Champions and Trophy holders Sliema Wanderers have the easiest task as the quarter-finals of the competition are to be played between today and tomorrow.

The Wanderers will tomorrow be facing the only remaining first division side, Mqabba, and should be considered firm favourites to reach the last four with a certain amount of ease.

In tomorrow’s second match, Valletta will be facing Marsaxlokk. Today, the programme starts with the clash between Msida St Joseph and Hibernians and this will quickly be followed by the Birkirkara-Floriana match.

It is obvious that with a UEFA Cup berth at stake – the winners, or even the finalists, may earn a slot in next season’s competition – these matches will be keenly contested as the clubs will be looking forward to make it to the semi-finals.

In today’s opening match, Hibernians should be considered favourites to beat Msida St Joseph, but will have to be aware of any surprise the Saints might offer.

In fact, despite playing in the Relegation Pool, Msida are considered as an outfit which can give any other club in the Premier a tough time, as has been the case in most of their matches this season.

In the match that follows, Birkirkara will also start as favourites against Floriana, especially after having registered three good wins over the Greens in the League this season.

The Stripes will be making a bold effort to win the Trophy in the knowledge that the chances for the league title on their part – seven points behind Sliema – are very remote. This competition might be considered by the Stripes as the saviour of their season.

On their part, Floriana have gone through another disappointing season. Out of contention in the league, despite having avoided the Relegation Pool, they now just hope to do well in this competition although all the odds are heavily stacked against them.

Tomorrow, as already said, Sliema should have absolutely no difficulty in brushing aside the Mqabba challenge and move into the last four.

The Wanderers will have too many guns for the first division side which certainly has no big ambitions except than to cut a good figure.

The match that follows, that between Marsaxlokk and Valletta, should also be keenly contested.

The two sides are making it clear that they also look forward to a UEFA Cup place, and though Valletta are still second to Sliema in the league, nothing is yet guaranteed with Birkirkara and Hibs close behind them in that other battle in the league.

Marsaxlokk have also had a disappointing season so far but since the arrival of Cleaven Frendo and Andre Schembri, they have shown improvement and it will be no surprise were they to give the citizens a tough time in their efforts to repeat last year’s successful run which saw them reaching the final against Sliema.