Sliema Hotsticks 2
Young Stars 1
(after extra-time)
This tight encounter was decided in extra-time and saw Sliema Hotsticks prevail by the odd goal in three.
Despite falling behind in the first minute of extra-time, Sliema scored twice in a three-minute burst to secure a berth in the final.
Defences were on top early on in this semi-final.
After applying pressure, Young Stars failed to benefit from four penalty corners and half-time was reached with no team in the lead.
The second half, once again, saw Young Stars exerting pressure for the first ten minutes but the Hotsticks came back strongly, winning a series of penalty corners and almost went ahead but were denied by Chris Attard who cleared a shot off the line with his keeper beaten.
Simon Baldacchino also came close to putting Sliema ahead but the game dragged into extra-time goalless.
Young Stars soon went ahead as a result of a penalty corner when Edward Hughes scored with a perfect reverse hit from the edge of the D.
The second period of extra-time started dramatically when Ludolf Pasterhoff equalised and two minutes later Andrei Imbroll scored the winner from another penalty corner action.
Umpires: Paul Brincat, Robert Aquilina.
Qormi 4
Rabat 2
In the other Challenge Cup semi-final on Sunday, Qormi took the lead in the 17th minute when Juan Sarcia netted from a penalty corner action.
After a period of play, when the midfield of both sides dominated proceedings, in the 30th minute John Williams lashed on to a through pass, side stepped Rabat’s goalkeeper and found the net from an acute angle.
The half-time whistle blew with Qormi 2-0 up.
The second half started brightly and in the 45th minute Josef Antonelli was on hand to push the ball home and pull one back for Rabat.
The game was then decided in a six-minute period, between the 51st and 57th minutes.
Jonathan Borg scored Qormi’s third goal with a drive from the top of the D and two minutes later young Thomas Degiovanni made it 4-1.
Rabat did not give up though and pulled one back four minutes later when Kevin Micallef netted as a result of a penalty corner action.
To their credit Rabat pressed forward but could not reduce the arrears and Qormi emerged victorious to reach Sunday’s final against Sliema.
Umpires: Reno Cremona, Luke Busuttil Leaver.