Sliema Frank Salt     11     Neptunes Grimaldi     14

(2-4, 3-4, 3-5, 3-1)

Neptunes ended the season as champions, as they have done these last five years. This time it was a bit bitter-sweet, with the knowledge that this match was the swan song for the stalwart, Tamas Molnar, the gifted Hungarian, who ended his glittering career.

He also found time to score a couple of goals, and will take very happy memories of his sojourns in Malta these last five seasons. All in all Neptunes met their rivals, Sliema, six times throughout the season, winning four of them, with the other two ending in ties, the only games that the champions did not take all three points from them.

Neptunes went in front early on, but Sliema twice reacted to their adversaries; strikes, only for Neptunes to score two late goals, and take a double lead. In the second period the champions went further in front, but Sliema replied well, to go to within a gaol of their opponents. Again Sliema responded to another Neptunes goal, but, just as in the opening session, Neptunes managed to slot in two more goals before the end of the period, and at the interval they were on an 8-5 advantage.

After the break the champions added on another goal, with Sliema returning strongly, as they put in a quick trio of strikes, and they went just behind their opponents. Neptunes called a timeout, and regained their composure. They netted four times without any reaction from Sliema, and the champions were coasting into the last quarter, on a healthy 13-8 lead.They went further ahead, but that was the sum total of their goals in the last session. Sliema clawed themselves back, with a brace of strikes, but Neptunes were still in command. In the last half minute neotunes were awarded a penalty, which they left to Andrew Zarb Cousin to take, but his shot was saved by Ryan Coleiro, in the Sliema goal. Sliema had the last possession of the season, with Ivan Basara netting in the very last second.

For the champions the usual Steve Camilleri scored four times, with Peter Biros netting a hat trick. Basara also collected a hat trick for Sliema, with his goal in extremis.

Neptunes celebrated their 23rd league title, when the BOV Chief Officer, Peter Perotti, along with the ASA president, Joe Caruana Curran, presented the winning medals to the Neptunes players, with their captain, Niki Lanzon, holding high the coveted trophy, as he has done these last five seasons.

Sliema: R. Coleiro, J. Gabarretta2 , N. Lubrano 1, T. Sullivan , M. Meli 1, J. Soler, J. Borg 1, C. Cluett , J. Brownrigg , N. Bugelli1 , I. Basara3 , A. Petkovic 2, K. Schembri

Neptunes: A. Borg Cole, N. Lanzon 2, M. Lanzon , M. Stellini 1, T. Agius , M. Zammit , S. Camilleri 4, J. Camilleri 1, A. Zarb Cousin , P. Biros 3,  B. Dougall , T. Molnar 2, C. Mercieca 1

Referees:  P. Balzan, A. Paoletti