O'Sullivan limps to semi-final

Ronnie O'Sullivan booked his semi-final place in the Benson and Hedges Masters at the Wembley Conference Centre the hard way, overcoming the pain of an injured foot and the Welshman Darren Morgan.

O'Sullivan, who faces Andy Hicks in the semi-finals this afternoon, had an X-ray on his right foot yesterday. The injury was caused when he accidentally kicked a concrete plant pot. He insisted: "I'll carry on regardless. Nothing will stop me getting to the table because I'm determined to retain this title."

O'Sullivan limped around the table in Thursday's quarter-final against Morgan, making only two half-century breaks in a 6-4 victory. Yet the crowd had plenty to keep them occupied as one unusual incident after another occurred. In the fourth frame, O'Sullivan had to ask the referee John Street for clarification of the rules after potting a red and placing himself in a snooker from which it was impossible to hit a colour. On being informed he still had to nominate, O'Sullivan smashed the reds and let Morgan in for a 53 break to level at 2-2.

In the fifth, Morgan went on to compile a 66 after being forced to stop half-way through the run when a couple of intoxicated spectators were ejected. Then, at the conclusion of the seventh frame, O'Sullivan thought he had done enough to open a 4-3 lead by potting the pink - only to realise after placing his cue on the table that the black was also required.

BENSON AND HEDGES MASTERS (Wembley Conference Centre) Quarter-finals: A McManus (Sco) bt S Davis (Eng) 6-4; R O'Sullivan (Eng) bt D Morgan (Wal) 6-4.