Neptunes Emirates and Sliema McDonald’s will be vying for the first honour at stake this summer when they clash in the 2012 Super Cup at Tal-Qroqq tonight.

The President’s Cup, as the contest between the Premier Division champions and knock-out competition winners is more popularly known, again pits together the two main protagonists in the local waterpolo scene.

Between them, the Reds and the Blues have shared the major part of the honours this past decade or so.

Last year, Neptunes beat Sliema 12-11 to claim their sixth President’s Cup title since the competition was introduced in 1996.

The last time the Super Cup was lifted by another team was in 2003 when Sirens beat Sliema 7-5. In all, the team from St Paul’s Bay claimed the Super Cup on four occasions and Sliema five times.

The initial phase of the summer championship has just been completed with Neptunes beating Sliema 9-5 in the inter-group play-offs on Saturday to grab pole position in the five-team Premier Division which starts this week.

Meanwhile, today’s curtain-raiser at the National Pool will be the Division One Sportswriters Association Cup match between Marsascala Mor€ and Ta’ Xbiex Amigos.

These same two teams also contested the honour last year with Marsascala emerging clear winners 15-8.

Marsascala will play in Division One this summer after losing a decider last weekend to Exiles Ferretti 22-7.

The southenders start the championship with a five-point bonus at the top of the standings ahead of Otters Nivea (3), Valletta Sterling (2) and Ta’ Xbiex (1).

Programme
Today: 18.45 Marsascala vs Ta’ Xbiex; 20.00 Neptunes vs Sliema.