Hull FC had the chance to go three points clear at the top of Super League ahead of the remaining super eights round three fixtures. The Dragons needed a win to keep alive their outside chance of a top four finish.

The Airlie Birds were without skipper Gareth Ellis but welcomed back Marc Sneyd who missed out on last weeks victory. The Dragons were without Todd Carney and Pat Richards whose seasons have both ended following knee injuries, and who are the latest additions to a long injury list which also includes Broughton, Horo and Maria.

FC were strong favourites with the bookies with a win guaranteeing them a top four finish ahead of next Saturday's trip to Wembley.

It took eleven minutes for the Black & Whites to open the scoring when a clever little grubber from Marc Sneyd bounced through a host of players before Dean Hadley collected the ball close to the dead ball line, and grounded behind the sticks. Sneyd added the conversion.

The second try came on eighteen and again from a Sneyd kick. With the high kick to the corner the Dragons players were more interested in blocking Hull runners than fielding the ball and Mahe Fonua dove to collect and ground to ball. Sneyd was again accurate with the boot for 12-0.

Just before the half-hour Mark Minichiello finished off a seventy metre try, to ground behind the sticks off a Fetuli Talanoa pass. After Sneyd's simple conversion, he added two penalties just before the interval for 22-0 and FC started to ease out of sight of the visitors.

Two minutes into the second half and it got even worse for the Dragons when Jordan Sigismeau lost the ball on his own twenty which was picked up by Hull, and flung wide for Talanoa to go over in the corner. Sneyd converted from the touchline for 28-0.

The fifth try came on fifty-five when Mahe Fonua intercepted on his own ten metre line and went ninety metres to score without the Dragons getting a hand on him. Sneyd missed his first of the night.

An hour in and Fonua turned try provider as he darted for the line before offloading to a supporting Sneyd, two metres from the line, for the scrum half to dive over. Sneyd added the extra two for 38-0 and it was becoming embarrassing for the Catalans.

On seventy-one Frank Pritchard picked up a Kirk Yeaman offload, via a Dragons hand, to go twenty five metres to score in the corner. Sneyd converted for 44-0.

Remy Casty was sin-binned for a high tackle on seventy-five but the Dragons managed to survive the remaining minutes without conceding further.

Hull look in sensational form going into the Challenge Cup final but were against a Catalans Dragons side decimated by late seasons injuries which have seen their play-off hopes crumble. It was a superb defensive effort to keep the visitors to zero, but there was plenty of flair in attack which will give Warrington's Tony Smith plenty to think about ahead of next weekends Wembley clash.

FC: Shaul, Michaels, Fonua (2T), Yeaman, Talanoa (T), Tuimavave, Sneyd (T, 8G), Taylor, Houghton, Bowden, Hadley (T), Minichiello (T), Washbrook. Subs: Green, Abdull, Thompson, Pritchard (T).

Dragons: Escare, Yaha, Garcia, Duport, Sigismeau, Gigot, Albert, Baitieri, Stewart, Taylor, Bousquet, Aiton, Casty (SB). Subs: Pelissier, Mounis, Elima, Navarrete.


Referee: Phil Bentham.

Attendance: