Sliema, Neptunes to contest final

Sliema McDonalds, the Winter League champions, and Neptunes Emirates will contest the 2010 title on Saturday after winning their respective matches yesterday afternoon.

In the first duel, the Blues beat Sirens, while in the subsequent match Neptunes had the better of their neighbours San Ġiljan Firetech.

In the opening encounter, Sliema made practically sure of their victory in the opening seconds of the last quarter when Paul Privitera converted his team's fourth man-up to make it 8-5 in Sliema's favour.

Although the battling St Paul's Bay team managed to close the gap to 8-6 with over three minutes to go, the Blues were able to administer their advantage expertly, also managing to increase that lead before close of play.

It had been quiet a close affair in the early part of the game with both teams trading goals to end up all square on 3-3 after the first eight minutes. Sirens had been found guilty of missing out on their extra-man set play on no fewer than their first seven occasions, most of these failings resulting from poor ball handling.

The Blues, for whom Privitera and John Soler each netted a hat-trick, scored twice in the second quarter to maintain that two-goal advantage until the end of the third part of the game.

Privitera's third goal sealed the issue, rendering Ryan Mocks' hat-trick for Sirens only academic.

In the second match, Neptunes, who had ended third behind San Ġiljan in the preliminary phase, managed to outdo their opponents, edging them by the odd goal in thirteen.

The Balluta team, parading David Camilleri who had come out from apparent retirement also to make up for Edward Cachia's absence after the latter had called it a day due to his work commitments, had the edge over San Ġiljan in the opening sessions.

At one point, they led 5-2, with Pierre Borg's team tossing away innumerable extra man advantages as Matthew Zammit's jostling in the centre earned almost constant expulsions in his team's favour.

However, in the third quarter and with the Reds having two important players, Sean Gravina and Jordan Camilleri, expelled almost simultaneously after a third personal fault, Tony Camilleri's team, watched from the terraces by the coach-to-be Sergei Markoc, weathered the Saints' spirited but confused efforts to save the game.

In the end, the Balluta team kept their noses in front and just about deservedly after all their manjack displayed remarkable grit mostly in the blocking phase.

Michele Stellini ended up as the game's top scorer with a hat-trick followed by a brace from Timmy Agius.

Sliema 9
Sirens 6
(3-3, 2-0, 2-2, 2-1)

Sliema
R. Coleiro, J. Gabaretta, N. Lubrano, P. Privitera 3, M. Meli 2, J. Soler 3, D. Paolella, J. Brownrigg, C. Debono 1, J. Spiteri Staines, M. Rizzo, M. Spiteri Staines, A. Bianchi.

Sirens
E. Arrigo, A. Attard, P. Micallef, P. Borg, A. Sammut, R. Mock 3, J. Borg 1, D. Cutajar 1, Chris Zammit, Charlie Zammit, C. Mercieca 1, D. Zammit, J. Cremona.

Refs: Massimo Angileri, Alex De Raffaele.

San Ġiljan 6
Neptunes 7
(2-2, 1-3, 2-2, 1-0)

San Ġiljan
D. Camilleri, C. Spiteri De Barro 1, M. Pace, C. Galea 1, C. Gialanze 1, M. Zammit 1, R. Scerri, A. Bianchi, E. Aquilina 1, A. Borda, P. Fava 1, K. Dowling, K. Schembri.

Neptunes
N. Gouder, N. Lanzon 1, D. Camilleri, M. Stellini 3, Z. Mizzi, B. Lanzon, J. Camilleri, T. Agius 2, B. Buhagiar 1, S. Gravina, R. Sciortino, M. Pisani.

Refs: Ivan Sciriha, Peter Balzan.

Next fixtures

Saturday: 3rd place play-off: 3 p.m. Sirens vs San Ġiljan. Final: 4.15 p.m. Sliema vs Neptunes.