Birkirkara 0
Hibernians 1

Birkirkara's optimistic bid of capturing the first league and cup double in their history is over.

Coming into their semi-final confrontation with Hibernians with a sky-high morale after winning the Premier League title in style, Birkirkara failed to set up a showdown with surprise finalists Floriana after losing 1-0 to the fired-up Paolites.

Young midfielder Edmond Agius was the executioner of Birkirkara yesterday. His ferocious drive, midway into the second half, decided the issue after a slow-burning encounter in which Hibs were the better of two unimpressive sides.

Pre-match suggestions that Birkirkara might suffer from a hangover after their title celebrations last Sunday were vigorously dismissed by coach Stephen Azzopardi on the eve of this match but his team's lacklustre performance yesterday indicated otherwise.

As for Hibs, they were clearly adamant to redeem themselves after finishing in a disappointing fourth position in the league. Their disciplined approach paid dividends as they managed to outsmart the new champions to remain with a chance of gaining a spot in the UEFA Cup.

Now that they have seen off Birkirkara, the Paolites will fancy their chances of beating Floriana in Friday's final, although the Greens sent out a firm warning with their despatching of Sliema Wanderers in the other semi-final.

Within 15 seconds of referee Adrian Azzopardi's initial whistle, Birkirkara's defence had to deal with a potentially menacing Hibs attack.

David Williamson's cross from the right somehow found its way to Andrew Cohen inside the Birkirkara box but Kenneth Scicluna repelled the shot from the Hibs livewire.

Birkirkara had George Mallia making his first appearance after a rather lengthy injury lay-off. He took up his usual role in the heart of Birkirkara's engine room where he was assisted by skipper Michael Galea and Jonathan Holland.

Spearheading the Stripes' forward line were Etienne Barbara, back after missing his team's 2-1 defeat to Hibs on the final day of the 2005-2006 Premier League, and Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza. William Camenzuli and Matthew Calascione started on the bench.

It was not before the 18th minute that Birkirkara enjoyed their first chance at goal. Mifsud Triganza made the most of the uncovered space on Hibs' right flank to send in a cross but Barbara's miscued first-time shot posed no real problems for Mario Muscat, the Hibs goalkeeper.

Despite Alex Camilleri's man-of-the-match display in Hibs' 1-0 loss to Marsaxlokk, coach Robert Gatt promptly recalled Muscat for this semi-final tie, his decision probably swayed by the superior experience of the Malta goalkeeper.

Burly forward Terence Scerri was surprisingly excluded from the starting formation as Gatt favoured the big-small attacking combination of Doda and Cohen with Williamson afforded the freedom to drift towards the centre from his customary right-wing station.

From one such overlap, Williamson raced towards the bye-line and tried to dodge past Lino Galea, forcing the latter to slide in and make a tackle. 'Penalty' screamed the Hibs fans but the referee signalled for play to continue.

Six minutes from the end of half-time, another cross from Williamson caused consternation among the Birkirkara defenders. Cohen twisted this way and that to claim possession but his angled effort was deflected away for a corner by Holland.

At the other end, Muscat effected his first significant contribution of the afternoon when pawing away Michael Galea's looping volley from a somewhat acute angle.

By and large, the game was a dull affair in the first half with Hibs marginally the better side.

Ten minutes had elapsed from the beginning of the second half when Emil Yanchev leapt to belt away a fine cross from Cohen.

With the game approaching the hour mark, Azzopardi replaced Mark Anthony Bonnici with Camenzuli. A minute later, Gatt drafted in Roderick Baldacchino for Clayton Failla after the latter's participation was curtailed by injury. Another substitution in the Birkirkara ranks followed quickly, Calascione coming on for Michael Galea.

Entertaining football remained elusive but midway through the second half, Hibs broke the stalemate.

There seemed little danger for Birkirkara when Essien Mbong, lurking in the inside-right channel, squared the ball to Agius but the Hibs youngster had the audacity to pull the trigger despite being some distance away from the goal. His confidence was rewarded as Agius's twisting drive surprised David Simon, the Birkirkara goalkeeper.

The score could have become 2-0 for the Paolites when brisk activity from Cohen saw him making progress down the left before he laid the ball in the path of Baldacchino who evaded a challenge and fired at goal only to be defied by the on-rushing Simon.

Hibs' breakthrough should have aroused Birkirkara from their erstwhile torpor. Holland tried to unsettle his opponents with a well-flighted cross from the right but Muscat dashed out to push the ball away. The loose ball fell to Camenzuli whose piledriver flew over the bar.

Seven minutes from the end of regulation time, Birkirkara urged the referee to award them a penalty, alleging that Mbong had pulled Mallia's shirt as the latter tried to connect to a cross from Barbara. The man in the middle refused to heed their complaints.

Birkirkara: D. Simon, M.A. Bonnici ('60 W. Camenzuli), L. Galea, R. Sammut, E. Barbara, M. Galea ('63 M. Calascione), J. Holland, K. Scicluna, J.P. Mifsud Triganza, G. Mallia, E. Yanchev.

Hibs: M. Muscat, P. Pullicino, A. Pulis, A. Xuereb, D. Camilleri, D. Williamson, E. Mbong, E. Agius, A. Cohen, C. Failla ('61 R. Baldacchino), H. Doda ('76 T. Scerri).

Referee: Adrian Azzopardi.

Scorer: Agius 68.

Yellow Cards: Failla; Pulis; Agius; Holland.