MICHAEL Monaghan knows this was his last shot at another Challenge Cup success, but admits it was the performance and not the semi-final loss that hurts the most.

Monaghan is set to retire at the end of the year and felt Wolves did not perform to their potential against Leeds Rhinos at Langtree Park.

Already a past Challenge Cup winner, the joint-skipper said he found the manner of Wolves’ loss frustrating.

“I knew it was my last chance to win it,” he explained. “But not winning it is probably not the disappointing thing, losing a game where we should be winning is what’s going to frustrate me.

“It would have been great to get back there but just not performing in a big game is what probably hurts the most.”

Monaghan always believed Wolves could fight back despite trailing throughout, and is now determined to put everything into securing a first Grand Final success.

“Even with a couple of minutes to go, I watched an NRL game this morning and there was a team who came back from two tries down in the last two minutes to win, so with 20 to go we were still in it,” he added.

“We spoke about not giving up regardless of the scoreline. Being down 14-0 probably helped us a bit in that second half, we forgot about the scoreline and result and just worried about playing footie.

“You could see it was much better, but you do that much defence in the first half and it leaves you vulnerable at the back end of the game.

“I grew up watching it (Challenge Cup final), the old man was a footie tragic and used to drag us up to watch the final. I knew about the Aussies and how big it was to win it.

“But it leaves us now with one opportunity at trying to win something and we’ll go hard at that.”