The ISC Steelers’ Laurie Daley Cup title defence ended on Sunday with a 47-6 defeat to the Northern Rivers Titans in a sudden-death semi-final in Lismore.
In what shaped as a tight opening, both sides traded early sets as they looked to gain the upper hand. However, it was the Titans who broke through first and quickly seized control of the contest.
The home side crossed for three converted tries and added a penalty goal to establish a commanding 20-0 lead heading into the halftime break.
Facing a significant deficit, the Steelers needed a fast start to the second half but were again put under pressure by a disciplined Titans outfit.
A spark came in the 44th minute when Drtanyon Vaivai (pictured) crossed for the Steelers’ only try of the afternoon, narrowing the margin to 26-6 and offering a glimmer of hope.
Despite that moment, the Titans maintained their momentum and proved too strong across the park. The hosts ran in four further unanswered tries in the closing stages to seal a comprehensive victory and book their place in next week’s grand final.
File Image: Denis Ivaneza