EY Hockey League Division 1 Women
CATHOLIC INSTITUTE 0 LORETO 3
Loreto made it 12 wins from 12 outings in the EYHL Women's Division 1 in this game at Rosbrien. Sarah Torrans gave the visitors the lead in the 7th minute converting a penalty corner. It remained 1-0 at half-time. It looked like it was going to remain a tight game until two late goals in the final quarter. Rachel Kelly from open play on the hour mark made it 2-0 with a goal from open play and Síofra O'Brien in the final minute sealed the win to make the final score 3-0. Loreto increased their lead at the top of the table following the result from the next match.
PEGASUS 1 RAILWAY UNION 0
Ninth-placed Pegasus got a badly needed win at home to second-placed Railway Union.
Sophie McDowell scored a goal from open play in the 4th minute and the hosts retained that lead at half-time.
Try as they might Railway Union could not get on the scoresheet in third or fourth quarter.
This win for Pegasus keeps them in ninth but narrows the gap on eighth-placed Monkstown to a single point.
PEMBROKE WANDERERS 2 MONKSTOWN 2
Ellen Curran put Pembroke a goal up on their visitors Monkstown in the 19th minute from open play. Monkstown hit back in the 25th minute through Rebecca Carthy who also scored from open play. It remained 1-1 at half time. Rebecca Carthy got her second of the match to put the visitors 2-1 ahead in the 54th minute. And just when it seemed like Monkstown may have secured all three points, Ellen Curran popped up in the 67th minute with another goal from open play to secure the equaliser. It finished Pembroke Wanderers 2 Monkstown 2.
ULSTER ELKS 3 OLD ALEXANDRA 0
Ulster Elks built on their win over Monkstown last weekend by winning their second EYHL Division 1 game of 2024 on the spin at Jordanstown. Bethany Scott scored from open play in only the 2nd minute. 1-0 to the Elks. Jessica McMaster increased the home side's lead in the 10th minute to make it 2-0 and Erin Getty added a third goal from open play to leave it 3-0 at half time. While Old Alex were not to concede any more goals, their forward line minus the services of Deirdre Duke could find no way past a Elks defence marshalled by former Ireland internationals Bethany Harper and Leah McGuire. This win keeps the Elks in 6th place in the table and in contention for a Champions Trophy playoff spot.
UCD 3 CORINTHIANS 1
The battle of last season's EYHL Women's Division 1 and 2 Champions took place at the National Stadium in Belfield. UCD, who had won the Division 1 title, opened the scoring when Leah O'Shea struck from open play in the 8th minute. Two goals from Ireland international defender Sarah McAuley sent UCD in at the half time break leading 3-0. Sarah McAuley made it 2-0 with a goal from open play in the 17th minute. Sophie Barnwell was green carded reducing her team to 10 players for two minutes and then Sarah McAuley got her second goal of the game in the 22nd minute also from open play to leave the half-time score at 3-0. Leah O'Shea was green carded in the 31st minute but Corinthians did not make their numerical advantage count. UCD did have the ball in the net in the third quarter, but the goal was ruled out for an infringement. Corinthians were shorthanded for two minutes when Jessica McGrane was green carded in the 53rd minute but UCD did not inflict any more damage on their cause. In fact, the Reds were more of an attacking force in this phase of the game and eventually forced a penalty corner in the 67th minute which Ava Maleady converted to leave the score at the final whistle UCD 3 Corinthians 1. UCD, while remaining in 5th place, have narrowed the gap to the two teams above them to a single point.
EYHL 2 WOMEN'S POOL A
KILKENNY 2 GREENFIELDS 0
The experienced Leinster Division 1 outfit were too strong for a game Greenfields side from Connacht at Kilkenny College this afternoon. Katie Leslie converted a penalty corner for the South Easterners in the 25th minute. And Linda Maher sealed the win for Marble City's finest in the 44th minute to secure all the points available in this game.
BELFAST HARLEQUINS 2 AVOCA 1
Avoca's woes in the EYHL 2 continued on Saturday when they were on the wrong end of a 2-1 scoreline. Amy Bell-Cummings gave the hosts a 1-0 lead in the 19th minute, and they led at the half-time break 1-0. Lauren Tracey equalised for the visitors in the 37th minute Julie Dennison secured the win for Harlequins with a field goal in the 68th minute. It finished Belfast Harlequins 2 Avoca 1.
EYHL 2 WOMEN'S POOL B
UNIVERSITY OF GALWAY 1 ARDS 8
The students of University of Galway were leading the Connacht Women's Division 1 before the Christmas break but have not had too many other fixtures apart from EYHL 2 games since then. Perhaps that relative ring rustiness accounts for the margin of defeat more so than the difference in quality of the Leagues in which the two teams played. Ellen Robinson gave Ards the lead in 10th minute from open play. Ailis Carson made it 2-0 from a converted penalty corner in the 18th minute. Ali Scott increased their lead in the 20th minute 3-0 to Ards. Rachel Houston from open play in the 33rd minute made it 4-0. Francesca Brown added a fifth in the 58th minute and Ailis Carson's second goal of the game made it 6-0 in the 62nd minute when she converted a penalty corner. Megan Clinton got one back for the students in the 65th minute. 6-1 to Ards. Ali Scott's second goal of the game made it 7-1 in the 66th minute and Rachel Houston's second of the game made it 8-1 in the 68th minute.
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK 5 LURGAN 0
University College Cork showed why they are near the top of the standings in their native Munster with this showing at the Mardyke. After an almost scoreless first half Abi O'Mahoney's goal in the final minute of the half sent the students in leading 1-0 at half-time. Emma O'Sullivan made it 2-0 in the 40th minute. Sarah Murphy made it 3-0 in the 49th minute and two late goals from Zahra Lowry in the 66th and 69th minute respectively secured a 5-0 win for UCC.
Report sourced from Hockey Ireland.
