Stevens battles to first final since 2003

Matthew Stevens produced the shot of a lifeline to earn his place in Sunday’s Irish Masters final.

The Welshman felt he was “dead and buried” as he trailed Robert Milkins 8-6 and 62-24 in the opening semi-final at the Citywest Hotel.

But he gambled everything on potting the fourth last red down a side cushion into a baulk pocket to swing the momentum his way.

Stevens, avenging his 9-8 defeat by underdog Milkins at the 2002 UK Championship, fashioned a 42 clearance and then won the last two frames to complete his great escape.

“In a situation like that when the red has to go in, it makes it all the sweeter,” said the world number six.

“Under the circumstances it has got to be probably my best pot on a red.

“But I do feel for Rob because it’s happened to me so many times. I’m just glad this time it all came right for me.

“I was dead and buried – not so much at 8-5 but at 8-6. If that red hadn’t gone in I could have shaken his hand.”

Stevens now plays compatriot Mark Williams or Ronnie O’Sullivan in what will be his first ranking final since defeating Stephen Hendry in the 2003 UK final at York.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been in a final but I’m going to enjoy it,” he promised.

“I don’t care who I play but it would be nice if it was an all Welsh final with Mark.”

For Milkins, it was a case of so near yet so far. He kept a tight rein on his suspect temperament to turn a 4-4 mid-session scoreline into an 8-5 lead.

But Stevens’s clearance in frame 14 left him shaking and Milkins contributed just 31 more points to a gripping match.

“That’s the best red I’ve ever seen because he was in all sorts of trouble,” said the 29-year-old from Gloucester.

“That just didn’t win him the frame, it won him the match.

“I do think I deserved to win but the way he potted that red and cleared up it demoralised me.

“I almost put him in too much trouble because he had no choice but to take the red on.

“I’ve had a good tournament and I would have taken a semi-final before the start. But when I wake up tomorrow I will still feel I should be in the final.”

Semi-final result: Matthew Stevens (Wal) bt Robert Milkins (Eng) 9-8

Frame scores (Stevens first): 77-20 45-60 19-73 80-1 66-73 0-89 70-24 81-1 0-77 31-52 6-84 65-28 25-59 78-12 66-62 72-9 71-22