But Hann will feel he and not his Wellingborough opponent should be tackling Essex left-hander King over the best of 19 frames for a first prize.

Ebdon edged through 6-5 but for a second match running he benefited from a bizarre concession by his rival.

Ronnie O’Sullivan walked out of the arena in their quarter-final trailing 30-0 with 11 reds remaining.

Maverick Hann went one better, quitting when 30-24 ahead and with a possible 75 points left on the table.

To help Ebdon’s progress to his first final in nearly two years, Hann then produced a pool style break at the start of frame eight.

With reds scattered everywhere Ebdon only managed to make a 54 break and almost squandered his opportunity to move 5-3 up.

But just when Hann looked to have completely thrown in the towel, he buckled down to his task of making a match of his first ever semi-final.

And he produced some excellent potting to force the decider. Indeed, Ebdon, watched by wife Deborah, appeared to be feeling the pressure.

However, the 1995 Irish Masters champion produced an invaluable 57 break to put him in command.

Earlier, King won four successive frames to defeat local hero Ken Doherty 6-2 and reach his first final for seven years.

Despite finishing after midnight and losing an hour's sleep for the onset of summer time, Ebdon insists he is ready to do battle with birthday boy King.

“I have been well prepared for this event and now I just want to go out and finish the job,” said the former winner.

“But it was a bizarre match; a real comedy of errors at times. It was quite funny and would have been even funnier if I hadn’t been trying so hard.

“In the end I produced the goods when it really mattered. But I would prefer to find something extra when it didn’t really mater.

“Perhaps I am missing out on something,” he joked about Hann’s unorthodox approach to the biggest match of his career.

“Mind you, I would not have been surprised if he had potted one off the break. But he played some superb safety at times and as I said it was a bizarre match.”

Hann said he had no regrets at handing what proved to be two match-winning frames to Ebdon.

“I was going through a bad patch and felt like crap out there,” he said bluntly. “I missed three easy shots in a row before conceding and then thought I would just break off and hit the pack really hard.

“There was always a chance one of them might go in. With hindsight perhaps I should not have done it but I am not panicking.

“My game has improved a lot this season. I am going to make a lot more semi-finals, maybe even this season.”