Birkirkara 4
Sylla 42, 51, Tabone 62, Mallia 67
Valletta 2
Monesterolo 20, Mifsud 74
Birkirkara produced their best performance of the season when they came from a goal down to oust champions Valletta in the U*Bet FA Trophy semi-final yesterday.
The Stripes will now meet Ħamrun Spartans for the coveted trophy in the final at the National Stadium on Saturday.
Valletta took to the encounter hopeful of maintaining their unbeaten run against Birkirkara this season and registering a dream double after their championship success earlier this month.
Seba Monesterolo's goal midway through the first half seemed to be the right tonic to set the champions on course to the final but injury to Kenneth Scicluna coupled with Davy Amed Sylla's equaliser on the stroke of half-time tipped the scales in Birkirkara's favour.
After the interval, the rejuvenated Stripes scored three further goals to put the issue beyond doubt.
Birkirkara's qualification to the Trophy final has sealed them a place in next season's UEFA Cup, irrespective of the outcome of Saturday's final since their opponents, Ħamrun Spartans, are ineligible to take part as they do not a UEFA licence. They will join Marsaxlokk who finished second in the Premier League.
The other European place, via the Intertoto Cup, will now go to Hibernians as neither Sliema Wanderers, Floriana and Ħamrun Spartans have applied to take part.
The Citizens were forced to do without defender Justin Grioli, suspended, and midfielder Stefan Giglio who was ruled out through injury.
Valletta were off to a strong start and inside the opening five minutes, Frank Temile burst through from the right before curling a cross towards Dyson Falzon but the Valletta defender was anticipated in time by midfielder Thomas Paris.
The champions took the lead on 20 minutes. Jonathan Bondin swerved a measured cross towards striker Monesterolo who showed great composure in firing a shot on the turn that flew past Birkirkara goalkeeper Bernard Paris.
Birkirkara were finding it increasingly difficult to impose their presence in the match and their striking partnership of Michael Galea and Davy Amed Sylla rarely had an opportunity to try their luck at goal inside the opening half hour.
The two sides were forced to effect their first substitution midway through the first half as Valletta's Kenneth Scicluna and Thomas Paris, of Birkirkara limped out injured. Paris was replaced by Lee Lombardi while Keith Fenech came on for Scicluna.
On 33 minutes, Alan Tabone's corner created some anxious moments in the Valletta rearguard as a crowd of red and yellow shirted players swarmed the penalty area in a bid to apply the lethal touch to the ball but somehow the Citizens survived.
However, three minutes from the break Birkirkara were level in their first attempt at goal.
Tabone did well to slid the ball towards the unmarked Sylla who shrugged off Camilleri's challenge and calmly planted a low shot into the net.
Six minutes after the restart Birkirkara stormed into the lead. Sylla was again the mastermind of the whole move as he craftily controlled the ball inside the area, rounded off Camilleri and beat Hogg with another low shot.
The Stripes were now oozing confidence as the tide had turned firmly in their favour and it was no surprise that they surged further ahead just past the hour.
Monesterolo was dispossessed of the ball in midfield as Sylla was once again in the thick of action with his sturdy shot from an acute angle forcing Hogg into a partial save and in came the hard-working Tabone to slot the rebound into an empty net.
With Buttigieg's boys now on song, Valletta fell apart and on 67 minutes, Mallia brought the house down with a gem of a goal. The player ran havoc with the Citizens' rearguard as he ran past three defenders before beating Hogg with a powerful angled shot.
With Valletta dejected and lacking ideas, it was simply a matter of allowing the clock to weigh down before the three-time Trophy winners could start celebrating their qualification to the final.
The celebrations were briefly interrupted by Josef Mifsud's header in the final quarter which allowed Valletta to bridge the gap to 4-2.
Valletta tried to edge closer to their opponents as Steve Bezzina delivered a good cross towards Falzon who flicked the ball in Mifsud's path. The defender unleashed a strong shot which Paris parried to keep his opponents at bay.
In added time, substitute Kurt Magro was shown the red card for an off the ball incident with Birkirkara defender Ronnie Hartvig.
Birkirkara
B. Paris, T. Paris ('27 L. Lombardi), J. Zerafa ('75 L. Galea), R. Hartvig, E. Yanchev, P. Fenech, G. Mallia ('88 A. Ciantar), A. Tabone, S. Bajada, M. Galea, D. A. Sylla.
Valletta
A. Hogg, J. Bondin ('84 K. Magro), J. Mifsud, K. Scicluna (28 K. Fenech), S. Bezzina, D. Camilleri, H. Backhaus, F. Temile ('71 I. Zammit), D. Falzon, G. Agius, S. Monesterolo.
Referee: Joe Attard.
Yellow Cards: Falzon, Zammit, Hartvig, Mifsud.
Red Card: Magro (V) 90.