Dingli, St Patrick reach final

Dingli Swallows 5
Mosta 1

Dingli Swallows are on course for an historic double when they easily beat Mosta in the First Division KO semi-final yesterday, a few days after clinching the championship following a 2-1 victory over Vittoriosa.

Chris Ciappara scored a hat-trick but it was not only his goals that made the difference as Roderick Spiteri, Christian Muscat and Kurt Formosa, also played a blinder for Dingli.

Mosta, tipped by many to fight it out for the honours, finished on a losing end. Surely they will be delighted not to play Dingli again in 2009/10 after losing to the champions three times this season.

Dingli took control early on but Jesmond Zammit's men only forged ahead on 33 minutes when Ciappara hit home from a corner. Ciappara missed a sitter on 40 minutes but the Dingli striker made up for that miss when he scored twice either side of half-time to put his team 3-0 up.

Etienne Farrugia beat Claude Carbonaro in the Mosta goal right on the hour as Mosta had long thrown in the towel even though they did manage a consolation goal from an Elton Vella free-kick.

However, a fine move from Dingli substitutes Jeremy Agius and Christopher Azzopardi finished with the latter dribbling past Carbonaro to round up the score to 5-1.

Dingli: J. Farrugia, E. Casha, R. Spiteri, C. Ciappara (C. Caruana), K. Formosa, V. Fiteni, C. Muscat, J. Cachia (C. Azzopardi), E. Farrugia (J. Agius), R. Mintoff, U. Anywanna.

Mosta: C. Carbonaro, M. Farrugia, S. Borg, A. Borg (J. Bajada), A. Saliba, B. Agius (C. Camenzuli), M. Brincat, M. Abela, R. Deguara, P. Vassallo (E. Vella), G. Calabretta.

Referee: Clayton Pisani.

Pietà Hotspurs 1
St Patrick 3
(after extra-time)

St Patrick came back from a goal down to beat Pietà Hotspurs in a game that went into extra-time after a 1-1 draw following normal time.

The Saints will now meet holders Dingli Swallows in the final.

Pietà were the better side in normal time but the Saints' never-say-die attitude worked wonders for Winston Muscat's side. The Saints also had the advantage of playing extra-time with a man more after the dismissal of Pietà's Terrence Vella.

The match was played at a very slow rhythm with chances few and far between. On 36 minutes Pietà's Kevin Robinson's shot finished wide of the Saints goal.

The Hotspurs took the lead on 65 minutes when Simon Shead headed home Poulangoye's cross. But their joy was short-lived as five minutes later Thomas Caruana's equalised with a low shot.

In injury time Pietà substitute Vella was dismissed for dissent.

The game went into extra time and the Saints soon forged ahead when Peter Anizoba beat Miguel Montfort with a low drive.

St Patrick sealed the issue in the 103rd minute when Caruana slotted the ball home from close in.

Pietà H.: M. Montfort, C. Spiteri, B. Sciberras (R. Camilleri), M. Deanov, S. Ciscaldi, Q. Refalo (T. Vella), S. Shead, K.M. Robinson, J.L. Poulangoye, K. Cassar (K. Darmanin), S. Pace.

St Patrick: S. Mintoff; M. Pullicino, R. Briffa, S. Zerafa (R.Ellul), I. Scicluna (P. Anizoba), G. Inguanez, T. Caruana, K. Formosa, C. Micallef (G. Saliba), B. Bonnici, B. Muscat.

Referee: Esther Azzopardi.