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Hull will return to Wembley next month for the first FA Cup final in the club's 110-year history - an occasion manager Steve Bruce says his players can enjoy with the pressure off.
The Tigers edged an enthralling all-Yorkshire semi-final on Sunday, twice coming from behind before running out 5-3 victors against Sheffield United.
The League One outfit certainly played their part and went in at half-time 2-1 ahead, only to be undone by City's injection of top-flight quality at the break.
Matty Fryatt, Tom Huddlestone, Stephen Quinn and David Meyler all netted in a much-improved second-half display by the Tigers, setting up a return to Wembley on May 17 when Hull will take on the role of underdog against Arsenal.
Hull City: The latest match picturesShow all 82 1 /82Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull vs West Ham Enner Valencia's rocket for West Ham makes it 1-1
Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull vs West Ham Abel Hernandez puts Hull ahead with a header
Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull vs West Ham Hull's Mohamed Diame (left) challenges West Ham's inston Reid (right)
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Hull City: The latest match pictures FA Cup final - Arsenal 3 Hull 2 Aaron Ramesy celebrates after scoring the winning goal
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Hull City: The latest match pictures FA Cup final - Arsenal 3 Hull 2 Laurent Koscielny prods the ball in for the equaliser and is injured by Allan McGregor in doing so
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Hull City: The latest match pictures FA Cup final - Arsenal 3 Hull 2 Bacary Sagna wins the header that would lead to Laurent Koscielny's equalising goal
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Hull City: The latest match pictures FA Cup final - Arsenal 3 Hull 2 Santi Cazorla jumps into the air in celebration after pulling a goal back for the Gunners
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Hull City: The latest match pictures FA Cup final - Arsenal 3 Hull 2 Santi Cazorla curls in a superb free-kick to get Arsenal back into the game
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Hull City: The latest match pictures FA Cup final - Arsenal 3 Hull 2 Curtis Davies and his Hull teammates celebrate after Hull go 2-0 up
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Hull City: The latest match pictures FA Cup final - Arsenal 3 Hull 2 Curtis Davies slams in Hull's second on the rebound after Lukasz Fabianski pushes Alex Bruce's header onto the post
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Hull City: The latest match pictures FA Cup final - Arsenal 3 Hull 2 James Chester celebrates with his Hull teammates after scoring the opening goal after just four minutes
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Hull City: The latest match pictures FA Cup final - Arsenal 3 Hull 2 James Chester and Alex Bruce celebrate going in front with Arsenal players looking on
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Everton 2 Romelu Lukaku, on what could be his last game for the club before rejoining Chelsea, celebrates with the away fans after the Toffees' victory
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Everton 2 Aidan McGeadygets a shot off despite pressure from Maynor Figueroa
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Everton 2 Romelu Lukaku celebrates after scoring the Toffees' second
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Everton 2 Seamus Coleman tracks down Maynor Figueroa
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Everton 2 Lacina Traore is tackled by Alex Bruce
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Manchester United 3 Hull 1 Player-interim manager Ryan Giggs brings himself off the bench to replace Tom Lawrence
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Manchester United 3 Hull 1 James Wilson celebrates with Nemanja Vidic, who was making his last appearance at Old Trafford for United
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Manchester United 3 Hull 1 Phil Jones goes down clutching his shoulder
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Aston Villa 3 Hull 1 Andreas Weimann celebrates his second goal of the game and putting Villa 3-1 up
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Aston Villa 3 Hull 1 Andreas Weimann celebrates putting Villa in front
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Aston Villa 3 Hull 1 Jordan Bowery puts the ball into his own net to bring the game level
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Aston Villa 3 Hull 1 Ashley Westwood and his Villa teammates celebrate in front of their fans
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Fulham 2 Hull 2 Shane Long celebrates after scoring the equaliser for Hull
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Fulham 2 Hull 2 Nikica Jelavic celebrates and takes the ball back to the half way line after pulling one back for Hull
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Fulham 2 Hull 2 Fulham team mates mob Fernando Amorebieta after the Venezuelan makes it two for the home side
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Fulham 2 Hull 2 Ashkan Dejagah opens the scoring for Fulham
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Fulham 2 Hull 2 Sascha Riether goes down under a tackle from Nikica Jelavic
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Fulham 2 Hull 2 Scott Parker tackles Shane Long
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull 5 Sheff Utd 3 Hull manager Steve Bruce celebrates victory in this FA Cup semi-final with Ahmed Elmohamady
Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull 5 Sheff Utd 3 Hull City fans celebrate victory at Wembley
Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull 5 Sheff Utd 3 David Meyler celebrates scoring Hull's fifth goal with Ahmed Elmohamady
Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull 5 Sheff Utd 3 Hull's Matty Fryatt scores their second goal past Mark Howard
Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull 1 Swansea 0 Garry Monk reflects after Swansea's defeat
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull 1 Swansea 0 Ahmed Elmohamady is tackled by Ben Davies
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull 1 Swansea 0 George Boyd wheels away in celebration after giving Hull the lead
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull 1 Swansea 0 George Boyd heads home Hull's opening goal
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull 1 Swansea 0 Maynor Figueroa wins the ball back from Jonathan de Guzman with a sliding tackle
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Stoke 1 Hull 0 Peter Odemwingie celebrates his winning goal with Erik Pieters
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Stoke 1 Hull 0 Peter Odemwingie's goal was his fourth in three games and enough for a Stoke win
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Stoke 1 Hull 0 Peter Odemwingie opens the scoring for Stoke
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Stoke 1 Hull 0 Ahmed Elmohamady and Marko Arnautovic go in for a tackle
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Hull City: The latest match pictures West Ham 2 Hull City 1 Sam Allardyce responds to West ham fans booing at the final whistle of their 2-1 victory over Hull
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Hull City: The latest match pictures West Ham 2 Hull City 1 Mohamed Diamé is fouled by Hull keeper Allan McGregor, who was sent off
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Hull City: The latest match pictures West Ham 2 Hull City 1 Mark Noble celebrates after demonstrating his trademark coolness from the penalty spot
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull 2 West Brom 0 Shane Long taps home Hull's second
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull 2 West Brom 0 David Meyler and Steven Reid go in for a tackle
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull 2 West Brom 0 Liam Rosenior puts Hull ahead
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Manchester City 2 Edin Dzeko celebrates with David Silva and Jesus Navas
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Manchester City 2 Edin Dzeko scores City's second
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Manchester City 2 George Boyd and Joe Hart have to be separated after a bust up
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Manchester City 2 David Silva celebrates his opening goal
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Manchester City 2 Vincent Kompany receives a red card for a tackle on Nikica Jelavic
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull 1 Newcastle 4 Alan Pardew is sent to the stands for headbutting a player
Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull 1 Newcastle 4 Sissoko celebrates his second goal
Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull 1 Newcastle 4 Curtis Davies pulls a goal back for Hull
Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull 1 Newcastle 4 Loic Remy celebrates doubling Newcastle's lead
Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull 1 Newcastle 4 Sissoko opens the scoring
Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull 1 Newcastle 4 Tim Krul makes a good early save
Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull 2 Brighton 1 Curtis Davies knows ‘they all count’ after his bizarre goal for Hull City in the FA Cup
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Cardiff 0 Hull 4 Cardiff's players reflect after Hull score their fourth goal
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Cardiff 0 Hull 4 Nikica Jelavic powers home for Hull
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Cardiff 0 Hull 4 Ahmed El Mohamady hold off Cardiff's Don Cowie
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Cardiff 0 Hull 4 Curtis Davies blocks an effort from Fraizer Campbell
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Cardiff 0 Hull 4 Craig Noone trickes his way past two Hull defenders
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Cardiff 0 Hull 4 Tom Huddelstone celebrates after opening the scoring for Hull against Cardiff
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Brighton 1 Hull 1 Steve Bruce (L) and Oscar Garcia (R) on the touchline in their FA Cup match
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Brighton 1 Hull 1 Leonardo Ulloa scored in his third successive game to equalise for Brighton
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Southampton 1 Some pre-match snow in Hull
Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Southampton 1 Ahmed Elmohamady clashes with Jack Cork of Southampton
Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Southampton 1 Jose Fonte challenges George Boyd
Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Southampton 1 George Boyd lies on the ground
Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull 0 Southampton 1 Rickie Lambert on the ball
Hull City: The latest match pictures Sunderland 0 Hull City 2 Shane Long scored his second goal in as many games for Hull in the 2-0 win over Sunderland
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Sunderland 0 Hull City 2 Nikica Jelavic celebrates scoring his first goal for Hull in the 2-0 win over Sunderland
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Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull City 1 Tottenham 1 Shane Long scores the opening goal
Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull City 1 Tottenham 1 Shane Long celebrates the opening goal
Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull City 1 Tottenham 1 Hull celebrate the opening goal
Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull City 1 Tottenham 1 Danny Rose challenges for the ball
Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull City 1 Tottenham 1 Paulinho celebrates his equaliser
Hull City: The latest match pictures Hull City 1 Tottenham 1 Hugo Lloris looks on
"If you had said 10 years ago that Hull will play Arsenal in the FA Cup final, people would have been scratching their heads," Bruce said. "It just shows you what can be done.
"I've been in the competition 15 years and never been anywhere near. I've had good fortune being involved in FA Cups and today was a proper FA Cup tie. We don't see games like that very often at Wembley.
"A bit like last year when it was Wigan versus Man City, Hull play Arsenal. All the pressure will be on Arsenal because they haven't won anything in eight years.
"We've still got five weeks to go. We will enjoy it, we will enjoy the occasion and gain from the experience of today."
That experience was certainly a nerve-wracking one for Hull fans, especially during what Bruce admits was an "awful" first-half.
Jose Baxter gave the Blades a deserved 19th-minute lead and, moments after Yannick Sagbo had levelled, Stefan Scougall ensured the third-tier side went into the break ahead.
Jamie Murphy netted United's other goal and made it 4-3 in the final minute, although Meyler's stoppage-time strike put the game out of sight for Hull.
It may not have been their day in the end but Nigel Clough's side were given a standing ovation after a display that belied their lowly standings.
"I am both proud and devastated at the moment," United boss Clough said.
"I am certainly proud, I think that feeling will grow in the weeks ahead when we look back on what we've achieved in the FA Cup and very nearly today as well.
"We were close to making history as the first third-tier side to get to an FA Cup final and at half-time I thought we were well worthy of our lead.
"We played well in the first half and they changed it in the second half.
"Their second goal just after half-time was the killer blow for us, it got them totally going. They were rejuvenated and scored another one pretty quickly."
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