Mark Allen made a quickfire return to the Crucible on Saturday morning to claim the one frame he required and move into the quarter-finals of the World Snooker Championship for the first time since 2018.
The 37-year-old from Belfast required just 15 minutes to fashion a break of 68 and turn a 12-4 overnight lead into a 13-4 win against the 2015 champion Stuart Bingham, setting up a last-eight clash with either Neil Robertson or Jak Jones.
Allen, who is intent on rectifying a dismal Crucible record that has seen him reach this stage just four times since a solitary semi-final appearance in 2009, said he had been inspired by a bracelet given to him by his five-year-old daughter Harley.
“It’s great for me having this to look at, when you make mistakes out there and you look down and you realise where your priorities really lie, it takes some pressure off,” said Allen.
World Cup 2026 European qualifiers draw: All you need to know about Ireland’s potential group
Irish rugby is a good place to be, thanks to people such as Dave Fagan
No game illustrated the widening gulf between Europe’s elite and the rest than Toulouse’s mauling of Ulster
Provinces gear up for more European action as rugby pays tribute to Dave Fagan
“It just says ‘dad’ on it. It’s pinks and purples and stuff, not really my favourite colours, but it helps keep my mind at rest. It’s good to have that happy thought in your head and get ready for the next one.”
Allen did the damage in the second session of their second-round match on Friday, in which he extended an early 5-3 advantage and was only denied victory with a session to spare when Bingham clinched the last frame of the day.
Despite the emphatic nature of his win, coming on the back of a stellar season in which he has won three titles and reached another final, Allen has endured too much Crucible heartbreak to rest on his laurels.
“I made a few silly mistakes here and there, but in general I thought I scored much better,” added Allen.
“I have confidence in my results but not really in my performances. To win the World Championship, you need to be better than what I’ve shown this year, but as long as I keep winning matches and tournaments I’ll be happy.”
Former semi-finalist Anthony McGill was in devastating form as he laid waste to 12th seed Jack Lisowski in the opening session of their second-round clash.
McGill, who ousted Judd Trump in the opening round, mercilessly punished a series of errors by his opponent to compile three centuries and three more breaks in excess of 50 to charge into a 7-1 overnight lead.
It gives McGill, who featured in one of the all-time great Crucible clashes in his 2020 last eight loss to Kyren Wilson, the real chance of wrapping up victory with a session to spare when they resume on Sunday afternoon.
