2018 Masters The Final (best of 19)

Sunday, 21 January

Mark Allen 10-7 Kyren Wilson

Mark Allen beat Kyren Wilson 10-7 to become the first Northern Irishman to win the Masters since Dennis Taylor in 1987.

The final at the Alexandra Palace was a tight affair until the 11th frame, when Allen, 31, made a 73 break to move 6-5 ahead before adding 119 in the next.

Englishman Wilson, the world number 14, went another frame behind before rallying to pull it back to 8-7.

Allen responded with breaks of 69 and 71 to take the £200,000 first prize.

Allen, with three ranking titles to his name, was the outstanding favourite for this final - he even intimated that after his impressive semi-final victory over John Higgins.

However, the last time the pair met in one of snooker's majors - at the 2016 World Championship - the Antrim player was beaten 13-9.

Wilson, 26, had got to this stage with wins over Barry Hawkins, Mark Williams and lastly, and most impressively, Judd Trump.

He only entered the top 16 after a 2015-16 season during which he won his only ranking title to date - the Shanghai Masters.

Allen class shines through

The first session was laced with tension and errors. It included a memorable fourth frame that lasted 46 minutes, and was interrupted by another intruding wasp - following a similar incident earlier in the tournament - and a spectator who failed to switch his phone to silent.

That latter interruption came with Wilson over the final green. He potted the ball but left himself in a poor position, then missed an easy pink. Allen went on to level the scores at 2-2, before moving a frame ahead.

Wilson regrouped and made two 80-plus breaks, but Allen hit back to level once more before the interval.

After a 40-minute ninth frame was won by Allen, the arms of both players loosened.

Wilson had a break of 84 before Allen hit back with a 73 and established a two-frame advantage - the first of the final - with a run of 119.

That became 8-5 with a 50 break before Wilson produced a 73 to clinch the 15th frame and reduce the deficit to one.

The Kettering player had come from 5-2 down to defeat Trump in the semi-finals, but there was to be no repeat as Allen clinched the final two frames for a deserved victory, his first snooker major and the biggest first prize of his career.

2018 Masters Semi Finals (best of 11 frames)

Saturday, 20 January

13:30 Kyren Wilson 6-5 Judd Trump
19:00 Mark Allen 6-3 John Higgins

2018 Masters 1/4 finals [best of 11 frames]

Thursday, 18 January

13:00: Ronnie O'Sullivan 1-6 Mark Allen
19:00: Mark Williams 1-6 Kyren Wilson


Friday, 19 January

13:00: Judd Trump 6-4 Shaun Murphy
19:00: John Higgins 6-1 Ryan Day

2018 Masters Round 1 [best of 11 frames]

Sunday 14 January

13:00: Mark Selby 5-6 Mark Williams
19:00: Mark Allen 6-3 Luca Brecel


Monday 15 January

13:00: Ding Junhui 4-6 Ryan Day
19:00: Judd Trump 6-4 Liang Wenbo


Tuesday 16 January

13:00: Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-0 Marco Fu
19:00: Barry Hawkins 4-6 Kyren Wilson


Wednesday 17 January

13:00: Shaun Murphy 6-4 Ali Carter
19:00: John Higgins 6-4 Anthony McGill