Shaun Murphy misses out on a maximum 147 break as he secures a place in the semi-finals of the Masters with a superb 6-2 victory over Neil Robertson at Alexandra Palace.

Image source, PA Media

Mark Allen speaking to BBC Sport after reaching the semi-finals of the Masters: "I felt I played better than Mark [Selby], but the luck definitely helped me.

"It started out like a really good game, the first three frames it was three breaks and then it got a bit scrappy. We both missed a few shots but I can definitely say that is the most luck I have ever had in a match in a long time. It was ridiculous at times.

"Even within that [sixth frame] I played a few bad ones and got away it. There were two frames I really had no right to win.

"It is the first time I have played Mark where I felt I was getting the better on the safety side. Take the bits of luck out of it, I still felt like I was dictating the play, I just didn't score like I have been. Any win over Mark is a great win but it was nice to do it that way because you normally have to score very well and win frames at one visit.

"I think winning the fourth frame was huge and after that I felt like he was going to miss a few."

Mark Allen has an opportunity to win frame and match but loses position on 60.

His opponent knocks in 35 points but can't get position on the yellow and his chance to claw back another frame is gone.

Allen seals his win in style.

Steve Davis
Six-time world champion on BBC Two

Mark Selby will be disappointed with what he has produced tonight. The great competitor he is, he will not give up without a fight.

His body language hasn't been great for parts of this match but that is not to say he cannot turn it around. It's not about completely throwing caution to the win but being aggressive when he can be and hope that his opponent goes off the boil.

Mark Selby comes out and plays the seventh frame aggressively and quickly, like a man who knows there are no more second chances.

He knocks in great 80 break under the circumstances to pull a frame back.

Mark Allen is going along nicely until he misses a routine red to the right corner as it seems he is going to take another frame.

Mark Selby breaks down though on a run of 45 some 26 points ahead and Allen gets back among the balls and threatens to pinch it.

It has echoes of the fourth frame of the night as Allen gets to the black but catches the jaws of the corner pocket with a difficult pot along the cushion.

Selby has no chance flicking it in and then can't believe his luck as his opponent is twice fortunate not to leave him an easy frame-winning pot. And a 21-shot battle on the black ends up going Allen's way, after Selby plays a cross double that rattles and stays in the jaws of the left corner pocket. What a frame.

Ken Doherty
1997 world champion on BBC Four

Mark Allen has put and kept pressure on Mark Selby, who is all over the place at the moment.

Mark Allen picks up another frame and Mark Selby is looking a little shorn of confidence.

The Northern Irishman has had a bit of good fortune at time but is definitely having the better of the scrappy/tactical frames.

While we wait for play to resume after the mid-session interval, Shaun Murphy's attempt at a 147 is well worth a watch.

Mark Selby gets 71-8 up in the frame and then the fun begins, when he can't quite finish the frame off and Mark Allen starts to get some points on the board.

With two reds left on the table both players miss opportunities as things get tense before Allen cuts a ridiculous pot into the top right corner.

Selby gets back to the table mind but leaves the remaining red for Allen, who pinches the frame after 58 minutes. That will hurt the three-time winner.

Mark Selby larrups in a superb long red but then misses a green, digging down on the white to get back down towards the reds.

Mark Allen can't believe his luck and continues the superb early standard with a century break.

What a start.

Vintage Mark Selby.

The Englishman wins the second frame in one visit with a break of 88.

It was thought that this could be a match for the purists but both players look in great shape when they get an opportunity to score.

Steve Davis
Six-time world champion on BBC Two

Watching Mark Selby in the last round, you could be forgiven for thinking it would be the saem version coming out but every day is different. He is up against a really tough opponent and failed to take his chances and Mark Allen did a very good job.

Mark Selby misses a couple of pots that you'd frankly never expect him to miss and when he goes in off while trying to get the white back to baulk, Mark Allen takes full advantage.

The Northern Irishman gets a frame on the board with a well-crafted break of 81.

BBC Two

Remember the first hour of this contest this evening is on BBC Two before we switch across to BBC Four.

You can also stay across this match via BBC iPlayer or by clicking the 'watch live' button at the top of this page.

Mark Allen won the Paul Hunter trophy in 2018 and is in pretty good form at the moment after ending 2024 with a victory at the Riyadh Season Snooker Championship.

Three-time Masters champion Mark Selby, reached the quarter-finals with arguably the best performance of the tournament so far in his 6-1 victory over Ali Carter.

But despite having a purple patch between 2008 and 2014, when he reached five finals, he will be aiming to reach the last four for the first time in 11 years this evening.

Allen and Selby have met 27 times competitively, and their head-to-head record could not be any closer really with the Northern Irishman leading 14-13.

With both players excellent in the tactical department this could be an intriguing contest.

Watch the moment Shaun Murphy misses out on a maximum 147 break as he plays an "awful shot" on the 15th black during his quarter-final win against Neil Robertson at the Masters.

Shaun Murphy wins and is agonisingly close to a maximum 147 break in the final frame, knocking in 15 reds and 15 blacks before snookering himself on the yellow.

What a remarkable conclusion.

Neil Robertson in no-miss snooker territory again.

Shaun Murphy moves one frame away from victory with a break of 82 after the Australian misses a pink to the right middle.

A collector's item. Shaun Murphy misses a black off the spot after knocking in a far more difficult red along the bottom cushion.

He was starting to look unplayable and could've been forgiven for thinking he'd broken the back of the match but Neil Robertson is not done yet.

He knocks in the 967th century of his career to get back to 4-2. He trailed John Higgins 5-1 before winning 6-5. Could he produce another famous fightback?