Dazed O'Brien is Hunter's prey

Paul Hunter staged a brilliant comeback to win the Masters title with a dramatic 10-9 win over gallant Irishman Fergal O'Brien last night.

Leeds-based Hunter produced an inspired display after trailing his Dublin opponent 5-1 and 7-3.

The 22-year-old compiled four century breaks in six frames including a tournament highest-equalling 136.

It enabled him to lead 9-8 and when he opened up a 44-0 advantage in frame 18 O'Brien looked dead and buried.

However, O'Brien won the 33-minute penultimate frame to set up the decider.

O'Brien had his chances to become the first Irishman to win the Masters since Dennis Taylor in 1987 but he struck a red in error trying to pot the black when leading 33-14 and later missed an easy green.

Eventually Hunter kept his nerve to take a 46-minute decider 77-44 to pocket a £175,000 first prize. O'Brien collected £88,000 as consolation.

Hunter's amazing win brought him only the second Major title of his career. "When I knocked out the defending champion, Matthew Stevens, in the my first match I thought to myself I could win this title," said Hunter, whose win made up for the disappointment of losing to Ken Doherty just two weeks ago in the Welsh Open final at Cardiff.

O'Brien suffered the same fate as his Nations Cup team-mate Doherty who had lost in the Wembley final for the past two seasons.

"I missed a red in the 11th frame when I had a good chance to go 8-3 up," said the sad Irishman. "If that had gone in and I'd have won the frame I think I would have gone on to take the title.

"I was a little tired but that's not an excuse. But I'll replay some of those misses in the last frame for some time to come."