Rabat 4
Sliema Hotsticks 1
Both teams opened cautiously but Sliema Hotsticks soon started to exert pressure as the game progressed. Ludolf Rasterhoff went close from a penalty corner action.
A minute later, Rasterhoff had another effort cleared off the line by Matthew Buhagiar who dived full length to his right to clear his lines.
Rabat won a penalty corner in the 32nd minute and Kevin Micallef drilled a shot just past the post. Half-time came with neither team able to open the scoring.
The second half began with Hotsticks again on the attack.
They should have gone ahead when, during a prolonged action in the D, Daniel Agius just failed to beat the keeper.
Sliema were then awarded two penalty corners in succession but again failed to capitalise.
Rabat hit back strongly and Mario Galea netted on 43 minutes after picking up a rebound off the goalkeeper’s pads.
Simon Baldacchino equalised for Hotsticks soon after but the game was decided when Rabat struck three times in the space of seven minutes.
Shawn Falzon made it 2-1 as a result of a penalty corner action, Galea notched his second on 55 minutes and Thomas Sammut got Rabat’s fourth goal, hitting home from the top of the D.
Hotsticks never gave up but could not narrow the deficit as Rabat preserved their lead to reach the semi-finals.
Umpires: James Mizzi, Edward Hughes.
White Hart 0
Qormi 1
This was a game Qormi dominated but found it hard to break down White Hart’s defensive tactics.
Juan Sarcia shot well over the bar from a good position early on and a series of penalty corner actions followed for Qormi but bore no results.
On 24 minutes, White Hart’s Simon Agius dived to clear off the line with his keeper beaten as relentless pressure by Qormi failed to breach White Hart’s lines, well marshalled by keeper Robert Vassallo Agius.
Qormi insisted in attack as the second half got underway and finally broke the deadlock when Zachary Degiovanni beat Agius on 57 minutes, his shot going in off the post.
White Hart tried to react but Qormi held out to join Rabat in the cup semi-finals.
Umpires: Reno Cremona, Keith Vella.