UK Snooker Championship / David Hendon / 19 December 2008 / Leave a comment

Murphy meets Maguire while Carter takes on Fu in the battle to be crowned the UK Snooker Championship's top-man. David Hendon previews the semi-finals...

Ali Carter will not want 2008 to end after enjoying by far his best year since turning professional in 1996. Carter produced a superb finish to his Maplin UK Championship quarter-final against Mark Williams, firing in a 91 break to win the decider and book his place in the semis. The Englishman is worth backing to go all the way to his first major title.

A year ago, Carter left Telford in a miserable mood after losing 9-8 to Barry Hawkins in the first round from 8-3 up. But his game was toughened up by playing in the new Championship League - shown live here on Betfair - and he went to the Crucible match sharp. A 147 was the highlight as he reached the World Championship final but he was exhausted and lost 18-8 to Ronnie O'Sullivan.

Even so, Carter began the new campaign full of confidence and won the Huangshan Cup, an invitation event in China, before featuring in the semi-finals of the Northern Ireland Trophy and Grand Prix. The irony of all this is that he took flying lessons because he was concerned there weren't enough tournaments and that he needed something to fall back on if his snooker career crash landed. He is now a qualified pilot and has also bought a snooker club in Chelmsford but it is as a top player that he is impressing.

Carter knows that Marco Fu, his opponent in today's first semi-final, is a dangerous prospect but the Hong Kong cueman is also plagued by inconsistency. He's always been chilled out but is particularly happy at the moment as his new girlfriend, Shirley, is with him in Telford. Ultimately, though, contentment off the table only goes so far. It doesn't change the fact that it's the same 12ft table the players have to face and often players with off-table problems thrive in the arena because tournaments are a welcome distraction. Carter has momentum on his side and the confidence to win snooker's second biggest prize. He should be backed at [1.69] to beat Fu.

The other semi-final pits Stephen Maguire against Shaun Murphy. The kindest way to describe their relationship is that they will never be Facebook friends. Maguire is on the record as saying he doesn't like Murphy. The enmity has its roots in an incident four years ago when Murphy claimed a frame after Maguire forgot to bring his chalk into the arena. Ever since, the Scotsman has made it clear that he is not going to join the Shaun Murphy Fanclub at any point.

Maguire is a certainly fiery character who often shows his emotions in the arena, but he displayed great poise in finishing off John Higgins 9-7 in the quarter-finals. Murphy came to Telford having lost in the opening round of the campaign's first four ranking tournaments. He hasn't hit top form but is capable of getting under Maguire's skin both on and off the table and could be a good shout to beat him at [2.24].

As for the title, Maguire is the current favourite but Carter, at [3.8], looks a good shout. He is the only one of the four players left standing in Telford who is yet to win a ranking title. Surely that must end at some time. Why not this weekend?