Veteran-laden side Ta' Xbiex brought home a major season honour when they managed to thwart off category champions Marsascala in the final. Ta' Xbiex had already beaten Exiles in a thrilling semi-final decided by penalties.
This side, led by Aldo Scerri who was sent off late in the final after consistent protests towards the referees, contains a number of seasoned veterans namely 44-year old Slovak import Roman Polacik, over 40's Marco Manara, Alex Tanti and Dorian Pisani (the captain closed the season with a poker of goals) and even the over 50 Peter Paolella. Yet the latter's experience all paid off against a much younger M'Scala side who surely started as favourites.
These two sides had already met twice in the league with M'Scala winning 12-7 in the first round and Ta' Xbiex getting back with a 10-9 win in the second round.
Marsascala looked on track to registering the double when they went 3-0 ahead after 7 minutes of play. Darren Ciappara had opened the score midway in the third minute and then, after Ta Xbiex missed on a Valenti exclusion, Liam Grixti doubled the champions' lead late in the sixth minute. Fabio Valenti then got his first of two early in the eight minute.
Poker scoring Dorian Pisani increased Ta' Xbiex's morale with a late goal in the first session as the margin between the two sides was reduced to two goals, 3-1.
Both sides missed a respective man-up early in the second session before Kurt Sciortino beat Ian Bugeja and Ta' Xbiex started believing more in their chances.
Although Valenti scored again for M'Scala, Ta' Xbiex managed to overturn the score by the change of ends as Pisani striked twice in a row and then Marco Manara put Ta' Xbiex 5-4 in the lead with a man-up goal with Cassar returning in the pitch following his 20-second expulsion.
The third session contained two goals on each side although M'Scala also missed a double man-up with a 2 metre violation.
On two occasions a Marsascala equaliser was neutralised on the opposite end. In fact, an early Mark Borg Spiteri goal was immediately replied by Sciortino and then, in the last two minutes of the session, Jason Vella (on a Cassar exclusion and on a 3 v 2 action) replied to a previous Ciappara goal as the latter grabbed his brace.
Ta' Xbiex secured their long-awaited honour in the last session as they outsmarted their younger rivals with a 3-0 run.
Licari fouled Roman Polacik for a penalty late in the 27th minute and the Slovak did not miss the 5 metre resultant free shot.
Just 45 seconds later Pisani surprised the M'Scala rearguard with a low shot from the right and put his side 9-6 ahead apart from registering his personal hat-trick.
M'Scala won a Pisani exclusion but missed the chance so that a Polacik goal, immediately after he won a Micallef exclusion, closed the game at 10-6 as the Ta Xbiex clan made merry for this honour.
Ms. Lara Scicluna, Marketing Manager of Wilkinson Sword, accompanied by Robbie Ebejer, ASA president, presented the KO trophy to the Ta' Xbiex captain Dorian Pisani at the end of the match.
M'Scala: I. Bugeja, J. Cutajar, S. Farrugia, A. Galea, M. Borg Spiteri 1, L. Grixti 1, J. Licari, M. Borg, S. Micallef, R. Cutajar, D. Cassar, F. Valenti 2, D. Ciappara 2.
Ta Xbiex: A. Bianchi, A. Tanti, M. Manara 1, C. Sciortino, C. D'Ugo, K. Sciortino 2, M. Camilleri, R. Polacik 2, J. Tabone, K. Engerer, P.Paolella, J. Vella 1, D. Pisani 4.
Refs: A. Derrafaele, I. Sciriha