The semi-finals of the 2026 Northern Eire Open are set with the ultimate 4 to vie for a spot within the remaining on Saturday in Belfast.
After all of the carnage of the opening few days the place so most of the prime seeds shortly fell by the wayside, there’s truly only one shock title within the penultimate spherical.
The others are both prime 16 gamers and former world snooker champions, or a confirmed rating occasion winner from this season already.
Let’s check out the 2 semi-final ties.
Kyren Wilson vs Sam Craigie
Kyren Wilson reached a rating occasion semi-final for the primary time because the finish of the 2024/25 season with a commanding 6-1 victory over Anthony McGill.
The Northern Eire Open is considered one of a number of tournaments this time period the place the Warrior will probably be defending a big sum of rankings factors.
Thus far so good, with a repeat of his 2024 triumph on the Waterfront Corridor nonetheless on the playing cards.
Most of Wilson’s latest success has are available invitational occasions, so he’ll blissful to return to the enterprise finish of a rating occasion to alleviate a few of his prime 16 issues.
The previous Crucible king will face shock bundle Sam Craigie subsequent, the latter having come via his quarter-final check with Elliot Slessor.
It’s not so way back when Craigie feared his profession may need been over via a severe neck and shoulder damage.
However the 32 year-old Englishman has fought his manner again and this semi-final run matches his earlier greatest in a rating occasion.
There are lots of who really feel that Craigie has underachieved within the sport, so right here he has a possibility to lastly step up into the large time.
Craigie has crushed Wilson in a Northern Eire Open match earlier than, however he suffers from an inferior 8-3 head-to-head file total.
When is it? Saturday, October 24 at 13:00 BST
Mark Williams vs Jak Jones
An all-Welsh showdown will pit Mark Williams towards Jak Jones within the second Northern Eire Open semi-final on Saturday night.
In distinction to the opposite quarter-final matches, Williams and Jones every emerged from tight last-eight affairs in Belfast.
The previous, a Northern Eire Open champion again in 2017, reeled off the final 4 frames in improbable style to disclaim David Gilbert with a 6-4 scoreline.
Williams produced a grandstand end, compiling breaks of 104, 115, 101, and 68 to stun his opponent.
Jones, in the meantime, produced a well timed run of 84 within the deciding body to finally see off the problem of Scott Donaldson in what was a principally scrappy affair.
The 33 year-old has already captured a brace of rating titles this season, profitable each Championship League Snooker and the British Open.
He has a knack of profitable matches ugly, however Williams is among the masters in the case of sustaining a excessive degree even when video games go awkward.
Williams holds a 5-2 benefit from their head-to-head in all competitions, however they haven’t crossed paths because the Welsh Open in 2023.
When is it? Saturday, October 24 at 19:00 BST
Featured picture credit score: WST
