Kyren Wilson to Face Jak Jones in Northern Ireland Open Final After Two Epic Deciders

It was a Saturday of huge drama at the Waterfront Hall with both semi-finals being resolved on the final colours in a deciding frame.

A rerun of the 2024 World Snooker Championship final, Wilson and Jones will play across two sessions in the title match, with the first cueist to nine frames lifting The Alex Higgins Trophy and pocketing a £100,000 payday.

World number nine Wilson was the first cueist to book a spot in the final after he recovered from two down with three to play to deny fellow Englishman Sam Craigie.

Appearing in the last four of a ranking tournament for the first time since March 2025, Wilson took control early on as breaks of 54 and 95 helped him build a 2-0 lead.

In his second career ranking event semi-final, world number 72 Craigie - who had to navigate two qualifying rounds held in England several weeks ago to reach these televised stages - got on the board with a 78, but Wilson went to the mid-session interval 3-1 ahead after a run of 98 in frame four.

On resumption, Craigie pieced together back-to-back frames for 3-3; Wilson was on course to re-establish a two-frame buffer but missed a simple red whilst on 51 in frame six, and was punished by his opponent who crafted a 56 to restore parity.

Momentum stayed with underdog Craigie, as the former world under-21 snooker champion compiled contributions of 55 and 100 to go in front for the first time, and then move one away from victory at 5-3 up.

But Wilson dug deep, registering a 60 en route to frame nine and, after Craigie went in-off going into reds when on a break of 28 in the tenth, striking a 56 that assisted him in making it 5-5 and forcing the contest all the way.

In an eventful deciding frame, Craigie fluked a blue and advanced to 49 before missing an adventurous red into the green pocket.

Wilson was looking good to counter, but was off target with a pink to middle. However, Craigie couldn’t capitalise on a glorious chance when he missed the remaining red in the baulk area.

Moments later, with just the colours left, Wilson failed with a yellow to middle, but Craigie’s subsequent long distance attempt also went wrong, and from that miss Wilson cleared to secure a berth for his 19th ranking event final appearance.

Despite winning both the Shanghai Masters and Masters invitationals last term, Wilson’s last ranked crown was at the Players Championship over 19 months ago. As a consequence, he is at risk of falling outside of the world’s top 16 towards the end of the season, and needing to qualify for the Crucible.

This week’s run is a timely boost, and he has the chance to claim the accolade he won two years ago.

Jones’ lifechanging career continues as he pipped Mark Williams, 6-5, in an all-Welsh semi. The 33-year-old is one step away from his third ranking trophy of the season after triumphs at the Championship League and the British Open.

World number 24 Jones deposited the opening frame with an 87 break but scored a total of just 26 points across the next four frames as runs of 78 and 96 aided Williams to a 4-1 lead.

The turning point came in frame six when Williams - who was on the cusp of 5-1 - missed a yellow to corner. Jones produced a brilliant clearance to pinch it on the black, and then took the next two frames (59 break, frame seven) to level at 4-4.

Winner of this title in 2017, Williams nudged back in front, but Jones sent the tie all the way having fashioned an 89 in frame ten.

In an edge-of-seat decider, Williams sank a long distance red and went on to make a 44 before running out of position.

After his opponent botched a red to middle, Jones got his first points of the frame, but couldn't construct more than 37.

Moments later, Jones fluked the final red having been in a snooker and using one cushion to escape. However, 14 points up, he missed the brown with the rest, although was very fortunate to see the object ball go safe on a side cushion.

With his options limited, Williams decided to take a double on into the yellow pocket. He got close, but rattled the brown and left an opportunity.

Jones sank the brown, then blue and pink to reach his fourth career ranking event final - the last three of those have come within just over the last three months. It has been an incredible campaign for Jones, who has not only become a ranking champion, but a multiple-time one.

With the former European under-19 and amateur champion getting through to the last hurdle, it continues this season’s streak of a non-top 16 player featuring in every ranking event final.

Wilson and Jones have met just once in ranked action since their world final at the Crucible. That came in the last 16 of the German Masters - Wilson won that 5-3.

To view the full draw, results, schedule, and other information from the 2026 Northern Ireland Open, visit our tournament information centre here.