Valletta Mc Donald’s booked a place in the semi-final of the Premier KO competition when they had the better of Exiles Ferretti 9-8 and will now face San Ġiljan in mid-August, with Neptunes up against Sirens in the other semi-final.
Their one-goal victory margin turned out to be a close affair in the end as their opponents, spurred on by their ace-scorer Marco Cuk (he netted four in all) fought back from a five-goal deficit in the third session after the City team seemed to be cantering to a comfortable win.
Valletta were 3-1 in front after the first quarter, a lead which they preserved after the teams shared four goals after the first break.
They then extended that 5-3 lead when Djordje Filipovic, Michael Cordina, who eventually netted a hat-trick, and Charlie Zammit struck three times in succession to make it 8-3 midway the third quarter.
Exiles fought back through goals from Michael Spiteri Staines before the last session after which Cuk scored either side of Cordina’s ninth goal for Valletta.
Romain Blary’s eighth goal came 40 seconds from time but that was a little too late for them and their time-out with 11 seconds left was not productive.
Holders Marsascala Nutrition Empire were superior to Ta’ Xbiex Amigos in the second semi-final of the Division One KO. The disparity was evident in their 17-8 victory.
The southerners started piling up the goals mainly through their Hungarian player Matyas Pasztor who rolled in a nap-hand. He was followed by Clyde Bonello’s hat-trick.
Adam Maklari’ s defection with a shoulder injury early in the third session was a blow to Ta’ Xbiex, with Mark Kallay’s efforts when netting four goals being to no avail.
Summaries
Marsascala 17
Ta’ Xbiex 8
(4-2, 3-1, 5-2, 5-3)
Marsascala: K. Schembri, J.C. Cutajar 2, B. Muscat Dougal, C. Bonello 3, B. Torok 1, L. Grixti, K. Navarro 1, J. Cremona 1, S. Micallef 2, M. Pasztor 5, D. Cassar 1, C. Mifsud 1, M. Pace.
Ta’ Xbiex: J. Micallef, A. Maklari, A. Camenzuli 1, G. Attard, M. Kallay 4, K, Mock, J. Galea 1, E. Gravina, G. Debono 1, L. Pace, A. Mifsud 1, K. Debattista, M. Zammit.
Referees: M. Angileri, A. Zedda.
Valletta 9
Exiles 8
(3-1, 2-2, 3-2, 1-3)
Valletta: R. Sciortino, O. Zammit, M. Rizzo, K. Galea 1, A. Agius, R. Mock, G. Kiss, N. Bonello Ghio, M. Cordina 3, C. Zammit 2, D. Paolella 1, D. Filipovic 2, D. Camilleri.
Exiles: I. Bugeja, J. Rizzo Naudi, S. Vassallo, D. Pace Lupi, R. Blary 1, J. Spiteri Staines 1, S. Gravina 1, K. Grixti 1, D. Abela, A. Bianchi, M. Cuk 4, P. Paris, K. Lanzon.
Referees: S. Licari, A. Centineo.