm as patriotic as anyone, but there is NO WAY that wee Higgins will ever get any kind word from me after his cheating...caught banged to rights........and the fact that he was able (with help from people who should've know better) to dodge these bullets is a complete DISGRACE...Scot or no Scot !!!

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