Quarter-Final: Allen v Hawkins Masters Snooker

Good evening to you and welcome to Alexandra Palace and the 2016

Dafabet Masters. We have reach the quarterfinals. This evening we shall

see England sallied Barry Hawkins take on Mark Allen of Northern

Ireland. One familiar name is already through to the semifinals

after a fantastic meeting between two former champions this afternoon.

DENNIS TAYLOR: It is going to be fascinating to see how this starts

off. KEN DOHERTY: What a shot! What a

Shokat is! What a clearance from Mark Selby!

Beautifully cued. Beautiful. He leads by 3-1. Tell you what, that is

something you or myself would not be able to do, Ken! Black for this

first century... Fantastic. That is a beauty. Excellent shot.

That was a lovely shot. Oh, he did not quite get the cannon

and he is not safe just yet. What a shot he has played there. It is

there. But he has still got a little bit to do. Can you believe it?!

Ronnie O'Sullivan has pulled out one of the finest clearances you could

ever wish to see! Ronnie O'Sullivan takes the match six frames to three.

It really is something special when Ronnie O'Sullivan performs here

It really is something special when Alexandra Palace. John Parrott is

alongside me. Mark Selby said he was going to get into Ronnie

O'Sullivan's head, but he did not get a chance. He was always playing

catch-up. Funnily enough his break-offs were not very good today,

so he was getting behind early on in frames. Borneo special -- Ronnie

O'Sullivan was special today. Mark Selby just looked like he was

getting the bit between his teeth when Ronnie O'Sullivan did that

clearance. That first red was superb. To make that clearance in

the circumstances, absolutely brilliant. Given the fact that

Ronnie sat out the UK Championships in York, do you think he is in the

right frame of mind to win this tournament? Absolutely. He was miles

better today than he was in his first match. It will be a massive

boost to his confidence. There is a lot of rivalry with Mark Selby -

that is a big result today. Moving onto this evening now, and Barry

Hawkins takes on Mark Allen. Let's find out what our stars think of

tonight's competitors. Mark Allen had a few nobles on the

door before finally converting in China, and he won the same event

again in 2013. Not being disrespectful, not necessarily

premiership, but championship material, knocking on the door of

the Premiership? Not so sure material, knocking on the door of

that. I think when he performs at his best, he can outplay anybody.

Just like a tiger, he wears his heart on his sleeve more often than

not. What he is great at is his positional play in and around the

pink and black. His consistency is not as good as some of the other top

players. I can understand that. He can be very inconsistent and

sometimes he does not look interested just might throw in the

towel too early. But if he is in the mood, he makes some lovely little

cannons around the pink and black. mood, he makes some lovely little

Evoking the reds beautifully. He plays with a lot of heart. On his

day, he is unstoppable, potting balls from all over the place. Very

clever, he knows snooker inside out. He is gritty and determined and has

a lot of bottle. What all the attributes to make a winner, I

think, yet does not feature in the winners' enclosure as often as you

would think he would. You are kind of expecting a big run at one of

these big tournaments any day soon. As Ken says, we keep saying that one

day Mark Allen will win one of these big tournaments. He leads the career

head-to-heads between the two. He won the last meeting. But Hawkins

has never made the semifinal at the Masters. He will fancy his chances

this evening. It is too tight to call, isn't it? Yes, I thought it

was difficult to pick the winner in this section of the draw. I think

this is a really good matchup. Barry Hawkins is up an exceptional

matchplay. Mark Allen likewise. I cannot split them. I did an

interview with Mark here last way and he said, he is aware of what the

pundits are saying about him. Not being able to deliver on the main

stage... He got to the final of the Champion Of Champions a few weeks

ago, and it took Neil Robertson to knock him out. So he is very close.

Listen, he could go close. One fascinating thing tonight is that

Terry Griffiths is in the corner of both players this evening. Steve

Davis cracked me up on the earlier show when he said it might be the

quickest Terry Griffiths has ever moved if he goes from one to the

other. He will have to have two hats tonight. So, was an almost there. We

can join our MC, Rob Walker. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the climax

of day five here at the Dafabet Masters. We are gearing up for a

brilliant climax to this year's Championship. Ronnie O'Sullivan has

already booked his place in the semis. But which of our two

world-class players will be joining him in the mix come Saturday? It is

time for another thrilling instalment of drama here at the

always atmospheric Alexandra Palace! Please welcome one of the most

exciting break-builders in the modern game. After knocking out

Shaun Murphy on Sunday, winner of two renting event titles, some of

his friends and his wife have come over from Northern Ireland to cheer

him on tonight. Please welcome Mark Allen!

And his opponent, a player who won his first match at the Masters on

Monday, beating Joe Perry. He has thrived over the last few seasons,

winning his first ranking title in Australia in 2012 and adding the PTC

Grand Finals two years later. He is now firmly established among the

game's elite. Please welcome The Eagle-eyed Barry Hawkins!

Great welcome there for the world number eight, Barry Hawkins, but

surely Mark Allen will fancy this, having beaten Shaun Murphy 6-4 in

the first round. Let's sit back and enjoy this in the company of John

Virgo and Stephen Hendry. JOHN VIRGO: Thank you, Jason, good

evening, everybody. There is an interesting stat I have seen on the

sheet. Barry turned professional nine years before Mark, and yet Mark

has made 206 to seven career centuries, against Barry's 196. Do

you think that is where it could be decided, on that scoring ability

when they get in amongst the balls? STEPHEN HENDRY: Yes, I did not know

that start until you mentioned it. But yes, when it comes to this

that start until you mentioned it. event, with the best players in the

that start until you mentioned it. world, I think it does come down to

scoring. Long potting is important when it comes to getting in and

getting chances. Safety is always turn a matter somewhat. Not as much

I do not believe as some people. But I think it comes down to scoring.

That stat you just came out with, John, it could be the difference.

Also this season, Mark has made 22 centuries against Barry's six. So if

he does get opportunities, you fancy may be Mark Allen will score a bit

better. But Barry is a very tenacious matchplay. Sometimes you

do not get clear-cut frames where breaks are always on.

Much too thin. And a bit fortunate, really. Catching the jaws of the

pocket. That slowed the cue ball down and left it in the baulk end.

Did not take advantage there, with his hand on the table, should have

played a better safety shot than that. Obviously, a little bit of

tension out there. Chance of a pot here. As long as he brings the cue

ball over to the left-hand side of the table as we look at it, he

should not leave anything. A long way off there. As so often happens,

the only ball you think you can leave is the one you do actually end

up leaving. Those first two potting attempts

will not give either player much confidence. As you say, John, a bit

edgy. Yes, and I think Mark can get through to this red just below the

pink. So that could be costly. This will clear the pink area.

So, he will have the pink, which will be available into both corners,

and into the middle pocket. The blue is on its spot. It is a decent

chance, this. A few little stones and screws.

Looks like he has come back nicely for the pink. Yes, I think this is

Watkin was on about beforehand. Around the pink and black, he is

very good at this type of game. He has got the cue action for it.

He does not have the perfect angle on the red, but no problem. He is

nicely once again on the pink. It is just what you need, this type

of virginity, if you are feeling a bit nervous -- this type of

opportunity if you are feeling a bit nervous at the start of the match.

Lots of little stuns and screws around the pink. Whenever he pots

one red, it seems to release another one, so it is all going to plan at

the moment. Yes, just a little shake of the head there. He needed to

screw a bit further up the table. But he has got too straight on this

one. Should not cause a problem. And once again, he looks as though

he has come a little bit too straight. Well, obviously, when he

parted that red, as you say, he pots one and it clears the path for

another. This one just above the black now goes to the left corner.

56 points lead. So, three more reds would do it.

When Mark Allen missed his first long pot by a long way, and then

Barry missed his chance, perhaps he would not have been expecting to

lose the frame from it. But it looks like it now. Yes, he should not have

missed that red, Barry Hawkins, but the one he missed came down and it

cleared the path for the one just below the pink. And that obviously

made it a very good scoring opportunity. Fair play, he has taken

full advantage. So, the black would put him 71 points in front with just

67 remaining. That was not the cleanest of pots.

Just went in off the right jaw. Has a chance now to go ahead and

possibly make a century. As we said before, he can be a heavy scorer

when he gets going. This red on the left-hand side of

the table should not be a problem free left-hand. He just does not

want to come straight. Well, he has been a bit careless. Cannot really

get the cue ball away from the crushing.

-- from the cushion. Well, he can do it like that. He already holds the

highest break of the tournament so far, a break of 137. Well played!

It looked in! But it did not matter. Barry Hawkins missed a fairly

straightforward red, and sat down for the rest of the frame. Good

start for Mark Allen, who leads 1-0. Brilliant form from Mark Allen

there. 268 career centuries now for him. Well, we said here's a scorer,

that is what he is very good at. He has got quite a short cue action

compared with a lot of players. It is very useful in amongst the pink

and black. But Barry will be disappointed with that opening red.

Because he is left-handed, he should still pot it but it is one of those

you might put a bit of side on. For a right-hander, that would have been

virtually unmissable. But sometimes cueing across, start of the match, a

little bit nervous, he will not need to do too many more of those. John

mentioned in commentary, a bit of tension for Barry Hawkins? You

expect that. Mark Allen also missed his initial red by quite some way,

so he would have been delighted to get back to the table. In

competitions like this, do you think your previous experience at the

Masters counts for a certain amount, given that Mark Allen has got to

semifinals in the past? It can do, but in Barry's case, you would be

thinking, he has played here six times, and that was the first time

he has won in the first round. He spent a few years at The Crucible

without getting past the first round, and then when he did

eventually, he actually breached the final. Both players have got enough

experience to know what big match play snooker is all about. In the

Masters, you need to get a good start. You do not get any easy

matches. You have obviously come through your first one to get to the

quarters. You have got to be right at it from the start.

There is the wonderful trophy that somebody will pick up on Sunday

evening. He caught that break-off shot a little bit too thick. He has

left Barry this red. Right in the heart of the pocket. It

is quite funny, Stephen, I was in the press room and the referee Colin

Humphreys, because they do the toss backstage, and he said to Mark

Allen, I am going to toss the coin. He said, well, if I win it, I want

him to break-off. Years ago, if you won the toss, you always broke off.

Maybe I can see WHY Mark did not want to break-off. It could cost

him. That was a good opening red from Barry Hawkins.

STEPHEN HENDRY: Yes, I used to think the only reason you would not want

to break-off in the first frame is, should it go to a decider, you might

get first chance in the deciding frame. That is the only reason that

I could think of for making someone else break.

Pity. Good opening red but just overran off the ground. Shake of the

head. Disappointed. -- off the brown.

Catching the blue. But I don't think it left a pot on.

Good safety, though. He would love to get through to the red on the

left-hand side of the table. If he tried playing safe down the

right-hand side as we look, tried playing safe down the

catch it too thick, you could run into the black. Just looking at that

red on the left-hand side of the table, he can't get to the rights

and -- to the right-hand side of it to get back into baulk. So he has a

slight problem here. He has got to catch this very thin.

He played it well. Played it very well. Good shot.

Just a little bit thick and that safety. With his hand on the table,

you would expect a better safety shot from Mark Allen. But he could

not avoid the blue. Good target that now, the yellow, blue and brown, if

you can get the cue ball somewhere near the baulk cushion.

Barry got up off the shot a couple of times, and that was the reason.

He knew there was a red going over the corner. The brown might have

come to his rescue, though. He might be forced into taking the

swerve on here for that red over the corner. I cannot see many safety

opportunities. And you could even think, maybe come off the top

cushion to nestle on that red. But there is two which would be

available into the middle pocket. So, he is in a spot of bother here.

I kind of think it is worth the risk. Obviously, you do not want to

follow through and pot the white as well. There is a chance of finishing

on the black or pink. There is the virtual image. Well, he is just

going to come off the top cushion. He decided to hit it firm. But

playing it that way, he was always going to leave the chance of a red

to the right middle. Well, this is a bit tricky but it

would give him position on the black. Good shot.

The red he'd love to get rid of is the one to the left of the black. He

might have the angle to stun round the back of it. I think it passes

the black, so he could play for the red in the same pocket he's potted

the black. He's played it nicely. Needs to play a cannon here, the two

reds immediately above the black, cannon full into one of those, he'll

have a choice of reds. He's overdone it. He needed to catch it fuller

than that. It's gone slightly astray. OK, he's

still got pots on, but nothing that is guaranteeing him position on the

colour. He's going to be running into another red off this one.

The red that he missed in the first frame was into that pocket. That

might have been at the back of his mind. That was a good shot.

He will take the cue ball off two cushions for the pink or black in

the left corner. He's chosen to stay up that end of the table for a baulk

colour. One good positional shot here and

he'll have the red that is closest to the pink spot, I think, to the

left corner. He will be very disappointed if he

doesn't win the frame from here. Yes. And there is no excuses. He's

got reds, the number of reds he requires are all gathered around

this area. He judged it well. This is a good

response. He decided to play for the red near

the cushion. That's OK, as long as he's got a decent angle, and he

doesn't want to be too straight on it.

He is straight, but he will be able to screw back for the black in the

same pocket. He couldn't have cued it much better

than that. So, this black to put him 70 points in front with 67

remaining. Well played. Sat out most of the

first frame when Mark Allen made that lovely break of 109. We could

see century here. -- we could see another century here.

Considering their first two attempts at pots in the first frame, we

thought both players looked a bit edgy. Since then, the standard has

been excellent. It will be hard to pick a winner out

of this match, John. He's a bit unlucky there. Yeah.

Well, there is a possibility he can make this into a plant. That is what

he is eyeing up. The frame is well and truly over. He would love to

make the century, though. Unlucky. A good response from Barry

Hawkins. Winning the frame in one visit. That is what you'd like to

do. That is what he's done. We are all square.

JASON MOHAMMAD: At this point in the programme, we usually say, what do

we know, but it is proving tight out there? He made that miss in the

first frame, Barry Hawkins. That break was started with an excellent

red. Mark Allen decided to play the stun on the red to leave the cue

ball up the table and he left Barry Hawkins this. These are really tough

on these tournament tables. He could not hit that any better. It was

beautifully cued. The funny thing is, no matter what level you are at,

certain shots can go wrong. Barry Hawkins, have a look at the

situation here, he has a lovely cannon into the two reds, he can't

be on anything else but perfect, and it just sneaks behind the other red.

After that, he loses - so a position that looked perfect for him, with

one shot, the cannon went wrong and he had to grab his positional shots

again. He did really well to keep it. One simple shot like that, if

you don't get the cannon right... That long green was a terrific pot.

It was something we noted when we saw him have that remarkable run at

The Crucible, only to lose to Ronnie O'Sullivan in the final. When he

finds his rhythm, he is a difficult opponent? He has a wonderful cue

ball control. There is an economy of effort with the cue ball when

Hawkins makes a break, he keeps the cue ball very tight. She a class

act. -- he is a class act. JOHN VIRGO: A couple of years ago,

it was like a coming-of-age for Barry. He gave Ronnie O'Sullivan a

run for his money, make no mistake about that.

STEPHEN HENDRY: A decent break off. The black is tied up. That sometimes

can make for an awkward frame. REFEREE: Touching ball. Every player

loves to hear the player say that. It enables you to get back to the

baulk end with no effort. Touching the red, you fire away, you are then

deemed to have hit it. He may have to play a similar type

of shot off the side cushion, unless he feels the yellow's in the way. He

must do because he's trying to play a thin contact here. He has to be

careful with this. Yeah, caught it too thick and that

is why he cannoned the red on the right-hand side of the table.

But Stephen said at the start off the break-off, the black was tied

up. The pink is out of commission. He can play a cannon here on the

pink to hold the cue ball, or maybe bring the pink into play.

He decided to play for the loose red. I think I might have taken a

chance and tried to play the drop cannon on to the pink. I this I the

way the balls are situated, it is very tough to make a frame-winning

break off the blue. He has a nice angle to go into that pink ball.

You can only assume that that is what he was playing for and he

underhit it. Considering he was using the spider, he played that

well. He's just letting the cue ball run a

couple of inches further than he would have liked to make this red

completely comfortable. He should still get it, of course.

This time he hasn't - he may just have gone past the blue. There you

see, just a slight angle. He's running out of loose reds.

He would love to have an angle on the blue this time to get on that

red above the black. A slight angle to play a cannon.

That's not bad. Yeah, looks as though - it is one of those, if you

could run the blue in and come off the side cushion, you'd feel as

though you could guarantee leaving yourself a nice angle on the red

that Stephen has mentioned. If you are playing the stun, then it's a

little bit more difficult to judge. I this I the -- I think the

follow-through, he is going to be guaranteed a pot on the red. Whether

he is going to have an angle to cannon the red to the left of the

black is another question. In the end, he chose to play a very

positive shot. That couldn't have worked out much better.

I think he can still play the cannon to the left of the black. Great

shot. Yeah, very well worked out. He's give himself a frame-winning

opportunity now. I think when we talk about that run

that he had at The Crucible, that's what's improved in his game over the

past four or five years, to get him into the top eight in the world is

his break-building. He plays the right shot, and the aggressive shot,

all of the time. Not many players would have played that off two

cushions into the bunch there with a couple of open reds.

There's a red in the middle of the bunch here. But he won't get on the

black from that. This is the red to take. You can see there is a plant

on as well, but he won't be taking that on.

In the first frame when he missed the red, you thought there's a bit

of tension in the arm - understandable. There is no tension

now. He is delivering the cue beautifully.

He played for that red that he looked at a couple of shots ago to

the same pocket. Again, he's come too short. He's going to go up for

the blue. I don't think he can avoid the cannon on the red touching the

pink. So, it shouldn't be a problem. You are looking from behind the

pocket, that plant looks on. There is a bit of distance between the two

balls. He had no need to play it, of course. I think the red two down

from the pink is available into the left corner. He is coming round to

have a look. When you get to this situation, you are a couple of pots

away from winning the frame, you don't, if you can help it, want to

risk playing cannons. It could go wrong.

He did play the cannon, but no harm done. The only downside is that the

black, I don't think is available to the right corner. Just looking for a

red and a colour. Playing with topspin so going back up for the

blue. Always going to be difficult,

particularly using the rest, to generate the pace. He only needs the

blue. If he pots the blue, he will be 68 points in front with 67

remaining. So, Mark Allen needs a snooker. One

snooker, of course, is not impossible. So Barry will be giving

this 100%, this pot. A nice break, but, in the end,

playing the cannon - it's a pity, if the black had been available into

the right corner, he may well have gone on and made a century break.

Mark Allen needs a snooker. So, this 67 points that are

available, I think he can cue past the brown. He doesn't necessarily

need to be all blacks with the reds. He needs a good kiss on the pink -

got one, got one! The thing is, he needs to be playing

blacks and that last red, the one he'd ideally like to leave is the

one below the pink, that would be a simple matter of stunning that up

the table and getting the snooker behind the pink, the one snooker

that's required. So, he can afford one more pink. I'm a little bit

surprised he didn't play for the red to the right middle to get on to the

black. That pink goes in this corner. He's not out of this by any

means, this frame. He's going to struggle a bit now.

You would love to leave that red closest to the pink last, and play

the snooker behind the pink. The way he's come now, it's awkward.

That was a lot better shot than it looked. And now he's back in good

position. As I say, he'll leave that last red, you would have thought,

and play the snooker off the last red.

He needs to get the cue ball as tight on that pink.

That may be a bit careless. That's very careless. I mean, listen, he

can pot the red and play for the black and maybe try and get the

snooker on the yellow. If he had got this in the right position, this

would have been a certain snooker. Just needed to stop an inch or two

before then. The problem is, with that shot,

that's not difficult to hit. He needed to be tight to the pink and

cut off the one-cushion escape. And he's not done that. The red is just

a I way from the baulk cushion, wouldn't be the first time we have

seen someone go round a ball like that. And maybe the middle pocket is

just slightly in the way. Doesn't look as though it is.

He can play this off two cushions, you would think.

Yeah, it was too easy to hit. Hello! I was thinking he might get another

chance here to nestle up behind the green. It's not the case.

He needs a snooker, but the prior if you don't fancy getting a snooker,

you must get the object ball safe. If you don't, you won't have any

chance for anymore snookers. He needs to miss the blue. If he

missed the blue, it would have been a certain snooker. There you see it.

Barry Hawkins 37 ahead, 35 remaining.

That's one way to stop your opponent getting a snooker, snooker him! And

this is going to be very difficult to get out of.

REFEREE: Foul, thank you. Barry Hawkins five. He fouled the blue

when he was striking over - he called it. And I think it's a free

ball as well. So, I think that's the end of the frame, as far as Mark

Allen is concerned. We saw the blue just move. I'm sure Mark Allen would

have liked to have conceded there and then, but it's etiquette, when

it is your opponent's turn to come to the table. You don't concede.

The first frame took just under 11 minutes. The second frame just under

14 minutes. This has only taken a bit longer because of the attempt

from Mark Allen to play a snooker, otherwise it's been high-quality

stuff. I bet Mark Allen, after making that great century in the

first frame, wouldn't have been expecting to be 2-1 down.

He tried to get the cannon on the blue. Doesn't matter. Hello! This

blue is going close. Where's the blue ball going? Not quite.

Impressive. The 68 break early on put him in the snookers required

stage. Mark Allen did have a chance but he didn't make the most of it.

Barry Hawkins leads 2-1. JASON MOHAMMAD: Very shaky start by

Barry Hawkins in that opening frame, but he's settled down. Yes, Mark

Allen did miss a trick. Off the black, he will be kicking himself he

didn't get there. He had a great chance to lay that snooker there. If

he had got an angle to stun in behind the pink, nice and tight to

the pink, Barry Hawkins would have been in a bit of trouble. Just that

shot off the black has cost him. We know Mark Allen can pot balls. What

do you make of his safety game? know Mark Allen can pot balls. What

have to get better. He had a chance to get back to the baulk area, hit

it too thick and it cost him the frame. His safety will have to

tighten up. Thank you very much indeed. This match continues on the

Red Button and also on connected devices. We shall be back with

highlights at 11.15pm on BBC Two with the best of this match and

showing you highlights of Ronnie O'Sullivan's win this afternoon over

Mark Selby. My thanks to John Parrott. From all of us here, bye

for now. So, no-one pays tax here?

No-one pays taxes.