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Alan McManus finally won a gruelling encounter against Fergal O'Brien with a 6-4 victory to reach the semi-finals of the Benson & Hedges Masters.

The dour struggle was put into context by the fact that it took until the eighth frame before O'Brien's 59 became the highest break as he went 4-2 up.

The Scot, who won the title in 1994, then steeled himself to claim the one frame he needed to go through

McManus did not take any delight from a dour victory.

"I need to play a lot better because you are not going to compete playing like that," said McManus, after a match that lasted over four hours.

"It's nice to win but it's not nice to win playing like that. I'd rather play well and get beaten.

"It was long drawn out stuff and just a case of digging in. Fergal will be disappointed as well."

O'Brien said: "I found that defeat hard to take. I felt great before the match but played like muck."

Live coverage of B&H Masters snooker on BBC TV and Ceefax page 350.