Ireland's Ken Doherty stands on the verge of his third PowerHouse UK Championship final after dominating the opening session of his semi with Drew Henry in York tonight.
Doherty, beaten 10-1 by Ronnie O'Sullivan in last year's final, resumes this evening with a 6-2 advantage over the world number 22 from Glasgow.
He requires only three of the remaining nine frames to set up a final on Sunday against world champion Peter Ebdon or 1999 UK title holder Mark Williams. Ebdon and Williams complete their semi-final tomorrow.
For the first four frames, 34-year-old Henry looked capable of matching the 1997 world champion shot for shot.
Henry opened the match with a break of 89 and then added 79 in the fourth after Doherty had jumped 2-1 clear.
Henry made 43 in the fifth frame only to misjudge a swerve trying to pot a red. That let Doherty back in and his run of 72 proved vital.
Doherty doubled his advantage with 85 in frame six and then won two further scrappy frames to finish 6-2 up.
Henry might have reduced his arrears in the eighth but a missed black off the spot also proved pivotal and Doherty eventually made the most of his good fortune.
PA