Neptunes Emirates       9     Sliema McDonalds     5  

 (3-3, 3-1, 1-0, 2-1)

 

Neptunes bagged their second honour, after their Winter League success. They gave a polished performance, after experiencing some early difficulties, but once they had settled down, they stifled the Sliema attacks in such a way, making their opponents go for distance shots, which Alan Borg Cole safely dealt with. At the other end Sliema were always wary of the Steve Camilleri threat, going for double teaming in the hole.

Both sides had a single foreigner on show, with the champions led by Alex Ciric, and with Tamas Molnar missing out, and the Blues parading their Croatian, Samir Barac, who found the going hard, as the rest of his team mates.

The start of the match offered a different version to the outcome of the encounter, with Sliema suffering a Steve Camilleri goal, but hitting back well, with a trio of goals, from John Brownrigg, Barac and Edward Aquilina. Neptunes were back on level terms by the end of the opening session, with Ciric and Clint Mercieca strikes. In the next session the champions opened a double lead, with Camilleri and Mercieca goals. Sliema pulled one back, again through Aquilina, but by the interval Niki Lanzon restored Neptune’s two goal advantage, for a 6-4 halftime score.

Sliema were still being controlled after the break, missing out on more man ups. Neptune’s lead was enhanced with a Camilleri penalty throw, and the Blues’ chances looked slim, as they started the last quarter on a 4-7 deficit. They never looked like bridging the gap, and when Michele Stellini blasted another goal from a tight angle, it was all over. Barac converted a penalty for Sliema, but Neptunes were comfrortable, affording to waste their man up situations, but Lanzon edged his side further ahead, concluding a two on one attack.

Neptunes managed to score four times in seven man ups, but Sliema fared badly, scoring in their first two occasions, but missing out in their next six.

It was Neptune’s seventh win in this Cup, and after the match their captain, Niki Lanzon received their due reward from Tessie Bonello, the Co-ordinator in the Office of the President, George Abela.

Neptunes:  A. Borg Cole, N. Lanzon 2, M. Lanzon , M. Stellini 1, A. Sammut , A. Ciric 1, S. Camilleri 3, J. Camilleri , G. Pace , S. Gravina ,  B. Lanzon , T. Agius, C. Mercieca 2

 Sliema: R. Coleiro, J. Gabarretta , N. Lubrano , T. Sullivan , M. Meli , J. Soler, D. Paolella , E. Aquilina 2, J. Brownrigg 1, S. Barac 2, M. Spiteri Staines,  C. Cluett, D. Abela

Referees: M. Angileri, P. Balzan

 

President Cup Winners

 

1996  San Giljan          2001  Sirens             2006  Neptunes        2011  Neptunes

1997  Sliema                2002  Sirens             2007  Neptunes        2012  Sliema

1998  Sliema                2003  Sirens             2008  Sliema            2013  Neptunes

1999  Neptunes            2004  Neptunes        2009  Neptunes

2000  Sirens                 2005  Sliema            2010  Sliema

 

Sports Journalists Cup - 1st Division

Valletta lift trophy after a 22 year wait

M’scala Mor€     7     Valletta United     14       

 (1-4, 1-4, 2-2, 3-4)

 

It was long wait for Valletta, since 1990, when they won their last honour, the League Championship. Since then they even spent some years in the wilderness, but they returned. Their season opened with a flourish, as they swept past M’scala, to win their honour at the first time of asking. The Citizens have a more settled side than in recent years, and will be the team to be in the lower division. M’scala are far from last season’s form, and have to buck up their ideas, if they want to leave any impact in the coming games.

M’scala had their new signing, Julian Rizzo Naudi, abroad. They retained their Samoan, Joseph Kayes, and he now has a compatriot, Jono Ross, from new Zealand. Valletta had their signing, Charles Zammit, indisposed. They also have Milos Koralji back, and there is a second Serbian, Djorde Filipovic. They have further new signings, notably Clint Debono and Ryan Sciortino, to boost up their squad.

The Citizens dictated the play in the first two sessions, with identical 4-1 scores, to take a good grip on the match. M’scala idn’t look like they were making a reply, and only managed to share four goals in the next period. There were further strikes at both ends in the last quarter, but Valletta were always in command, and didn’t relinquish their advantage.

Debono bagged a poker for Valletta, with Koralji and Simon Cachia on hat tricks. M’scala had Liam Grixti with three goals, and John Licari with two more.

Valletta scored on five occasions from eight man ups, but M’scala only managed three goals from the same amount.

M’scala: K. Schembri, M. Pace , B. Muscat , J. Kayes 1, L. Grixti 3, J. Licari 2,             

               J. Cremona , J. Rossw 1, A. Sammut , D. Cassar, C. Micallef ,

              L. Caruana 

Valletta: R. Sciortino, S. Meli ,  R. Calleja , M. Koralji 3, M. Cordina , S. Cachia 3,                 

              R. Mock , N. Bonello Ghio 1, C. Debono 4, R. Scerri 1, A. Arrigo,      

              D. Filipov 2, Z. Sciberras

Referees: R. Spiteri, P. Giordano

 

Sports Journalists Cup Winners

 

1997  M’scala              2001  Neptunes        2005  Neptunes        2009  San Giljan

1998  Neptunes            2002  Neptunes        2006  Sliema            2010  San Giljan

1999  Sirens                 2003  Neptunes        2007  Sliems             2011  M’scala

2000  Neptunes            2004  Sirens             2008  Sirens             2012   M’scala

                                                                                                       2013   Valletta