Sport

Mark Allen out of the BetVictor Northern Ireland Open

The dual winner lost 4-3 to Oliver Lines at the Waterfront on Wednesday

Mark Allen in action against Oliver Lines at The NI Open snooker in the  Waterfront in Belfast.
PICTURE COLM LENAGHAN
Mark Allen during his defeat to Oliver Lines at the Waterfront in Belfast. Picture: Colm Lenaghan

MARK Allen’s hopes of a third title at this home event – the BetVictor Northern Ireland Open – have ended.

Antrim’s world number three lost 4-3 to England’s Oliver Lines in the last 32 at the Waterfront in Belfast on Wednesday afternoon.

Lines nicked the opener on the black with a last red and colours clearance after Allen had built an early lead, but Allen levelled with a break of 87.

Lines, a semi-finalist at the British Open earlier this season, went ahead again with a break of 73, but Allen took the next two to lead for the first time in the best-of-seven encounter.

An early 53 break proved enough for Lines to force a decider and he scored enough in two visits to get over the line in frame seven.