TIME TO GIB A LITTLE BIT OF CREDIT..

MARK ALLEN made a smart start to his quest for a World Championship quarter-final place yesterday.

The Antrim man established a 5-3 lead over giant-killer Joe Perry after the opening session of their second round clash.

Perry stunned defending champion and world No1 Mark Selby on the opening day of this year’s Crucible marathon.

But it was Allen who got his nose in front – and he could have led by more if not for a couple of surprising misses.

Perry (inset) took the opening frame with a break of 50, but ULSTER head coach Jono Gibbes has praised the resolve of his players as a season afflicted by off pitch matters nears its conclusion.

The former All Black – who is departing in the summer – has been in the eye of the storm following Les Kiss’s exit as director of rugby in January.

But Gibbes believes the Ulster changing-room merits some credit for keeping their slim Pro14 play-off hopes alive with three wins on the bounce.

With a Champions Cup play-off berth also secure, a bonus point win in Munster tomorrow coupled with a shutout for Edinburgh against Glasgow could see the province gatecrash the quarter-finals.

Gibbes (above) said: “It is just good to be alive going into the last game. We had no margin of error and managed to fight our way through and get ourselves in a position to put pressure on Edinburgh.

“To go to Munster in a position where there is still something to play for is great, because we’ve had a bit of adversity and a few results (defeats).”

Gibbes expects a “ferocious” test against a Munster side licking their wounds from Sunday’s European loss to Racing 92.

He said: “They’re a formidable opponent and a proud team down there. It’s a big challenge.”

CALM AND COLLECTED Mark Allen cut a relaxed figure as he gained the upper hand in Sheffield yesterday