Here are the reports shared by WST about what happened in Belfast yesterday:

Afternoon session

BetVictor Northern Ireland Open Day Four Afternoon

Jack Lisowski is working with renowned coach Chris Henry for the first time and that seems to be paying off already as he beat Mark Selby 4-2 to reach the last 16 of the BetVictor Northern Ireland Open in Belfast. 

Lisowski will now meet Thepchaiya Un-Nooh in a mouth-watering tie on Thursday between two of the fastest players in the sport. In today’s battle with Selby, Lisowski lost the opening frame on the final black but then fired breaks of 61, 103 and 51 to lead 3-1. Selby pulled one back with a 65 before Lisowski settled the result with a 65 in frame six.

World number 29 Lisowski’s father sadly passed away in March and he told TNT Sports today: “I didn’t have a lot of fight in me for the first few months. When I played a month after my dad died, in every frame I felt so emotional. I wish I had taken longer off, but I kept going. It doesn’t get easier, but I am getting used to it.“

Asked about his work with Henry, Lisowski added: “It is quite different for me, it has given me things to work on. Chris is helping me to understand the science of the white ball and the way you strike it, how side throws the ball in different ways. I didn’t know that before, I didn’t have a clue. That has been cool to learn, it took a while to get into my brain but it will give me a bit more solidity when I am struggling, because my good game is really good but my bad game is a weakness. It was a great win today. I know if I practise hard and strike the cue ball well I have always got a a chance.” 

Shaun Murphy, British Open champion and Xi’an Grand Prix finalist, notched another win with a 4-2 success against Elliot Slessor. The key moment of the tie came in the second frame when Slessor, leading 1-0 and on a break of 55, missed a short range red to a top corner. Murphy cleared with 68 then went 3-1 up with 81 and 82, and later finished the job with a 60 in frame six.

“It was a tough game, Elliot is a player I have a lot of respect for and I think it’s only matter of time before wins come his way,” said Murphy. “He had the advantage early on but I managed to get myself into the game and take my chances. 

“I am chasing my own goals, I have some personal goals I am after. I am working very hard in between matches and there is plenty left in the tank. It’s a long time since I played in the one-table set up here, it has not been a happy hunting ground for me. I can’t wait to try to go further in the tournament, it’s one of my favourite venues and crowds and I hope I can do them justice.“

Un-Nooh top scored with 94 in a 4-1 defeat of Mark Davis while He Guoqiang got the better of a Chinese derby with Wu Yize, winning 4-2 with top runs of 67, 64, 77 and 120.

World number 17 Si Jiahui, the highest ranked player yet to win a ranking title, stormed to a 4-0 win over Stephen Maguire with top breaks of 69, 64 and 55. Gary Wilson top scored with 79 in a 4-2 win over Martin O’Donnell.

Evening session

BetVictor Northern Ireland Open Day Four Evening

Home stars continued to shine at the BetVictor Northern Ireland Open in Belfast as Mark Allen beat Ben Woollaston 4-3 while fellow Antrim cueman Jordan Brown saw off Ashley Hugill 4-0 to reach the last 16.

Allen now faces a huge clash with Cork’s Aaron Hill on Thursday afternoon, then Brown will meet form-player Shaun Murphy at 7pm on what promises to be a sensational day of snooker at the Waterfront Hall. 

Having won the BetVictor English Open last month, Allen is unbeaten in the Home Nations Series this season and has now won seven consecutive matches in deciding frames in those events. The world number eight looked in danger tonight at 2-1 down but then made breaks of 135 and 100 to lead 3-2. Woollaston recovered to 3-3 and had first chance in the decider but missed an attempted plant on a red to a top corner. Once again Allen remained calm under pressure and a break of 57 helped him to the winning line.

“I’m very grateful for the support I get here and it’s nice that we are giving them something back this week,” said Allen, who won this title in 2021 and 2022. “I don’t do things the easy way, I would love to see what it’s like to win 4-0! But I always feel comfortable in deciders and fancy my chances.”

Looking ahead to his meeting with practice partner Hill, he added: “Aaron is a great kid and is showing in matches now what I have seen in practice for a few years. His confidence is high and he is destined for great things.”

Brown beat World Champion Zhao Xintong 4-0 in the opening round and built on that with another whitewash over Hugill, capped by runs of 73 and 94. Down in 64th place in the projected end of season rankings, Brown is in danger of tour relegation at the end of this season, but his run in this event is a vital boost and he is into the last 16 of a ranking event for the first time since the 2023 International Championship.

“It’s nice to play somewhere near the way I can, especially as the crowd has been amazing this week,” he said. “To walk into the arena alongside Mark Allen was very special. Before we went out, we said to each other ‘it’s not going to be quiet tonight!’ These are memories that I won’t forget. There haven’t been many good times for me over the last couple of seasons and at times I have questioned my future. I have had to reflect on things like winning the Welsh Open and beating Neil Robertson here two years ago to give myself a lift. Hopefully I can put on a show tomorrow.” 

World number two Kyren Wilson earned a 4-1 success over Ryan Day with top runs of 135 and 93. China’s Zhou Yuelong, runner-up to Allen in Brentwood last month, enjoyed a 4-2 victory over David Grace with top breaks of 64, 73 and 59. Jimmy Robertson came from 3-0 down to 3-3 only for his opponent Ali Carter to make a tremendous 135 total clearance in the deciding frame to win 4-3.

All the detailed results are available on snooker.org

I haven’t much to add, almost all the matches went the way I expected them to go, which isn’t always the way I wish them to go of course.