Frame Scores:

1st Session: 57-66(40), 6-74(46), 81(81)-0, 74(62)-57(57), 19-56(55), 0-88(88), 98(81)-0, 80(46)-7,

2nd Session: 7-92(63), 60-67(respot), 68-44, 0-73(49), 21-69(64), 0-93(93), 70(70)-57(57), 68(38)-43(33)

3rd Session: 45(45)-65(43), 32-87(80), 61-62, 38-81(41), 0-82(68), 91(66)-0, 70(68)-11, 106(101)-0

4th Session: 69-19, 91(33)-16, 81(45)-52(40), 82-20, 7-106(106), 22-89(81), 0-94(94)

 Match Notes:

Fourth Session:

Frame 31. Robertson's brave fight is over. A brilliant performance by Murphy since the interval sweeps him into tomorrow's final to face John Higgins

Frame 30. Murphy has a new lease of life now. Another excellent break takes him to within a frame of the final. Can Robertson mount one last challenge?

Frame 29. The interval obviously came just at the right time for Murphy. He's revitalised now and he's won the frame in one visit with a century, to edge ahead by the odd frame. This was after Robertson had the first chance but missed the pink to the middle bag.

Frame 28. It's level at the interval. So now we're set for a very dramatic conclusion when the players return. No big breaks that time but Robertson chipped away at the reds and left Murphy needing snookers.

Frame 27. What can I say! that was one of the most bizarre frames you're ever likely to see. Murphy made 40 before missing the black. Robertson came back with 45 and laid a snooker on the yellow, which Murphy failed to hit 4 times. Then with Murphy needing FOUR snookers on the pink, Robertson had a huge lash at the pink and totally miscued, bouncing the white off the table and damaging his tip. Murphy got one snooker. But Robertson then had a total rush of blood and hit a tap-in pink at rocket power pace, knocking the pink clean off the table! Luckily for him Murphy's next attempt at a snooker left the pink on. And after all that Robertson has won all three frames so far tonight.

Frame 26. One absolutely unbelievable red by Robertson in that frame. It didn't win the frame on its own but it deserved too. But Robertson has clinched the frame with a run of 33 to leave Murphy needing a snooker with 4 reds left, and the gap gets closer and the tension mounts another notch.

Frame 25. Robertson takes the first of the night, so the gap shrinks to three frames and Murphy looks a little thoughtful in his chair.

Good evening everyone. Play will start in a few minutes and what an evening of drama we could be in for. We've spotted some interested spectators tonight in the audience. Patsy Fagan the 1977 UK Champion is here and a party of 4 Dutch Snooker Referees, who have driven via the Dover ferry, all the way up to Sheffield and then they have to drive all the way back again to catch the 6am ferry back to France and then drive back to Holland. Former pro Ben Woollaston is also here, he sadly got knocked out of the English Amateur Championship today so found himself with time to spare for a visit to the Crucible. And just in case this match did finish very quickly, Michael Holt and Tony Knowles are waiting in the wings to provide the entertainment.

Third Session:

Frame 24. Robertson rounds off the session in style, with a century, and he's right back in the match now.

Frame 23. Another run of 68 by Robertson earns him the frame and he's getting up a head of steam now.

Frame 22. At last Robertson halts Murphy's charge. He got in first and has kept Murphy scoreless this time.

Frame 21. There's just no stopping Shaun Murphy today. He's returned from the interval to fire in a break of 68 and at this rate he'll win with a session to spare.

Frame 20. Murphy closes out frame 20 to conclude a brillian mini session this morning. He's won all four frames.

Frame 19. Shaun Murphy has produced a brilliant long blue and an even better long black to steal the frame by a point and stretch his lead to five frames.

Frame 18. Murphy had a good chance of a maximum, but he missed a red along the cushion on 80. But Robertson hasn't given up the frame. He's battling on, 48 behind on the last red. Murphy eventually gets the red and now he's gone four frames clear.

Frame 17. Good morning everyone. Welcome to a warm and sunny Sheffield Bank Holiday weekend. And what a weekend we're going to have here. Dramatic conclusions to the semi finals today and then the final on Sunday and Monday. Murphy takes the frame but only after Robertson, who'd got right back into it, missed the brown on 45 and left it for Murphy.

Second Session:

Frame 16. Robertson wins the final frame of the session, amidst a certain amount of hilarity as he proceeds to blast the blue straight off the table. But he's pegged back Murphy and set it up nicely for tomorrow.

Frame 15. What a big frame for Neil to win. He's clearly delighted, a big fist pump there as he cleared with 70 after Murphy missed a red when well set on 57.

Frame 14. Murphy is beginning to boss the proceedings now, a cracking 93 there to take him 9-5 clear.

Frame 13. Robertson had the first chance after Murphy missed a long red, but he didn't make it count and Murphy came roaring back with 64 to stretch his lead to 8-5.

Frame 12. A 49 break set the foundations for a Murphy success in that frame. He did miss the black on 49 but got away with it and leads 7-5 at the interval.

Frame 11. The safety play sent a lot of the reds up to the baulk end making it another fragmented frame. It was resolved when Robertson trapped Murphy in a snooker on the yellow and the former champion missed it twice and then left it on.

Frame 10. I haven't retired for a Friday afternoon snooze; this frame has been broken up by an excellent mid frame safety battle which pushed the balls awkward. After 41 minutes they're on the green, which Neil needs to secure the frame. Drama! After 48 minutes Murphy has cleared from green to black to force a re-spot. And Murphy has won it, what a big blow that could be.

Frame 9. Good afternoon and welcome to a packed Crucible. Murphy is cruising to success in the first frame. He made 63. He did leave a chance for Neil to counter but the Aussie missed a blue.

First Session:

Frame 8. Robertson takes the last of the night as well so it's honours even after the first session and that's a pretty reflection of the evening's play.

Frame 7. Robertson replies in kind. He got the long red and fired in 81.

Frame 6. Yet another delay. How many have we had this year. This time it's an unidentified buzzing noise! Anyway the players are back in the arena now so we can continue and Murphy has cracked in a long red to get the frame started. And from that Murphy has made 88, so now we know who is 'buzzing'!

Frame 5. 55 is enough for Murphy to win the fifth. He missed the pink leaving one red, but by then he was 36 up and Robertson couldn't get the snooker.

Frame 4. A terrible miss on an easy red by Robertson, when he was cruising on 62, let Murphy in for the clearance, but he missed the pink on 57. But it was unfortunate for Murphy to go in off the pink when escaping from a snooker, it has handed the frame to Robertson so it's 2-2 at the interval.

Frame 3. Neil Robertson makes his mark on te match with a brilliant 81 break.

Frame 2. Murphy takes the second on the back of a break of 46.

Frame 1. We haven't deserted you for the delights of Sheffield nightlife. The first frame has already been in play 43 minutes andthey're tip tapping on the brown. Not what we expected in this matchbut the balls went awkward. After over 48 minutes Murphy slots home thepink.