Stephen Maguire. Picture by Monique Limbos

Stephen Maguire has revealed how his storming UK Championship semi-win over Mark Allen was possibly his best performance ever on a snooker table.

The world number 14 reached his third UK Championship final – his first in twelve years – in blistering fashion as he whitewashed last year’s Masters winner 6-0 with a flawless display of attacking snooker.

The five-times ranking event winner will meet Ding Junhui in Sunday’s grand final at York’s Barbican Theatre with the winner taking home £200,000.

Maguire, who many in the game say has failed to deliver the amount of success his talent deserves, continued his impressive winning run with breaks of 95, 129, 72, 50 and 100 to seal the unlikely whitewash victory against his close friend.

The 38-year-old last  won a world ranking event almost seven years ago when he won the 2013 Welsh Open.

The Scot said he was thrilled with the way he played in such a big match.

“I feel great. that’s the best performance I’ve done maybe ever or for years and it felt good,” he told Eurosport.

“The balls split nice for me and I potted a few nice shots. It’s nice because when it happens it makes the game a bit easier rather than chasing the white all the time.”

Maguire added he is still nursing an ankle injury which has meant he has to stay indoors more in recent weeks.

“I can’t do nothing, I can’t go out because I’m scared in case someone bumps into me and that will be me out for months,” he added.

“I’m over the moon to be in the final.”