Mark Allen sent a classy message to Jordan Brown after ending his great friend's hopes at the Northern Ireland Open. Allen triumphed 5-2 over his fellow Antrim cueman to set up a semi-final showdown with world No.1 Judd Trump.
Brown has endured a barren few seasons that have seen his world ranking and mental health plummet. He even considered quitting the sport, but has looked rejuvenated this season after enlisting the help of Irish snooker legend Fergal O'Brien as his coach. His resurgence has been on display at Belfast's Waterfront Hall, where he thrashed world champion Zhao Xintong 4-0 and beat the standout player of the season so far, Shaun Murphy, to set up a Northern Ireland derby with Allen.