Depiro 54

Bupa 81

(10-16)(10-20)(22-14)(12-31)

Bupa duly collected their fourth honour of the season, in a competition which they dominated through its history. In fact, it is the fourteenth time that Bupa have won this honour, and the fourth time, in six finals, that they have beaten Depiro. It was aplucky performance by Depiro, who were facing daunting odds, and Bupa again showed their mastery this season, turning on the pressure as befits them, and killing off any pretensions by their rivals, at the opportune time.

Depiro went about in an orderly way at the start, and although suffering an Alan Borg trey for Bupa, they still made a 6-3 lead. Bupa laboriously made a 9-3 run, with a Robert Azzopardi trey, and also an Andrew Aquilina trey at the other end. Depiro then cut down their deficit, but a further two hoops by the Violets gave them a better advantage after the first quarter.

After an early Depiro hoop in the second session, it was Bupa with a 9-0 run, and a second Azzopardi trey, as they started to pull away. Depiro tried to keep up, but Matijevic was putting in his points for Bupa, and the double figure lead was not threatened. Bupa controlled till the end of the session, and at the interval they enjoyed a good 36-20 advantage.

After the break Bupa were expected to enhance their lead, but the opposite happened. Depiro started off well, with a 7-2 run, and a Roderick Vella trey. Bupa recovered, to post a 7-2 run of their own, with a Steve Schembri trey, but then some complacency set in, and Depiro made an 8-0 run, starting with an Emanuel Lupo trey. Bupa halted the run, and extended their lead again, but Roderick Vella sank his second trey for Depiro, and after three sessions it was a closer match, with Bupa 50-42 in front.

That was as close as Depiro got. as Bupa made a 9-0 run, and when Azzopardi began to put in his treys once more, then it was all over. Another 12-0 run killed off the game, and the two sides put in their bench players at the end, after Matijevic had also made his trey.

After the match BOV’s representative, Karl Spiteri, presented trophies to both sides, as Bupa made it four honours, with one still to go, the League Championship.

Depiro: 15 R. Vella, D. Debono, M. sammut, 3 G. Sammut, 5 A. Aquilina, 4 A. Tabone, 16 J. Gatt, 8 E. Lupo, 3 I. Tanti, D. Agius

Bupa: R. Dalli, M. Mercieca, 17 R. Azzopardi, M. Micallef, 6 A, Borg, A. Bianchi, M. Bonnici, 4 T. Paris, 5 D. Schembri, E. Caruana Montaldo, 28 M. Matijevic, 21 S. Schembri

Referees: Emanuel Mangani, Kean Paul Sammut, Alfred Carbonaro