SNOOKER: Mark Allen into final of International Championship in China

Northern Ireland's Mark Allen was an impressive 9-2 victor over Yan Bingtao in the semi-finals of the International Championship in China.

By The Newsroom

Published 4th Nov 2017, 14:54 GMT

Updated 12th Dec 2017, 13:11 GMT

Yan, 17, thrashed five-time world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan earlier in the tournament but was no match for the man from Antrim.

Allen, 31, will play England's world number one Mark Selby in Sunday's best-of-19-frames final.

Yan is 53rd in the world rankings, 42 places below Allen.

The Chinese prospect also beat former world champion John Higgins, Jack Lisowski and Ricky Walden on his way to the semi-finals.

Allen, a beaten finalist at the tournament two years ago, saw off Judd Trump 6-5 in the last eight, having earlier beaten Martin O'Donnell, Mark King and Zhao Xintong.

Reigning world and UK champion Selby was a 9-3 victor over fellow Englishman Martin Gould in the semi-finals.