RAILWAY UNION 1 MONKSTOWN 1
Traditionally slow-starting Monkstown drew first blood in this encounter at Park Avenue. A converted penalty by Suzy Kelly in the thirty-fourth minute was enough to put the Town 1-0 ahead.
It was a lead they maintained until half -time. Railway Union responded with a goal from open play on forty-three minutes from former international Kate Dillon. 1-1 and there was to be no further scoring in the game for either side, so it was another two points dropped by Railway Union who have managed to collect only 1 out of a possible 6 points from their back-to-back home games this week.
UCD 3 CATHOLIC INSTITUTE 2
In a closely fought encounter at Belfield, UCD and Catholic Institute played out a scoreless first quarter. Insta took the lead against the run of play when Naomi Carroll scored from open play in the twentieth minute. It was a lead they held onto until half time. Sophie Kidd from open play scored for the fourth consecutive game in the thirty-seventh minute to put UCD on level terms 1-1. In the forty-third minute, Sarah McAuley, who has been pushed into midfield in recent weeks due to an injury crisis in that sector, scored her first of the game, converting a penalty corner to put UCD 2-1 ahead.
UCD held onto the lead until well into the fourth quarter. In an explosive final couple of minutes, Catholic Institute looked to have done enough to secure a draw when Ciara Moloney scored in the sixty-ninth minute, converting a penalty corner to make the score 2-2. But in the final minute, Sarah McAuley became game keeper turned poacher, by grabbing her second goal of the game with a goal from open play to put UCD 3-2 ahead. There was very little time left after she scored and the Students held out for only their third league win of the season. It finished UCD 3 Catholic Institute 2.
OLD ALEXANDRA 2 LORETO 4
This game’s start time was put back by an hour following an early morning pitch inspection in order to give the pitch extra time to thaw out following an overnight frost.
Loreto got out of the blocks early, scoring in the third minute through a goal from open play by Rachel Kelly. Siofra O’Brien added another from open play in the fifth minute to leave Loreto leading 2-0. Robyn Hetherington responded for Old Alexandra in the eighth minute with her goal from open play to leave the score Old Alex 1 Loreto 2. Old Alexandra restored parity in the twenty-eighth minute when Bethany Russ scored, again from open play, to level at 2-2. Loreto went back in front just before the break when Caitlin Sherin converted a penalty corner in the thirty-third minute. The half time score was Old Alex 2 Loreto 3. Loreto sealed the win with the only goal of the second half. Christina Hamill’s goal from open play in the fifty-first minute leaving the final score Old Alex 2 Loreto 4. Loreto maintain their 100% record widening the gap at the top of the table.
PEMBROKE WANDERERS 2 ULSTER ELKS 0
Two first-half goals for the hosts were enough to secure all the points at Serpentine Avenue where Pembroke Wanderers secured a 2-0 win over Ulster Elks. Aisling Naughton scored a goal from open play to give Pembroke the lead in the twenty-sixth minute.
Emily Beatty scored their second of the game from open play in the thirty-third minute and Wanderers led 2-0 at half-time. Despite their best efforts Elks were unable to breach the Wanderers' defence in either quarter after the break and the game finished as it had ended after the second quarter, Pembroke Wanderers 2 Ulster Elks 0.
PEGASUS 1 CORINTHIANS 0
Fresh from their midweek win over Ulster Elks, Pegasus hosted bottom-of-the-table Corinthians, confident that a win against the side yet to register a League point would close the gap on eighth for them.
And despite a very tight and closely fought encounter with only a single goal deciding matters, their confidence was well founded. In the end it took a penalty stroke to decide matters. Ireland’s most capped international in any sport, Shirley McCay made no mistake and secured a second win in four days for Pegasus. It finished Pegasus 1 Corinthians 0
Report sourced from Hockey Ireland.
