1943–44 Yorkshire Cup

The 1943–44 Yorkshire Cup competition was a knock-out competition between (mainly professional) rugby league clubs from the county of Yorkshire. The actual area was at times increased to encompass other teams from outside the county such as Newcastle, Mansfield, Coventry, and even London (in the form of Acton & Willesden. The competition always took place early in the season, in the Autumn, with the final taking place in (or just before) December (The only exception to this was when disruption of the fixture list was caused during, and immediately after, the two World Wars)

The Second World War was continuing and the Yorkshire Cup remained in the early part of the  1943–44 Northern Rugby Football League Wartime Emergency League season

1943–44 was the thirty-sixth occasion on which the Yorkshire Cup competition had been held.

Bradford Northern won the trophy by beating Keighley over two legs by an aggregate score of 10-7

Bradford Northern played the first leg match at home (at Odsal) and won 5–2. The attendance was 10,251 and receipts were £757.

Keighley were at home (at Lawkholme Lane) for the second leg match and drew 5–5. The attendance at the second leg match was 8,993 and receipts £634.

Change in club participation
Hull Kingston Rovers – The club dropped out of the wartime Lancashire league after the ‘first (1939–40) season. They did not return to league competition until 1945–46 peacetime season.

Bramley withdrew after the third wartime season (1941–42) had finished and did not rejoin until the 1945–46 season.

Castleford withdrew after the third wartime season (1941–42) had finished and did not participate for two seasons, re-joining for the 1944–45 season.

Hunslet withdrew after the third wartime season (1941–42) had finished and did not participate for one season, and re-joined in time for this season.

Wigan – This club entered the Yorkshire Cup competition for the  fourth successive season

Oldham – The club, as Wigan, also entered the  Yorkshire Cup competition and for the fourth successive season

St. Helens – The club, as Wigan and Oldham}, also entered the Yorkshire Cup competition and for their second successive season

Barrow – withdrew after the end of the first (1939–40) season finished and did not rejoin the league, including the Yorkshire Cup until this season.

Dewsbury had a relatively successful time during the war years. Managed by Eddie Waring, and with the side boosted by the inclusion of a number of big-name guest players, the club won the Wartime Emergency League in 1941–42 and again the following season 1942–43 (though that championship was declared null and void when it was discovered they had played an ineligible player). They were also runners-up in the Championship in 1943–44, Challenge Cup winners in 1943 and Yorkshire Cup final appearances in this season 1940–41 and winners in 1942–43.

Background
This season there were no junior/amateur clubs taking part, Hunslet rejoined after one season's absence, and with Barrow adding to the previous Lancashire presence of Wigan, Oldham and St. Helens, this increased the entries by two, bringing the total up to sixteen.

This in turn resulted in no byes in the first round.

For the third successive year, ALL the ties (this season including the actual final) were played on a two-legged home and away basis.

Round 1 - First leg
Involved 8 matches (with no byes) and 16 clubs

All first round ties are played on a two-legged home and away basis

Round 1 - Second Leg
Involved 8 matches (with no byes) and 16 clubs

All first round ties are played on a two-legged home and away basis

Round 2 – quarterfinals - First leg
Involved 4 matches and 8 clubs

All second round ties are played on a two-legged home and away basis

Round 2 - Second Leg
Involved 4 matches and 8 clubs

All second round ties are played on a two-legged home and away basis

Round 3 – semifinals - First Leg
Involved 2 matches and 4 clubs

Both semi-final ties are played on a two-legged home and away basis

Semifinal - Second Leg
Involved 2 matches and 4 clubs

Both semi-final ties are played on a two-legged home and away basis

Final - First leg
The final was played on a two-legged home and away basis this season

Final - Second Leg
The final was played on a two-legged home and away basis this season

Teams and scorers
Scoring - Try = three (3) points - Goal = two (2) points - Drop goal = two (2) points

The road to success
All the ties (including the final itself) were played on a two leg (home and away) basis.

The first club named in each of the ties played the first leg at home.

The scores shown are the aggregate score over the two legs.

Notes and comments
1 * The first Yorkshire Cup match to be played by Barrow and also the first to be played at Craven Park