PAUL COOKE, who feared he would miss out on the Powergen Challenge Cup semi-finals through suspension after his red card against the Giants, was the star of a stylish show as determined Hull swept aside holders St Helens.

There was no arguing over Hull's right to make it to the Millennium Stadium for their first final in 20 years as they drubbed Saints 34-8 in the first of the two Galpharm last-four clashes on Saturday, when 16,171 watched.

The victory was another feather in the cap of former Huddersfield coach John Kear, who masterminded Sheffield's memorable final victory over Wigan in 1998.

He is now looking forward to another appearance in the showpiece after his team's top kicking game and tight defence kept lacklustre Saints pinned back.

Even when Daniel Anderson's team scraped their way back into contention at 8-8 after scoring a fortuitous try five minutes into the second half, Hull held their nerve.

They regained the lead with a Cooke penalty five minutes later - and never looked back.

Ironically, Saints created the first chance when centre Willie Talau danced through only for full-back Paul Wellens to spill the ball with the whitewash beckoning.

But Hull drew first blood when loose forward Cooke, who escaped with just a one-match ban for his head butt on Giants hooker Brad Drew a fortnight before, landed a sixth-minute penalty, the first of five goals, after a flop by prop Paul Anderson.

The lead was stretched to 6-0 four minutes later when Cooke's clever pass put in former Halifax second row Shayne McMenemy.

Saints responded with a 22nd-minute penalty by loose-forward Paul Sculthorpe after a ball steal by scrum half Danny Brough.

And while Cooke and Brough both failed with drop-goal attempts, Saints had a try disallowed when winger Ade Gardner was ruled to have put a foot into touch.

There was nothing wrong with their 45th-minute effort, when centre Jamie Lyon pounced as winger Gareth Raynor fumbled a high kick by scrum half Sean Long and Sculthorpe added the extras.

Many thought that would signal a Saints onslaught, but Hull were having none of it.

They were back in front when hooker Keiron Cunningham was penalised for a ball steal and Cooke comfortably kicked the penalty.

And they had the game under control after scoring two converted tries in five minutes.

First, on 54, Cooke handled the ball twice before crossing wide out.

Then McMenemy dived over for his second after stand-off Richard Horne dribbled the ball forward from Cooke's neat offload.

Saints were reeling, and Hull rubbed salt in their wounds with two more scores.

Centre Richard Whiting broke from his own half and while his pass looked to have gone to ground, the ball squirmed free for substitute Motu Tony to dive over.

Then, with Saints in disarray, Horne collected second row Stephen Kearney's inside ball to steam through unchallenged.

With man of the match Cooke off the pitch, Brough added both conversions.

"It was the low point of my career when I got sent off two weeks ago but it will be the high point of my career when we go to the final in four weeks' time," said Cooke.