HE’S happy to have a chance at getting to the UK Snooker Championship final once again, but Stephen Maguire says he will need to be at the top of his game if he is to make the York showpiece.

The Scotsman fell over the line against Marco Fu in a tense last eight battle at the Barbican - edging the affair 6-4 - and will meet Judd Trump this evening in an eye-catching semi-final.

Maguire swept into a 4-1 lead against Fu but, as the Hong Kong player pegged him back, the play became increasingly disjointed.

He managed to hold himself together to scrape the victory, punching his hand on the table in relief as he potted the crucial brown in the tenth frame, and said: “I thought I was in total control for the first few frames.

“I was flowing and felt good. At 4-1 I was thinking about a maximum but I got a kick from hell on 49 and it swung the whole game.

“The momentum was gone and the bags felt a little bit tighter.”

Maguire, who won the UK crown at York a decade ago, joked: “I can’t remember yesterday never mind ten years ago.

“I was fearless back then. There were no battle scars. The game was easy then. Ten years later and things have changed. I am still a little bit fearless. I am still going for my shots and, if they are going in, I will be dangerous.”

He added: “I am looking forward to playing in a semi-final and the one table set up. I wish it was the best-of-17 frames but it is the chance to get to the final of the UK again.”

On Trump, he said: “His safety is very good. I played him in the Champion of Champions a couple of weeks ago and his safety had me in a lot of bother.

“He played great back then and if he plays like that I will have to be at the top of my game.”