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We were down to the one-table setup at the UK Championship in York which meant it was time for the first semi-final. Today it was the turn of the 2008 champion Shaun Murphy who had a tought test in store against four times ranking event winner Ali Carter.

After a strong start from the Captain it was Murphy who leveled the scores at 2-2 before Carter won the next two in quick succession including a 101 to go 4-2 up, with the next two shared leaving the Essex man in a slim 5-3 advantage going in to the evening session.

Ali Carter

Murphy needed a good start to recover his deficit but it was Carter who was quickest out the blocks, taking the ninth frame with a 79. The next two were shared for Carter to go 7-4 then after Murphy went in off from a long pot it looked like his luck had ran out as his opponent went one away from victory at 8-4.

After that Murphy produced one of the best comebacks the UK Championship has ever seen, including breaks of 76, 49, 105 and 78 to take the match to a decider before finishing the match off with a 29 after Carter missed a red with the rest to win 9-8 and complete a famous victory.

Murphy will be absolutely over the moon to have come back once again (he did it from 5-4 down in his quarter-final match against Luca Brecel) to win the match. He plays either Mark Selby or Mark Davis in the final on Sunday.

Shaun Murphy

"I've been further behind in matches before, but in a UK semi-final that's got to be my best five frames ever", said the 2005 World Champion.

"I'm able to see the funny side of things now rather than banging my cue on the table. I can hold myself together now in a way the great Paul Hunter used to.

"The fact that I've got tomorrow off before the final really helps. I'm going to go home, do some washing, and watch the two Marks (Davis and Selby) suffer."