Cork Harlequins snagged the fourth EY Champions Trophy ticket while Muckross took the relegation play-off place, condemning Ards to the Ulster Premier League following a dramatic final day in the women’s EY Hockey League.
Quins started the day in fifth, needing a win and a favour from Old Alex to move up a spot ahead of Pembroke. They fulfilled their half of the bargain when Olivia Roycroft’s early goal was augmented by an Yvonne O’Byrne strike before half-time.
Ards fought back with Amy Benson on the mark but they could not get any more goals and so their 2-1 loss saw them finish bottom of the table, bringing automatic demotion.
Harlequins, meanwhile, had an anxious ear out for the result at Milltown and the news was good - a magical display from Aine Connery serving to unravel Pembroke’s play-off hopes.
Claire Foley scored twice for a 1-0 and 2-1 lead for the Serpentine Avenue outfit but Connery responded each time with two glorious individual goals and another from a penalty corner to create a 3-2 lead.
Amy-Kate Trevor levelled to set up a dramatic final 10 minutes but a winner proved elusive for the purple shirts who had to settle for a 3-3 draw and fifth place.
Muckross live to fight another day with a relegation play-off next Sunday following their 1-1 draw against UCD which kept them out of range from Ards, with Yasmin Pratt’s tip-in cancelling out a Sarah Patton goal.
Champions Pegasus played out a lively 3-3 draw with Belfast Harlequins, coming from 2-0 down to score three times in five minutes in the third quarter.
Loreto finished second with Grace Donald’s early goal proving the only strike in a 1-0 win over Railway Union.
In the Champions Trophy semi-finals, the fixture schedule will be repeat of 2018: Pegasus will face Cork Harlequins while Loreto are up against UCD.
Women’s EY Hockey League: Belfast Harlequins 3 (G Frazer, R Johnston, Z Wilson) Pegasus 3 (K Millar, C Harvey, C McKane); Cork Harlequins 2 (O Roycroft, Y O’Byrne) Ards 1 (A Benson); Muckross 1 (Y Pratt) UCD 1 (S Patton); Old Alexandra 3 (A Connery 3) Pembroke Wanderers 3 (C Foley 2, A-K Trevor); Railway Union 0 Loreto 1 (G Donald)
