Kurt Shaw runs to his team-mates after scoring Hibernians' winner against Birkirkara. Photo: Domenic Aquilina
Hibernians’ love affair with the FA Trophy continues.
The Paolites made a stunning finish to season 2024-25 by collecting the FA Trophy and achieve the impossible dream of earning a berth in European football after finishing the season in the Bottom Six.
]Hibernians have now added their 11th FA Trophy, winning their 10th final of their last 13.
Detractors would say the sending off of Birkirkara defender Alessandro Coppola after just 13 minutes had a major bearing on the result.
But the emphatic manner of their success, first neutralising Birkirkara’s efforts and then stifling their comeback with a last-gasp header, has certainly fostered optimism among the Paolites’ clan that Hibernians will again be a force to be reckoned with.
Their route to the final was no less impressive.
They had gained access to the final by beating newly-crowned champions Ħamrun Spartans in clinical attacking display and although they found it hard to put on the same entertaining show on Sunday, the final was not short on drama and excitement.
The final took a major twist early on when the Stripes suffered a double-blow. Coppola pushed Miulllen to the ground on his way to goal. From the ensuing free-kick, Ilias Martinis Apostolos arrowed his low drive behind Giacomo Volpe.
It looked plain-sailing for the Paolites, but when Khevin Fraga brought down Alexander Satariano to end Birkirkara’s venture in the Hibernians’ half, Maxuell Maia extracted a retribution to send the Stripes fans into raptures.
Ye just when the moment seemed to shift, Hibernians struck again.
In the 80th minute, man of the match, Apostolos sent in an inviting centre towards Kurt Shaw who rose above friends and foe to head the ball past Volpe. A huge roar vibrated from the Hibs’ end.
That signalled the time for Hibernians supporters to start their celebrations, sensing that they had finally put their opponents to sword.
The 26-year-old defender has fast established himself as an important cog in the Paolites’ formation and his decisive goal was the epitome of his determination to overcome all the physical alignment he faced since joining from Sliema.
“It could have been anyone. It happened to me, but it could have been anyone, honestly. The most important thing is that we got the winner,” a humble Shaw told timesofmalta.com.
“We made the mistake of letting back into the match, but we emulated their fighting spirit to score that decisive goal,” Shaw told the Times of Malta.
“We lacked consistency throughout the season, but Lady Luck did not favour us either. We dropped to the Bottom Six on direct encounters with Ħamrun, and they ended up as champions.
“On our day, we have demonstrated that we were up with the best, beating the newly-crowned Hamrun in the semi-finals and runners-up Birkirkara in the final,” he said.
For Hibernians coach Branko Nisevic, it was a bittersweet night. He was surely tingling with a sense of déjà vu. Just as in his previous stint at Ħamrun Spartans, he ended his spell with a trophy
Club hero
Surely, the Serbian coach will leave the Paola club a hero.
“My contract has come to an end. But today, it’s not the time to think about that, it’s time to celebrate this success. Next, we will think about my future,” he explained.
Likewise, Hibs president Ranier Bezzina was also evasive on the matter.
“I cannot promise anything to the supporters at this point in time. This time to celebrate after a year of hard work. From next week, we will roll up our sleeves to start working for the good of the team,” he said.
Nisevic has highlighted his team’s character and motivation behind their Cup success.
“We had some ups and downs, but in the final days, we found strength and huge motivation to turn around our season,” Nisevic said.
“To win the FA Trophy, we had to face the two top teams who played in the league final, it couldn’t have been harder.
“So, this served to show the players that with their quality, they could have easily got a final four berth. I would like to praise my players for showing their true mettle.”
“It was not an easy match even when Birkirkara went one man down. The Stripes have shown their character. Throughout the league, Birkirkara have always demonstrated that no matter if they had missing key players, they always fought for the result. Today, we had to match their fighting spirit, and we did that,” he explained.
Ranier Bezzina, who followed in the footsteps of his father Tony, the great Hibs president for over 40 years, was reflective as his first piece of silverware also marked a deeply personal moment.
“I dedicate this to my father’s memory. He would have loved this night,” Ranier Bezzina said.
“It was not an easy season for us, but in the final two matches, the players showed their true value. We are returning to European competition after an absence of two years.
“Without it, your budget would be limited. Next year, we have an important milestone to reach. If we keep our status, we would be the side with the most successive participations in the top flight of local football,” he said.
When everything seemed to go wrong, their season hit a sting in the tail. With the FA Trophy in the cabinet, European football on the horizon, Hibernians are definitely on the road to redemption.
