Philbin pounces to propel Warrington back to Wembley
Only when Joe Philbin hacked forward to score under the posts with a minute remaining could Warrington’s rainsoaked coach Steve Price and his players finally begin to enjoy the rarefied taste of a Challenge Cup semi-final victory.
A truly gripping encounter had hung in the balance into the closing stages with Hull FC, spirit and sweat dripping from their sodden shirts, trailing by only two points.
The Black and Whites had forced Warrington into a goal-line drop-out, but Mark Minichiello knocked on in just the second tackle and his team’s Wembley dream began to fade from view.
Moments later, the Wolves advanced upfield and Albert Kelly’s pass was spilt by Joe Westerman into the path of Philbin, who was on it in a flash, sparking raucous scenes for those of a Warrington persuasion.
Australian head coach Price, who stood pitchside during the game and was soon drenched, beamed: “We showed a huge amount of fighting spirit and what our DNA has been built on in the last 18 months.
“You play the game to win major trophies and these are exciting times for the club. There’s a huge motivation to win at Wembley next month.”
That it was Philbin, a rugged 24-yearold forward who came through the ranks at his hometown club and is more than holding his own in a starstudded side, who scored the gameclinching try was apt. For he epitomised the kind of relentless desire on show, from both sides, in a semi-final that was never less than compelling.
“We represented the badge today and Joe’s try at the end was an example of how we stuck at it until we broke them,” Price added.
So it is ambitious, big-spending Warrington who will head to the capital on Aug 24 as they attempt to erase the pain of last year’s Wembley defeat by Catalans Dragons. Inspired by the playmaking skill of marquee signing Blake Austin, the Wolves are also chasing a first league championship since 1955.
Price’s side had lost four of their previous six outings, but led inside the seventh minute when a Hull handling error led to Ben Currie sending Bryson Goodwin over in the left corner.
Hull scored in exhilarating fashion when Bureta Faraimo plunged over in the corner. Marc Sneyd added a second penalty to make it 8-4 to Hull but War- rington regained the lead six minutes before the interval.
A high, hanging kick by scrum-half Declan Patton was expertly caught and grounded by Currie and Stefan Ratchford’s conversion made it 10-8 at the break. Warrington struck the first blow of the second half in the 50th minute when Austin’s expertly-judged kick was fielded and touched down by centre Toby King. Ratchford applied the conversion to make it 16-8 and when Austin turned to the Warrington fans and implored them to raise the volume in the stands, it showed how much was at stake.
Credit to Hull, though, as they cut Warrington’s lead to two points with 14 minutes remaining. Sheer brute strength and desire took prop Scott Taylor past England team-mate Ratchford and over the line from close range. Sneyd improved to make it 16-14 before Philbin struck the final, decisive blow.
Hull coach Lee Radford, who led his hometown club to Challenge Cup final wins in 2016 and 2017, said: “I said it all week, there is nothing between the sides. That late mistake on play two cost us, but the effort was outstanding.”
As for Price, he may need a new suit for his latest trip to Wembley next month.