Ken Doherty (Ire) 17-16 Paul Hunter (Eng)
33-66, 17-93 (62), 71-0 (67), 32-67, 33-90 (52), 70-62, 43-57, 30-73, 94-0 (62), 115-20 (111), 10-111 (50,61), 12-75 (73), 0-139 (135), 115-0 (115), 4-84 (84), 52-67, 92-0, 59-75 (59 Doherty, 75 Hunter), 77-34, 41-59, 59-22, 67-56, 19-75 (74), 35-74 (54), 73-0 (73), 94-19 (93), 63-62, 60-52 (60), 74-38, 46-70, 78-58, 56-15, 73-6

Third session:

Frame 33: With the atmosphere in this deciding frame fraught with nerves, Doherty makes brave breaks of 40 and 32 to leave Hunter needing snookers.

The Yorkshireman is unable to find them and Doherty secures victory in what will go down as one of the greatest ever semi-finals.
Doherty 17-16 Hunter

Frame 32: On the brink of defeat at the start of the day, Doherty now pulls level to set up a nail-biting deciding frame.
Doherty 16-16 Hunter

Frame 31: As the match draws to a conclusion everyone in the Crucible is feeling the tension and Doherty makes a brave 52 to take the lead.

Hunter claws his way back into the frame but the Irishman dramatically flukes the final blue, which allows him to edge home.
Doherty 15-16 Hunter

Frame 30: Could this frame be the turning point of what is becoming an amazing contest?

Hunter, who has completely gone off the boil, goes in-off twice but takes advantage of a Doherty error to edge an incredible frame.
Doherty 14-16 Hunter

Frame 29: Hunter seems to be feeling the pressure and Doherty is showing just how durable he is. The 1997 champion is now just one behind.
Doherty 14-15 Hunter

Frame 28: An incredible frame which sees both players spurn a host of chances before Doherty clears up to win his fourth frame in a row.

The momentum is with the Irishman and Hunter now has plenty to think about at the mid-session interval.
Doherty 13-15 Hunter

Frame 27: Hunter looks to be on the way to a five-frame lead but he misses a simple yellow off its spot and Doherty is able to clear.

The Irishman is on a roll, clinching a tense frame with the black.
Doherty 12-15 Hunter

Frame 26: The 1997 champion looks to be a different player from the one that has struggled so far in this match. A 93 clearance seals the frame.
Doherty 11-15 Hunter

Frame 25: Doherty has a massive mountain to climb but he starts the final session with a fine 73 break to reduce the deficit to five.
Doherty 10-15 Hunter

Second session

Frame 24: The ninth seed from Leeds fires a run of 54 but Doherty spurns a golden opportunity to claim a vital frame when he misses the final yellow.

Hunter pounces and is now just two frames from reaching his first Crucible final.
Doherty 9-15 Hunter

Frame 23: Hunter suddenly clicks into gear with a sparkling 74 break that lifts the contest from its current gloom.
Doherty 9-14 Hunter

Frame 22: With the pace of the match dramatically slowing, the players battle out a disjointed frame that takes over 37 minutes to complete.

Finally Doherty rises above the mediocrity to edge home and reduce the deficit to four.
Doherty 9-13 Hunter

Frame 21: Another scrappy frame eventually won by Doherty to ensure that the game will go to the final session on Saturday afternoon.
Doherty 8-13 Hunter

Frame 20: Doherty misses the final brown and Hunter edges home by clearing the remaining colours. Doherty may rue losing this one.
Doherty 7-13 Hunter

Frame 19: Both players spurn chances in this tense frame. Doherty saves himself when he finds a way out of a difficult snooker.
Doherty 7-12 Hunter

Frame 18: Doherty looks to be in control when he claims a 59 run but Hunter sinks a superb long-range red which sets up a 75 clearance.
Doherty 6-12 Hunter

Frame 17: Doherty comes out after the break with an impressive 92 to get one on the board straight away.

A vital frame for the Irishman to win.
Doherty 6-11 Hunter

Frame 16: Doherty twice spurns good chances to win the frame and his misses again prove costly.

Hunter is in unforgiving mood in this second session and a 43 break seals a massive six-frame lead leaving Doherty with it all to do.
Doherty 5-11 Hunter

Frame 15: The high standard continues and this time it's Hunter who gets among the balls for a run of 84. Both players are at the top of their game but Hunter's five-frame advantage could be too much for Doherty to claw back.
Doherty 5-10 Hunter

Frame 14: There has been a 50-plus break in every frame of the morning session and Doherty continues this trend with a majestic 115.
Doherty 5-9 Hunter

Frame 13: Another high-quality frame sees Hunter win his third in a row with a majestic 135 run. The Yorkshireman looks in complete control.
Doherty 4-9 Hunter

Frame 12: Both players spurn chances but Doherty's miss on a brown into the top-right pocket allows Hunter to fire a winning break of 73. Hunter also records probably the shot of the tournament so far as he comes off four cushions to find his way out of a very tricky snooker.
Doherty 4-8 Hunter

Frame 11: Hunter stops the rot and wins his first frame of the second session. Breaks of 50 and 61 put him back on track.
Doherty 4-7 Hunter

Frame 10: Doherty looks in the mood and he pounces after another Hunter in-off to claim a superb 111 clearance which puts him back in the match.
Doherty 4-6 Hunter

Frame nine: A new day and maybe a new start as Doherty reduces the deficit with a confidence-building break of 62 after Hunter goes in-off.
Doherty 3-6 Hunter

First session

Frame eight: Another scrappy frame riddled with tension which Hunter wins with the help of a 38 break. With both players failing to find their fluency, an overnight break might be the perfect tonic for this nervy contest.
Doherty 2-6 Hunter

Frame seven: Another scrappy frame. Doherty has two good chances but misses two browns which allows Hunter to edge home.
Doherty 2-5 Hunter

Frame six: A cagey affair as the players battle out the longest frame of the contest so far which takes 50 minutes to complete. Hunter misses a frame-winning chance on the final pink and Doherty sinks the last two balls to reduce the deficit. Doherty 2-4 Hunter

Frame five: Doherty looks to be on the way to building a frame-winning break but after missing a simple black, Hunter pounces with a decisive 52.
Doherty 1-4 Hunter

Frame four: The major talking point of the match comes in this frame when Doherty attempts a snooker only for the ball to be deflected off course due to fragments of Plaster of Paris collecting under the baize.

The incident, which comes when Doherty is 32-14 ahead, gives Hunter a chance and his break of 49 secures the last frame before the interval.
Doherty 1-3 Hunter

Frame three: The Irishman gets on the board with a 67 break. A missed black to the bottom right pocket stops the run but Hunter concedes the frame.
Doherty 1-2 Hunter

Frame two: A Doherty slip allows the ninth seed from Leeds to post a 62 break which is enough for the frame. Doherty is yet to find his rhythm.
Doherty 0-2 Hunter

Frame one: A nervy start from both players in a 29-minute opener - Hunter takes his chance at the end to draw first blood.
Doherty 0-1 Hunter