Stephen Lee defeated Paul Hunter 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals of the Irish Masters in Dublin today.
The pair were meeting for the third time since the start of the year and are seeded to face each other in the last 16 of the season's last two tournaments, the Regal Scottish Open and Embassy World Championship.
Lee, runner-up to Mark Williams in the Thailand Masters in Bangkok earlier this month, knocked in a break of 85 in the third frame to lead 2-1 and cleared with 69 to snatch the sixth and level at 3-3.
From 4-4, the LG Cup champion finished off with classy runs of 72 and 88 to set up a quarter-final meeting with home favourite Ken Doherty.
"I've been working really hard, and it showed in patches," said Lee.
"We were both a little tense, but I hit the ball well and scored all right."
PA