Hann tries again to reach last four

Quinten Hann bids to end his quarter-final jinx today when he tackles John Higgins at the Citywest Irish Masters in Dublin.

The Australian professional hopes it will be ninth time lucky after eight previous failures to progress from this stage of a ranking tournament.

Indeed, earlier this month Hann went down to Tony Drago in the European Open in Malta.

Higgins is certainly in no mood to be charitable. The 1998 world champion and 2003 Irish Masters runner-up has not won a major title since his Dublin triumph two years ago.

And he is in buoyant mood after watching his beloved Celtic progress to the next round of the UEFA Cup in Barcelona last night.

Hann has beaten the world number four from Scotland before but it will be a surprise if Higgins does not clinch a semi-final place against Ronnie O’Sullivan or Peter Ebdon.

O’Sullivan is trying to become the first player for 10 years to defend the title. Steve Davis, who will be presenting the trophy on Sunday, was the last man to achieve the feat.

O’Sullivan kept a low profile yesterday, partially due to feeling off colour. Some dodgy seafood prevented the ‘Rocket’ giving a number of pre-match interviews.

Ebdon has the stomach for a battle but would prefer O’Sullivan to still be below par. Both have cruised into the last eight with Ebdon though, if anything, showing the better form.

The father of four from Wellingborough is overdue a long run in a tournament. He is a former Irish Masters champion but has not featured in a final since winning the world title against Stephen Hendry in May 2002.

Unlike today’s other three quarter-finalists, family man Ebdon returned home after his match on Monday, returning yesterday for some final practice.

Both Hann and Higgins have been kicking their heels since their second round games on Monday.

It is the turn of Ken Doherty and Mark King to put their feet up today after becoming the first players to qualify for the semis.

Doherty is certainly glad of a break after his four-hour marathon against Nottingham’s Anthony Hamilton last night.

The Dubliner kept his fans on tenterhooks until he edged a 47-minute deciding frame 63-27 to complete a 6-5 triumph.

“That was a real war of attrition,” he admitted. “Very tiring.

“I honestly thought Anthony was going to clear up in the last frame. I couldn’t see him missing because when the balls were open he was polishing off the frames.

“But early on we both got bogged down and when it goes like that it is hard keeping your concentration.

“There was a lot of tension in that last frame because it means so much to me to still be in contention.”

King’s 6-2 victory over Scotland’s Graeme Dott contained the highest break of the tournament so far and the longest frame.

The world number 22 from Romford overtook Ebdon’s 136 with a 137 in frame seven to take the lead for a £5,000 (€7,400) bonus.

A 51-minute marathon came in the third frame as King also took the scrappy encounters.

“Everyone knows I am not the greatest break builder and if I want to win titles or get to the end of tournaments I need to kill players off.

“That is why I have been working on my break building in practice.”