Sport
9 September, 2025
CDRL teams making it count
LAST month, the Tully Tigers Reserve Grade and Innisfail Under 19 rugby league teams had their final hopes dashed when they were both eliminated in the CDRL minor semi-finals played for the first time at Tully Showgrounds.
Innisfail who finished the regular season in fourth place faced off against the fifth placed Mareeba in the Under 19 clash.
Innisfail scored first to take an early lead before Mareeba hit back with their own four-pointer.
The Leprechauns scored the second try of the match and added the extras.
Not to be outdone, the Gladiators posted a converted try and only two points separated both teams.
Just before half-time, Innisfail found the tryline and a missed conversion saw the Leprechauns head into the sheds with a slim two-point lead.
In the second half, Mareeba scored the first two tries to lead by 22-14 before Innisfail reduced the deficit with a four-pointer.
A try to Mareeba increased their lead to eight but Innisfail refused give up with a try to Floyd Sakail and a successful conversion put Mareeba only two-points ahead.
When the Gladiators crashed over for a try late in the second half, Mareeba snatched a six-point victory over Innisfail and advanced to the major semi-finals.
Innisfail’s try scorers: Tyrell Townson, Jimmy Scott, Zai Hunt, Riley Wells and Floyd Sakail. Goals: LeBron Heron Jia 1 and Christopher Brown 1.
Despite dogged determination, Tully’s Reserve Grade side are also out of finals contention and their season ended, after they suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of Atherton.
Atherton dominated the game early and posted first points and went on to score five unanswered tries leaving Tully shell-shocked and scoreless at half time trailing by 24 points.
The Tigers finally registered first points in the second half with a converted try and clawed their way back into the game with two quick tries in succession to trail by eight.
Atherton scored two more tries to seal a 34-16 win which brought the Tigers season to a heart-breaking end.
Tully’s try scorers: Jamie Muriata, Morgan Black, Jonathan Lavell. Goals: Luke Fitzgerald 2.
Results - CDRL Minor semi-finals - August 16, Tully Showgrounds
A-Grade
Southern Suburbs 40 def Kangaroos 26
Ivanhoe Knights 36 def Mossman-Port Douglas 14
Reserve Grade
Atherton 34 def Tully 16
Southern Suburbs 34 def Yarrabah 4
Under 19
Mareeba 30 def Innisfail 24
Kangaroos 58 def Mossman-Port Douglas 8