Hull FC In The Mood To Retain The Challenge Cup After Stunning Castleford Tigers

Whisper it softly, but Hull FC look capable of retaining the Challenge Cup.

Yes, the club whose Wembley record was so bad their bitter rivals Hull KR made a song about it, now stand 80 minutes away from a return to the national stadium.

To beat Castleford – six points clear at the Super League summit and on an eight-match winning streak – takes some doing.

But Hull did it on Sunday afternoon in the last quarter-final of the weekend at a baking KCOM Stadium.

Their 32-24 success over the Tigers was the right result, a fact acknowledged by Daryl Powell and his players afterwards.

That underlined the quality of Hull’s performance and proved once again that they can produce the goods in the games that really matter.

Last season they saw off Wigan in a last-four clash at the Keepmoat Stadium and then overcame Warrington in the final at Wembley.

It lifted a curse which had seen Hull fail to win at the old and new national stadium since their first visit in 1959.

The Black and Whites had previously won the famous old trophy only three times in 16 finals – but never at Wembley.

Last season’s success was their first win there in nine attempts and was just reward for the ambition of owner Adam Pearson and resilience of head coach Lee Radford.

Hull-born Radford knows all about the expectation levels from supporters in the west of the city and he could easily have been sacked earlier in his tenure.

But Pearson stayed loyal and Radford finally delivered 10 months ago, when Danny Houghton’s match-saving tackle on Warrington’s Ben Currie helped secure Hull’s 12-10 victory.

Could Radford’s men be about to repeat the trick?

Leeds Rhinos stand in their way in next month’s semi-final and it should be some scrap.

But the way Hull saw off Castleford on Sunday has encouraged hopes among Black and Whites supporters that another Wembley trip could be on the cards.

Hull sit fourth in the Super League just behind third-placed Leeds, but have a wretched recent record against their Yorkshire rivals.

The semi-final is set to be staged at Doncaster’s Keepmoat Stadium and Radford admitted: “It’ll be a tough game.

“I don’t think we’ve beaten them in seven games so it’ll be a challenging match but an exciting one.

“A Yorkshire derby, too, so it’ll be exciting to be involved in.

“We’re over the moon to be playing Leeds in the semi-final. This is the juicy bit of the year now; this is where the excitement starts, you’re making sure you’re spiking in those knockout games and spiking at the end of the Eights and we showed a spike on Sunday.

“Castleford are top of the tree in Super League and I think Daryl Powell has done a super job there. But knockout football is where you’ve got to be at your best.”

Hull are blessed with powerful, speedy outside backs in the likes of Jamie Shaul, Mahe Fonua, Carlos Tuimavave and Fetuli Talanoa while Albert Kelly has enjoyed an outstanding season since making the switch from relegated Hull KR.

Up front, they have experience and size in men such as Liam Watts, Mark Minichiello, Scott Taylor and Sika Manu.

Then there is Houghton, a tackle-machine who continues to have a major influence on his side.

With the scent of Wembley in their nostrils once again, the Black and Whites could take some stopping in Doncaster next month.