Boyles sets tone as Pegasus weather storm

Women's Hockey Irish Senior Cup final/ Hermes 1; Pegasus 2: It never quite reached the dramatic heights of their fiery encounter in the 1999 final, the only storm on this occasion was one of hail shortly before half-time, but unlike that first ever final meeting between the clubs, this time around when Pegasus, coached by Erika Henry, left Belfield the Irish Senior Cup was Belfast-bound.

And it's where the cup belongs for the next 12 months, based on the balance of play yesterday - although, as is the norm when these great rivals meet, there wasn't a whole lot between the teams.

For all the stylish cameos from a cluster of Hermes players - notably Linda Caulfield, Jenny Burke and Mary Logue - Pegasus were the more disciplined unit, surer on the ball and the more efficiently direct of the two teams.

Hermes might have more flair but it was only seen in spurts yesterday, and when it emerged it was thwarted by a nigh-on-impregnable Pegasus defence, made up of Nadine Graham, Arlene Boyles, Pamela Magill and Fiona Ferguson.

Right-back Graham will surely progress from the Irish under-21s to the senior panel, while Boyles (retired) and Magill ("unavailable") are losses that, frankly, the Ireland team cannot bear. Sweeper Boyles pipped centre-back Magill to the Player of the Match award, but both were immense.

It was Boyles, after just 80 seconds, who gave Pegasus the lead, firing a short corner, awarded after Susie Martin was stick-tackled in the circle, to Tara Browne's left. Before they'd even settled, Hermes were chasing the game.

But they chased it well, Caulfield in particular dominant in midfield, releasing her forwards with a string of clever through-balls. It was, though, from their third short corner of the half, a minute before half-time, that they levelled, Burke's shot finding its way through Sharon Moffet's legs.

Buoyed by that equaliser, Hermes started the second half the brighter, with Logue, the former Irish captain, excelling, but too often her team-mates lost possession cheaply.

Pegasus withstood all their opponents threw at them and gradually regained control, winning three short corners in quick succession in the closing stages.

It was from the third, 12 minutes from time, that they forced the winner. Boyles's shot was saved by Browne but the clearance was mis-hit by a defender, straight to Claire McMahon, and from a narrow angle she drilled the ball past Browne to win Pegasus - or, to give them their full title, Physical Education Girls And Students of the Ulster college and Stranmillis (and, no, not a Greek horse) - the 11th Irish Senior Cup of the club's 43-year history, and their first since their 1998 triumph over Old Alexandra.

• A 55th-minute goal from Alison Crompton gave Pegasus II victory over Hermes II in Saturday's Irish Junior Cup final.

HERMES: T Browne (co-capt); J Hodgins, J Osborne (co-capt), A McCarthy, F Connery, D McDermott, L Caulfield, C Carey, M Logue, J Burke, C Devine. Subs: A Mitchell, L Jacob, A Keane.

PEGASUS: S Moffett; N Graham, A Boyles (capt), P Magill, F Ferguson, C Redpath, K Humphreys, K McCollum, C McMahon, S Wilkinson, S Martin. Sub: K Maybin.

UMPIRES: A Logan and P Errity.