Welsh Open final LIVE – O'Donnell eyes first title as he faces Scottish Open holder Wilson

Gary Wilson – Martin O’Donnell

O’Donnell 0-4 Wilson (66-4)

This has been a brilliant contribution from Martin. Just when he needed it. And he is surely going to register his first frame of the day in the final. Break of 66 from Martin. Wilson needs three snookers.

O’Donnell 0-4 Wilson (30-4)

Wilson handed another early chance, but misses brown off spot after crashing into the pack of reds. O’Donnell then slots red followed by a tough black in bridging over another red. What a brave shot that was. Can he crack on here with a decent contribution at this visit? Big moments for the MOD in this final. And an excellent recovery pot on a red down table to yellow pocket.

O’Donnell 0-4 Wilson

“I feel for Martin, he’s a bit in Shredsville at the moment. He’s all over the office, and can’t even play a safety shot,” says six-time world finalist Jimmy White on Eurosport. “He’s struggling Martin, even when he gets an opportunity.”

O’Donnell 0-3 Wilson (5-106)

Another rapid break of 43 to see off the fourth frame. In similar style to his semi-final with John Higgins, Gary Wilson races out to a 4-0 lead.

O’Donnell 0-3 Wilson (5-71)

Glorious pot by O’Donnell to sink a red to right middle with white on top cushion. That will be good for his confidence levels. But he then overcuts a red before Wilson does likewise. A real struggle for Martin though as another red eludes him. Looks like 4-0 coming up.

O’Donnell 0-3 Wilson (0-63)

A bit careless not to kill off the frame at that visit by Gary, but he again plays a demanding safety shot. Martin well under the cosh out there.

O’Donnell 0-3 Wilson (0-57)

But only 40 from Wilson this time as he butchers a long red. O’Donnell handed a lifeline when 4-0 looked certain. Might still be. Gary floats in a long red over the top bag. Looks like a clean sweep before the mid-session break.

O’Donnell 0-3 Wilson (0-34)

O’Donnell’s highest break so far is only 15, with 13 balls potted. Wilson rolls in another fine red along top cush. And is in again here. Martin will be fearing the worst the way Gary is getting through the cue ball.

O’Donnell 0-3 Wilson (0-10)

No rapid start to the fourth frame by Wilson, but he continues to ask questions of O’Donnell with his safety approach. A very solid all-round game. And he is willing to be patient. Almost drives in a long red, but the object ball rattles jaws. So, so close.

O’Donnell 0-3 Wilson (0-10)

O’Donnell is tempted by a cross double on red. Doesn’t drop and he ends up leaving it over right centre pocket. So another starter on a red for Gary to take advantage of.

O’Donnell 0-2 Wilson (0-102)

Breaks of 55 and 43, and a 3-0 lead for Gary in this Welsh Open final.

O’Donnell 0-2 Wilson (0-66)

No counter punch from the Minister is forthcoming, and this third frame is a done deal in favour of the avid Newcastle United fan. All flowing the way of the Scottish Open champion. One more frame before the mid-session interval. Big one for Martin you suspect in the overall context of this final.

O’Donnell 0-2 Wilson (0-59)

This looks very ominous for Martin at the moment. After an elongated second frame, this could be a quick kill for Wilson in the third frame. Nice 55 from Wilson after cannon on reds from black doesn’t go to plan. And a good safety to end his visit to the table.

O’Donnell 0-2 Wilson (0-21)

Superb long red from Gary to gain access to the table in this third frame. Pops in a long red with a lovely cut. No doubt he has began this final looking the likelier figure. Chance to build a decent lead here.

O’Donnell 0-1 Wilson (74-44)

Wilson finally puts away the blue and pink with the frame running for one hour and seven minutes. Finally, it is a done deal. And a 2-0 lead for Wilson in this final.

O’Donnell 0-1 Wilson (63-44)

This frame not disappearing quietly into the afternoon. Still at it. With O’Donnell chasing the snooker he needs on the brown. The frame into the 64th minute as the Minister is forced to take out brown.

Johnson and Studd impressed by Wilson’s shoes in Welsh Open final

O’Donnell 0-1 Wilson (63-37)

O’Donnell continues to battle for snookers in this marathon second frame. Almost ties Wilson up behind green, but a solid swerve shot gets him out of a tight spot.

O’Donnell 0-1 Wilson (63-24)

O’Donnell needing two snookers, and gets one of them after Gary misses the red off two cushions. So still a bit of life left yet in this frame.

O’Donnell 0-1 Wilson (63-16)

Players back on the baize. This frame already running for 30 minutes after the delay in play. Wilson looking good to double his lead.

O’Donnell 0-1 Wilson (63-16)

No question about who has made the fast start in this final. Gary right on point among the balls. A very natural break-builder when he is in the mood. O’Donnell needs a snooker with Wilson on a break of 52. Players leaving the arena due to someone falling ill in the arena.

O’Donnell 0-1 Wilson (24-16)

This table seems to be pulling to the right a bit today. Wilson binning a tricky red with rest before rolling in a lovely blue to right centre. So he looks to be back in business then in this second frame. Black out of commission. So will have to do his work off the pink.

O’Donnell 0-1 Wilson (16-11)

Only a break of 15 from Martin on that occasion as another red to a top pocket eludes him. Yet to fully settle in this final, but is managing to come up with some fine safety shots.

O’Donnell 0-1 Wilson (8-11)

Well, Martin yet to settle in this final, but is handed a glorious chance to get hand on table when Wilson misses blue using rest to right centre. That is a serious let-off for O’Donnell, who should make a few at this visit.

O’Donnell 0-1 Wilson (1-4)

Bit of a cautious start to this second frame of the afternoon. O’Donnell with attempt on a mid-range red after safety error by Wilson, but hasn’t left anything. Wilson then misses a red, but poor effort by his opponent to gain position. And that will be all he manages from this visit.

O’Donnell 0-0 Wilson (1-98)

Green doesn’t drop in green with the rest for Gary, but wasn’t a gimme. Break of 98 gets the job done every day of the week. A 1-0 lead for the man from Tyneside. Gary cooking with gas right from the outset.

O’Donnell 0-0 Wilson (1-72)

Well, this has been an impeccable start from Wilson. Picking up from where he left off against Higgins. Racing through these balls will little thought. All instinct. What a start to this final. The MOD being punished for missing a tricky red.

O’Donnell 0-0 Wilson (1-21)

First real chance of the day falls to Wilson after O’Donnell attempts a tricky cutback on a red only to see it stick in the jaws. So close to that one, but he has left Gary an easy starter to get his cue arm working here.

O’Donnell 0-0 Wilson (1-0)

Wilson goes for a tricky red down length of table to green bag. Doesn’t drop in jaws, and easy opener as he drops in red, but just the safety to follow.

O’Donnell 0-0 Wilson (0-0)

So here we go then with the Welsh Open final. Eight frames to be played this afternoon, a possible nine frames tonight. Both players given a huge reception by the fans inside Venue Cymru in Llandudno. Wilson to get the action off and running. 2-2 on the career head-to-heads.

A spot of black magic from the Minister

A stunning black helped the ‘Minister of Defence’ Martin O’Donnell complete a 5-3 win over world champion Luca Brecel in the last eight. A few more of these today will do just nicely from the Minister, who can attack as well as he defends.

Watch the dramatic finish to O’Donnell’s clash with Brecel at the Welsh Open

Wilson holds nerve to see off Higgins

John Higgins fought back from 4-0 and 5-1 behind to close to 5-4 in their semi-final, but Gary Wilson staggered over the line to stay on track for a rare Scottish Open and Welsh Open title double in the same season. Here is how he closed it out quite majestically before a sell-out crowd last night.

‘It’s been a rollercoaster ride’ – Wilson seals Welsh Open final spot with break of 73

Semi-final recap

Gary Wilson produced a sizzling passage of play, which included a 147 break, to beat five-time winner John Higgins 6-4 in the semi-finals of the Welsh Open.

Higgins went into the weekend as the hot favourite to win his first ranking title since 2021, but never recovered from a scoring blitz from the Scottish Open champion.

Earlier, Martin O’Donnell booked his place in a first ranking final by making a century in the deciding frame for a 6-5 win over Elliot Slessor.

With both players surprising participants in the last four relative to their rankings, and with plenty at stake, nerves were to the fore throughout.

It was O’Donnell who made the fewer mistakes – and held his nerve superbly in the face of a late rally from Slessor – as he set up a meeting with either Higgins at Venue Cymru in Llandudno.