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