Pegasus will hold a two-point advantage at the head of the women’s EY Hockey League until February as their late 3-1 win over Muckross saw them steal a march on rivals Loreto.
Alex Speers was once again the key player, closing out an excellent first half of the season with a brace. She opened the scoring at Muckross Park but the bottom-placed side proved a stubborn opponent, getting back on terms via Sarah O’Loughlin.
It remained 1-1 until 10 minutes from the end when Speers got her second, bringing her tally to seven so far. Michelle Harvey then finished off a counter-attack, sealing a seventh win from eight thus far.
For Loreto, they came into the weekend ahead of Pegs on goal difference and were seconds away from keeping it that way until they were stunned late in the game by Pembroke in a 2-2 draw at Grange Road, Hayley O’Donnell scoring a final hooter slap-shot.
Sarah Clarke’s piledriver and a Siofra O’Brien strike had the Beaufort side in great shape but Pembroke have also been on a good run of form. Laura Noble’s third goal in two games gave them a lifeline before O’Donnell – donning the kicking-back’s bib – fired home the leveller.
Ards picked up their second point of the season with a 1-1 draw against Railway Union, Caroline Adams and Kate McKenna trading scorers. It leaves Ards in ninth and Railway in eighth but seven points better off.
Cork Harlequins landed a fourth win of the campaign when they beat UCD 2-0 at Belfield with Michelle Barry and Yvonne O’Byrne on the mark. They end 2018 in fifth place.
Belfast Harlequins and Old Alex also ended 1-1, leaving them sixth and seventh respectively. The women’s EYHL returns in the new year on February 2, 2019.
In Division 2, Catholic Institute were the only one of four teams with perfect records before the weekend to remain that way. They beat Monkstown 1-0 courtesy of a Christine O’Shea touch in the 20th minute.
Town remain top of Pool B but have played an extra game than the Limerick side. Dungannon’s 2-0 win over Lurgan gets them back in the frame for a playoff spot.
In Pool A, Corinthian and Queen’s drew 1-1, a result that ended both of their winning runs. Queen’s remain top on 14 points with Corinthian on 10 with a game in hand. Trinity reignited their challenge with a 3-1 win over UCC – they play Greenfields next on 8 December.
EY Hockey League: Ards 1 (C Adams) Railway Union 1 (K McKenna); Belfast Harlequins 1 (G Frazer) Old Alex 1 (A Connery); Loreto 2 (S Clarke, S O’Brien) Pembroke 2 (L Noble, H O’Donnell); Muckross 1 (S O’Loughlin) Pegasus 3 (A Speers 2, M Harvey); UCD 0 Cork Harlequins 2 (M Barry, Y O’Byrne)
