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Break-buster Murphy clinches semi-final spot
ROTHERHAM potter Shaun Murphy dispatched Stephen Lee last night to reach his first major semi-final for nearly nine months.
The 2005 world champion beat Wiltshire cueman Lee 9-3 to deservedly secure his place in this year's BBC-televised Maplin UK Championship semis in Telford.
But perhaps surprisingly the world No 3 admitted he found it hard to get across the winning line having established a commanding 7-1 lead after the first session.
"I saw Stephen packing his car up with all his stuff ready to leave after the first session, so I knew he was going to get all out attack," said Murphy, who faces Glaswegian Stephen Maguire in the next round tomorrow. Maguire clinched a battling 9-7 win over fellow Scot John Higgins.
"That's really hard to defend against because he's playing like he hasn't got a care in the world," added Murphy. "But from 7-1 it was unlikely the result was going to go the other way."
Murphy pocketed breaks of 70, 86, 65, 48, 51, 98 and 85 to progress and reach his first major semi-final since the China Open in March.
He added: "I've played better and lost, but after some disappointing results his season I'm well pleased to be in the semis.
Lee, the world No 26, admitted he found it difficult to concentrate because of painful toothache.
"My tooth has been killing me all day, but I've only got myself to blame, I chucked the match away," said Lee.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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