1988–89 Challenge Cup

1989 Silk Cut Challenge Cup
Duration6 Rounds
Winners Wigan
Runners-up St. Helens
Lance Todd Trophy Ellery Hanley

The 1989 Challenge Cup was the 88th staging of rugby league's oldest knockout competition, the Challenge Cup. Known as the Silk Cut Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons, the final was contested by Wigan and St. Helens at Wembley. Wigan won the match 27–0.

Preliminary round

Date Team One Team Two Score
15 Jan Barrow Island Thatto Heath 11-18
15 Jan Leeds Hunslet 32-6
15 Jan Milford Amateurs Swinton 0-36
15 Jan Wakefield Trinity Bramley 18-10
15 Jan West Hull Doncaster 2-48
15 Jan York Workington Town 35-8

First round

Date Team One Team Two Score
28 Jan Hull FC Castleford 4-7
29 Jan Barrow Huddersfield 38-16
29 Jan Carlisle Mansfield 58-1
29 Jan Chorley Thatto Heath 8-4
29 Jan Dewsbury Oldham 9-40
29 Jan Doncaster Wigan 6-38
29 Jan Fulham Bradford Northern 10-28
29 Jan Rochdale Hornets Hull Kingston Rovers 24-28
29 Jan Runcorn Keighley 10-28
29 Jan Salford Widnes 14-18
29 Jan Sheffield Eagles Leigh 23-17
29 Jan Swinton St Helens 5-16
29 Jan Wakefield Trinity Batley 34-4
29 Jan Warrington Halifax 25-8
29 Jan Whitehaven Featherstone Rovers 0-32
29 Jan York Leeds 9-28

Second round

Date Team One Team Two Score
11 Feb Castleford Widnes 18-32
12 Feb Bradford Northern Wigan 4-17
12 Feb Hull Kingston Rovers Chorley 28-4
12 Feb Leeds Carlisle 24-4
12 Feb St Helens Barrow 28-6
12 Feb Sheffield Eagles Oldham 20-32
12 Feb Wakefield Trinity Featherstone Rovers 4-10
12 Feb Warrington Keighley 56-7

Quarter-finals

Date Team One Team Two Score
25 Feb Oldham Wigan 4-12
26 Feb Hull Kingston Rovers Warrington 4-30
26 Feb Leeds Widnes 4-24
26 Feb St Helens Featherstone Rovers 32-3

Semi finals

11 March 1989
St. Helens 16 – 14 Widnes
Try: Quirk (2), Bloor
Goal: Loughlin (2) 		Report
 Try: Wright, D. Hulme
Goal: Currier (3)
Central Park, Wigan
Attendance: 17,119
25 March 1989
Wigan 13 – 6 Warrington
Try: Lydon, Edwards
Goal: Lydon (2)
Drop goal: Lydon 		Report
 Goal: Woods (3)
Maine Road, Manchester
Attendance: 26,529

Final

This was the first time since 1951 that a team had been held scoreless in a Challenge Cup Final at Wembley.

Saturday 29 April, 1989
Wigan 27 – 0 St. Helens
Tries:
Kevin Iro (2)
Ellery Hanley
Andy Gregory
Steve Hampson
Goals:
Joe Lydon (3/5)
Drop Goals:
Andy Gregory (1) 		Report
 Tries:




Goals:
Wembley Stadium, London
Attendance: 78,000
Referee: Ray Tennant
Player of the Match: Ellery Hanley [1]
FB 1 Steve Hampson
RW 2 Tony Iro
RC 3 Kevin Iro
LC 4 Dean Bell
LW 5 Joe Lydon
SO 6 Shaun Edwards
SH 7 Andy Gregory
PR 8 Ian Lucas
HK 9 Nicky Kiss
PR 10 Adrian Shelford
SR 11 Andy Platt
SR 12 Ian Potter
LF 13 Ellery Hanley (c)
Substitutions:
IC 14 Denis Betts
IC 15 Andy Goodway
Coach:
Graham Lowe
FB 1 Gary Connolly
RW 2 Mike O'Connor
RC 3 Phil Veivers
LC 4 Paul Loughlin
LW 5 Les Quirk
SO 6 Shane Cooper
SH 7 Neil Holding
PR 8 Tony Burke
HK 9 Paul Groves
PR 10 Paul Forber
SR 11 Bernard Dwyer
SR 12 Roy Haggerty
LF 13 Paul Vautin (c)
Substitutions:
IC 14 Darren Bloor
IC 15 Stuart Evans
Coach:
Alex Murphy

References

  1. ^ Fitzpatrick, Paul (1 May 1989). "A mess for Murphy to stew in". The Guardian. London. p. 18.