Mark Allen holds nerve to see off Mark Williams in Northern Ireland Open
![Mark Allen](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.planetsport.com%2Fimage-library%2Fland%2F700%2Fm%2Fmark-allen-oct-2022.webp&w=3840&q=75)
Mark Allen moved a step closer to defending his Northern Ireland Open title after winning a dramatic quarter-final against Mark Williams.
Antrim's Allen came from two frames down to lead 4-2 before Williams hit back to force a decider.
Welshman Williams had his chances in the ninth frame but Allen held his nerve to win 5-4.
He will meet Neil Robertson in the semi-finals after the Australian beat Mark Selby 5-2.
Robertson has now won 12 of his last 13 matches against four-time world champion Selby.
Earlier a break of 130 in the deciding frame gave China's Zhou Yuelong a 5-4 victory over David Gilbert.
Zhou will face Anthony McGill, who beat Lyu Haotian 5-3, in the last four.