Rabat Depiro 2
Pasta Poiatti Qormi 1

Ta' Soldi Rabat booked their place in the Challenge Cup final after a hard-fought victory over Pasta Poiatti Qormi.

Rabat were off to a flier. Inside the first minute, Josef Antonelli pounced on a poor back pass, turned past Andre Ghio before slotting the ball home off Ramon Chircop's pads.

Qormi's response arrived on 15 minutes when Rabat goalkeeper Ian Azzopardi blocked Tanti's shot.

Qormi were coming more into the picture and had a good spell where they pressed Rabat incessantly. To the detriment of the Qormi forwards, however, umpire Liam Pace was too quick to blow his whistle when at times he could have applied the advantage rule.

On 26 minutes, Chircop kept out Shawn Falzon's drive with the aid of the bar.

The second half was a rather scrappy affair with Rabat showing a much better approach. But in a quick break in the eighth minute Qormi were awarded a penalty when Philip Magri was struck on his stick when about to hit at goal. Ghio converted to make it 1-1.

Rabat soon hit back and inside the next five minutes they restored their lead when from a string of short corners it was James Azzopardi who flicked the ball high into the net.

Qormi tried hard to equalise but Rabat easily contained their opponents to hold on for the win.

Umpires: Reno Cremona and Liam Pace.

Young Stars 3
White Hart 1

Hunters' Tower Young Stars brushed aside White Hart's challenge to progress to the cup final.

Young Stars threatened on seven minutes when Mark Camilleri's hit just missed the target. Then, goalkeeper Galea denied Edward Hughes with a timely block.

On 25 minutes, Young Stars goalkeeper Waylin Abdilla was at his best to keep out Reno Bianchi's effort after some excellent David Agius and Carl Tua work.

But White Hart could not get their act together and just past the half hour Edward Hughes caught the White Hart defence on the wrong foot and on entering the shooting circle passed the ball to the unmarked David Evans who in turn lifted the ball over the diving Galea to put his side 1-0 up.

Early in the second half, David Agius was unlucky to see his double effort at goal saved by Abdilla.

It was Young Stars who scored again on 11 minutes when Christian Bonello's hit flew past Galea.

The match was all but sealed on 21 minutes when Kevin Filletti committed an own goal that killed off any aspirations White Hart had in making it to the final.

White Hart did manage a consolation goal on the stroke of time when Luke Borg Costanzi collected the ball in his own half, dribbled his way towards goal and beat Abdilla with a fine reverse hit.

Umpires: Ray Micallef and Paul Brincat.

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