NEWPORT Titans hope to lift the Shield for the third time when they take on Valley Cougars at South Wales Conference finals day tomorrow afternoon.

The pair will clash at Taff’s Well RFC (kick-off 1.15pm) before Aber Valley Wolves and Bridgend Blue Bulls battle to succeed Torfaen Tigers as champions in the Grand Final (kick-off 4pm).

The Maesglas-based Titans are hoping to cap a battling season with a third Shield success after beating Cardiff Demons 32-24 in the semi-finals.

Assistant coach Rob Dodgson said: “After a tough season of rebuilding we are really pleased to have made the Shield final.

“The players are raring to go and are looking to build on the tough semi-final victory over Cardiff Demons.

“Not having played the Cougars this season they are a little bit of an unknown quantity to us but we are sure that the game will be a titanic struggle.

“On the player front we are at near full strength with only a couple of injuries but the players turning out have been the backbone of the squad all season and know what they need to do to bring the trophy home.

“A special mention should go to veteran Earl Palmer who is the only surviving member of the team from the Titans first game in 2004.

“Having coached a team to victory in the shield competition we know how eager he is to taste it once again, but this time as a player.”

The Titans will be hoping to make it a Newport double as St Joseph’s Casnewydd Saints take on Gwendraeth Valley Raiders in the Under-15s final (kick-off 12pm).

St Joseph’s coach Bradley Williams said: “This is the first season we've tried running a rugby league team from St Joe's and I don't think anyone could have asked for a better season.

“We've had boys coming from all around to make running a team possible, the players have made it easy for myself and the other coaches, and hopefully we finish the season on a high against a strong Raiders team in the final.”

The opening game is the Under-14s final that pits Cardiff Spartans against Neath and District Scorpions at 11am.

Admission for the day is £3 for adults, £2 concessions and free for children.