Play Offs Premier S/F 2

San Giljan Giuseppe’s 8

Sliema McDonalds 8

aet (15-16 on penalties)

(2-1.3-3.1-1,2-1)

What a rollercoaster of a match, a marathon game, which was finally decided after no less than twenty two penalties were taken, after a stalemate between the two sides, which went on into extra time, with no definite result.

Sliema, who trailed for most of the match, could have made it theirs when San Giljan’s Andrea Bianchi was sent off without substitution for four minutes in the final session. Sliema not only made no progress in that time, but also conceded an early goal. In the remaining time both sides lost players on fouls, John brownrigg for the Blues and Matthew Zammit for the Saints. Sliema were in front at the end, but Christian Gialanze saved the match for San Giljan, and extra time had to be played.

Sliema then also lost Jerome Gabarretta and Ferenc Salamon on fouls, leaving them with no foreigners in open play. The Saints also had three man-ups in their favour in these two extra periods but failed to score and the match dragged on into the taking of penalties.

In the first set of five, both sides scored three times, and sudden death came into the reckoning. In the second set of five the teams were still locked, with four strikes each and a third set had to be taken. Sliema here scored , but San Giljan’s Boris Letica struck his penalty against the bar and Sliema were finally through to the final, the first of which, in a best of five, will start next Wednesday, between the current champions Neptunes Emirates and Sliema McDonalds.

San Giljan: D. Camilleri, JC Cutajar , N. Sutic 2, K. Galea 1, K. Dowling , M. Zammit 1, B. Letica 3, A. Bianchi , K. Mock , C. Gialanze 1, P. Fava, D. Abela , M. Pisani

Sliema: I. Gergely, J. Gabarretta 1, N. Lubrano 1, P. Privitera , M. Meli 1, J. Soler 3, D. Paolella , J. Brownrigg , C. Debono , F. Salamon , J. Falzon , M. Spiteri Staines 2, R. Coleiro

Referees: P. Balzan, D. Saeli

Play Offs 1 Div. S/F 1

Valletta Sterling 10

Otters Nivea 12

(2-4.2-2.4-4,2-2)

The Gozitana are now one step away from the final, after beating Valletta in the first match out of three.It was the first session that decided the match, when Otters enjoyed a double lead. This advantage was never relinquished by the Gozitans, despite a momentary 4-4 score in the second period. For most of the time Otters were a couple of goals or more in front, with Valletta unable to make up the leeway in the remaining part of the match, although they made good use of their man ups, converting seven out of their nine favourable expulsions.

Otters had only two man ups in their favour, netting once.

The Citizens recovered their Hungarian David Zoltan, back fron his suspension, and Otters kept their young Hungarian Daniel Angyal, with Zoltan Radocz still injured. There were a poker of goals from both sides, Simon Cachia for Valletta and Angyal for Otters.

Valletta: A. Sammut, S. Meli , R. Calleja , An. Galea 2, T. Agius 2, S. Cachia 4, Al. Galea , M. Cordina 1, R. Kovacs 1, D, Zoltan , A. Arrigo , E. Arrigo,K. Hyzler

Otters: A. Cachia, G. Attard , G. Zammit , D. Angyal 4, S. Dimech , M. Balatoni 3, J. Paris 1, D. Schembri 2, E. Farrugia , K. Debattista 1, C. Martin, K. Scicluna,K. Grima Scott 1

Referees: A. De Raffaele, S. Licari