A place at Wembley awaited the winners of this weekends semi-finals in Bolton as Hull FC played Warrington while Championship side Halifax were faced with the daunting prospect of league leaders St Helens.
This is the third meeting between the two sides in 2019 with honours so far shared. Warrington demolished FC by 63-12 at the KCOM in March, but it was FC who took the points by a 19-12 margin in the return fixture at the Halliwell-Jones.
Stefan Ratchford wasn’t included in the nineteen man squad but made the starting line-up and Ben Murdoch-Masila made his return from injury. FC welcomed back Albert Kelly but would have to overcome the bookies odds who had the Wolves as clear favourites..
An awful mistake on six minutes from Ratu Naulago, knocking on on the first tackle as Hull tried to bring the ball from their own line. Bryson Goodwin received the pass and reached for the line to ground by the corner flag. Stefan Ratchford was unable to add the conversion, the Wolves 4-0 ahead with Hull not having a look in, early on.
A Marc Sneyd penalty on thirteen halved the arrears and ten minutes later a Naulago break down the right hand side saw him go close but after being tackled the ball was moved across the field to the left with Bureta Faraimo being on hand to muscle to the line and stretch to score. Sneyd was unable to add the conversion, FC now 6-4 ahead.
After interference at the play the ball on twenty-nine Sneyd accepted a simple penalty goal to extend the lead to four points.
Three minutes later Ben Currie outjumped the FC defence to take a Dec Patton kick to the corner and go through the Hulk defenders to ground. Ratchford added the conversion to give the Wolves a 10-8 lead, it was turning into a classic.
Sneyd missed another penalty attempt on the stroke of half time, the Wolves into the interval with a narrow two point lead.
The Wolves extended their lead ten minutes into the second half as King rose above the FC defence to take a Blake Austin cross-field kick and drop over the line to ground. Ratchford slotted the crucial conversion between the uprights for an eight point lead.
With fifteen minutes left on the clock Scott Taylor hit the ball at speed and pushed his way through three tacklers to get the ball over the line for a crucial four pointer. Sneyd added the conversion and with thirteen minutes left on the clock there were just two points in it.
On seventy-eight Joe Westerman lost the ball on his own ten which was dribbled forward and grounded by Joe Philbin to seal the win. Ratchford added the conversion for a 22-14 victory for the boys in Primrose and Blue.
There can be little argument that the Wolves deserved to win a game which they dominated, but all credit to a Hull FC side who never gave up the chase and who gave Warrington a bit of a scare. The Wolves are the first name in the final and will now start their preparations for a trip to Wembley for a fourth Cup final in the last ten years and a chance to lift the trophy for the first time since 2012.
FC: Shaul, Faraimo (T), Griffin, Tuimavave, Naulago, Kelly, Sneyd (3G), Taylor (T), Haughton, Paea, Lane, Minichiello, Westerman. Subs: Ellis, Bowden, Fash, Connor.
Wolves: Ratchford (3G), Lineham, Goodwin (T), King (T), Mamo, Austin. Patton, Hill, Clark D, Cooper, Currie (T), Hughes, Clark J. Subs: Philbin (T), Murdoch-Masila, Davis, Tasi.
Referee: Rob Hicks.
Half-Time: 8-10.
Full-Time: 14-22.
Attendance: .
