UK Championship snooker: Ronnie O'Sullivan 4/9 to beat Shaun Murphy in final

O'Sullivan fended off Stephen Maguire's fightback to win the first semi-final 6-4 and Murphy later joined him in the title decider by defeating Ryan Day 6-3.

Sky Bet make Murphy the 7/4 outsider with O'Sullivan at 4/9.

O'Sullivan led 5-2 before Maguire reduced the deficit to a single frame in York but that was as good as it got for the Scot, who was left to rue a slow start.

The Rocket produced three half-century breaks as he won the first four frames, reaching the mid-session interval with a commanding lead.

However, Maguire regrouped and fought back to 4-2 before O'Sullivan's 111 break took him to the brink of victory.

Maguire, champion back in 2004, again refused to lie down and a 129 break in the ninth frame tested O'Sullivan's nerve.

But the five-time champion responded well to seal victory in the next frame.

"Stephen is a quality player and I expected some kind of resistance," said O'Sullivan.

"I just tried to keep my patience and wait for the chance to pounce."

O'Sullivan added on the official World Snooker website: "I've got lucky that other players have struggled against me this week. I suppose to get to the final having not played my best is not a bad thing."

"I was listening to an interview with Mark Selby and he said he'd much rather play well and lose than play badly and win. I thought 'yeah, that's how I feel.'

"Me and Mark played last year in the final and even though I lost I still came off thinking 'I enjoyed that, it was a good workout.'

"This week I've really had to battle and I've just scrambled through."

Murphy, UK champion in 2008, was a 6-3 winner in the second semi-final against Day.

He opened with a century break and never really looked back.

Murphy led 3-1 at the mid-session and a 135 extended that to 4-1 soon after.

At 5-2, Day managed to dig in and a 128 break of his own ensured a ninth frame but Murphy duly took that to book his date with O'Sullivan.

Murphy won their last meeting - in the final of last month's Champion of Champions event in Coventry.

"That (Champion of Champions victory) was a real feather in my cap and has given me a lot of confidence, but it counts for absolutely nothing because as we know he can blow you away," Murphy told the BBC.

Murphy had produced plenty of consistency against Day, recording a 93 per cent pot success rate and looks well set for a crack at taking the first Triple Crown event of the season.

"I was really enjoying it," Murphy said

"I have grown up a lot recently I think, which sounds funny saying that at 35, but I still feel like that 22-year-old who won the World Championship.

"I just enjoy being out there and play with a smile on my face."

Related links

• UK Championship results & schedule
• Sky Bet's snooker odds
• 2017/18 snooker calendar