Two sparkling tries from centre Martin Brannan put Dudley Hill through to the semi-finals of the Jack Senior Bradford Cup at the expense of holders Birken-shaw at East Bierley.

Birky suffered a huge blow when their leading try-scorer Morton Robinson and former professional Johnny Turpin both failed fitness tests prior to the kick-off.

And their woes continued when, with only two minutes on the clock, Brannan scythed through to round his opposite number Simon Armitage and plant the ball at the side of the uprights.

Wingman Neil Wall added the extras to give Hill a dream start.

Birky buckled down and only a poor pass from stand-off Andy Hirst prevented a score in the corner.

Prop Wayne Ineson raised their hopes further with a big hit on Demons prop Sean Kelly but the visitors' umbrella defence ensured

the only route was down the middle.

Birky enjoyed the lion's share of possession and when a chance at last presented itself out wide, wingman Andy Price was bundled into touch at the flag.

Hill introduced substitute Danny Herbert to immediate effect when he broke robustly and supplied Brannan, who scampered over for his second touchdown.

Wall added another simple conversion to put the Demons into the break 12-0 to the good.

Hill squandered two chances with men on the overlap on the restart and Herbert was brought to a shuddering halt with a classic 'legs and all' tackle from wingman Jon Evans after a 40-metre charge that had a try written all over it.

Hill's pack, with Lewis Evans and Tony Huby to the fore, had the home six continually on the back foot and it came as no surprise when hooker Paul Fairburn spotted a gap to burrow over from acting half.

Wall was again on target with the extras to put the Demons into clear water at 18-0.

Birky lifted their game and earned a just reward when the ball was shipped wide from a penalty and Hirst, who had just about shaded the

battle of the stand-offs with young starlet Ryan Dickinson, spotted a hole to dive over the whitewash.

Scrum half Matt Honeysett added the conversion but it came too late in the day to stage a comeback.

Demons sub Gaz Reed was hauled down in full flight and the match ended with a flurry of punches after Wall took exception to an innocuous tackle.

But it was little more than handbags at 20 paces and failed to spoil what had been a splendid advert for the local game.