O'Sullivan, Murphy to fight for UK Championship title

YORK, Britain - Five-time titlist Ronnie O'Sullivan reached the final of the UK Snooker Championship afte beating Stephen Maguire 6-4 in the semifinals at York on Saturday.

O'Sullivan, also a five-time world champion, will meet Shaun Murphy in Sunday's final over 19 frames. Murphy, the 2008 winner, defeated Ryan Day 6-3 in the day's other semifinal clash.

World number four O'Sullivan saw a 4-0 lead over Maguire reduced to just one frame at 5-4, but he secured victory in the 10th frame to reach his seventh UK final. He has won five of his previous six, against his only defeat last year in York to Mark Selby.

O'Sullivan, 42, is also aiming to win his 31st career ranking title and third within seven weeks, having captured the English Open trophy in October and the Shanghai Masters in November. He is into his fifth final of the season, having finished runner-up at the Hong Kong Masters and Champion of Champions.

"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. 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."

The two Englishmen met last month when Murphy beat O'Sullivan at the Champion of Champions event.