Snooker news - Mark Allen sets up Mark Selby showdown, Tom Ford crushes Tian Pengfei at English Open

Walker, ranked 80th in the world, toppled world champion Judd Trump earlier in the tournament but was unable to lay a glove on Allen, who put together runs of 54, 51 and 80 to win a scrappy affair.

The 37-minute third frame, won by Allen, gave the Northern Irishman the momentum to take a four-frame advantage to the mini-interval, and while a typically dogged Walker took the fifth frame, it merely delayed the inevitable.

And Allen sealed his spot in the semi-final at the second time of asking to set up a showdown with Mark Selby.

“The only frame I missed balls was the third really – the rest of it was alright,” said Allen after the match.

Earlier in the evening session, Tom Ford, who produced a maximum in his deciding frame against Shaun Murphy at the last-16 stage, whitewashed Tian Pengfei 5-0.

Ford, ranked 25th in the world, produced breaks of 62, 52 and 128 on his was to a first semi-final of the season.

Ford will face Dave Gilbert in the semi-final at 20:00 LIVE on Eurosport and Eurosport Player after Allen and Selby duel it out from 14:00.