Betfred Challenge Cup: St Helens Overcome Hull FC 32-18 Following Josh Griffin’s Dismissal

In the Betfred Challenge Cup, Hull FC (12) suffered an 18-32 defeat against St Helens (12) in the quarter-final, with Josh Griffin’s dismissal playing a significant role. The match witnessed tries from Griffin, Savelio, Trueman for Hull FC, with Sutcliffe securing three goals. For St Helens, tries came from Batchelor, Hurrell, Sironen, Dodd, Welsby, and Bell with Makinson and Lussick contributing two goals each.

In a tightly contested match at the MKM Stadium, both teams entered half-time with a 12-12 draw. However, the game’s dynamics changed dramatically post break as Griffin received successive yellow and red cards for persistent dissent. Despite Hull’s valiant attempts, they struggled to counter St Helen’s four-try offensive with one player less.

Despite their victory, St Helens encountered injuries to key players. Tommy Makinson exited the field due to an apparent hamstring issue, and Mark Percival’s participation was cut short after a head injury evaluation.

St Helens commenced the match aggressively with Jack Welsby assisting Joe Batchelor in securing the first try. Makinson followed up with a goal and penalty after Brad Fash’s tackle on Percival, which led to Percival’s early exit and Fash’s report.

Hull FC retaliated as Tex Hoy helped Griffin score, and Andre Savelio capitalized on Darnell McIntosh’s drop-off from Hoy’s high kick. Two conversions from Liam Sutcliffe gave Hull a momentary lead. Despite Makinson’s withdrawal affecting St Helens, Welsby managed to assist Konrad Hurrell in scoring his 99th career try, leading to a draw at half-time.

However, Hull’s challenge grew steeper when Griffin was sent off after continuing to protest to referee Chris Kendall post half-time. St Helens capitalized on their numerical advantage with Lewis Dodd assisting Curtis Sironen to score and adding a try himself.

Even as St Helens increased their lead, Hull showed resilience. Jake Trueman managed to score after a collision between Ritson and Welsby. St Helens, however, sealed the victory with Welsby’s critical try and James Bell’s subsequent score.

Tony Smith, Hull’s head coach, admitted his team’s performance wasn’t the sharpest but lauded the team’s spirit and effort. He emphasized discipline as an area of improvement for the team, referencing Griffin’s dismissal as a critical incident. He further stressed respect for referees and adherence to protocols.

St Helens’ Jack Welsby, named the player of the match, praised his team’s resilience despite early key injuries. He stated the team’s focus remained on their gameplay, irrespective of Griffin’s sending-off, and looked forward to improving ahead of the semi-final.

Hull FC’s squad included Litten, Swift, Sutcliffe, Tuimavave, McIntosh, Trueman, Hoy, Fash, Houghton, Taylor, Griffin, Savelio, and Cator with interchanges from Sao, Satae, Lane, Dwyer, and Scott. Griffin was sent off at the 40th minute.

St Helens’ squad comprised Welsby, Makinson, Hurrell, Percival, Ritson, Lomax, Dodd, Walmsley, Roby, Lees, Sironen, Batchelor, and Knowles. The interchange players were Mata’utia, Lussick, Paasi, Bell, and Bennison. The match was officiated by referee Chris Kendall.

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More about Challenge Cup quarter-final

• Betfred Challenge Cup
• Hull FC Official Website
• St Helens Official Website
• Rugby League Red Card Rules
• BBC Sport Rugby League