Mark Allen Defeated by Jordan Brown in Northern Ireland Open Return

Mark Allen faced defeat in his return to competitive snooker at the Northern Ireland Open, losing to Jordan Brown at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast.

Having not played since May's World Championship, Allen lost the first-round match 4-2. He initially took the lead but Brown quickly responded, winning two frames in a row. Although Allen managed to equalize at 2-2, Brown secured his victory with breaks of 53 and 80 in the final frames.

Allen's exit marks him as the 10th top-16 player to be eliminated early in the tournament, joining other notable players like Ronnie O'Sullivan and Judd Trump. Brown, who aims to surpass his previous year's quarter-final performance against Allen, will continue in the competition.