WARRINGTON'S Karl Kirkpatrick is the referee for the 2004 Powergen Challenge Cup final between St Helens and Wigan Warriors at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, on May 15.

There are also Warrington links for the people who will be helping Kirkpatrick on the day.

Kirkpatrick took charge of the 2003 Tetley's Super League Grand Final between Bradford Bulls and Wigan Warriors at Old Trafford last October and he was also named as the Referee of the Year at the Man of Steel dinner in Manchester.

He controlled the semi-final between St Helens and Huddersfield Giants at the Halliwell Jones Stadium last month and he is also one of British Rugby League's representatives on the international referees' panel.

Stuart Cummings, the Rugby Football League's match officials director, said: "Karl has maintained the good form that saw him appointed to the Grand Final and he is now recognised as one of this country's top three referees.

"He is well equipped to deal with matches of this intensity and I'm confident that he provides the right kind of playing environment for the players."

The reserve referee is Barnsley's Ronnie Laughton whose brother Dale, a former Wolves prop, was a member of the Sheffield Eagles team who surprisingly beat Wigan Warriors in the 1998 Challenge Cup final at Wembley.

The video referee is former Crosfields Amateur Rugby League Club chairman David Campbell, of Widnes, who refereed the 1994 Challenge Cup final and is the father of ex-Wire winger Chris Campbell.