Hermes turn the tables on Loreto

WOMEN'S HOCKEY:WHAT A difference a week makes. Although the margin of victory wasn't enough to put them through to the semi-finals, the Saturday before last Loreto beat Hermes 3-2 in the Irish Hockey League. Seven days later, with both sides having to do without their international players, Hermes turned the table quite spectacularly, beating Loreto 5-0 at Belfield to stay top of the Leinster first division.

An Emma Russell hat-trick, along with goals from Jenny Burke and Gillian Pinder, saw Hermes cruise to victory. It proved enough to maintain their one-point lead over Railway Union and leave Loreto five points adrift.

However, it’s a gap Loreto can still bridge, if they were to win their two games in hand – starting with tonight’s meeting with Old Alexandra.

Railway, who beat Corinthian 5-0 on Saturday, have two games left to play – away to, of all teams, Hermes and Loreto. The title is, then, still in the hands of each of the top three.

Leinster League – Division One: UCD 2 (C McGilp, R O’Reilly) Pembroke Wanderers 1 (A O’Neill); Glenanne 0 Old Alexandra 2 (A Naughton, S Robinson); Railway Union 5 (K Lloyd, S Dooley, J Deacon, K Dillon, C Joyce) Corinthian 0; Bray 0 Trinity 0; Hermes 5 (E Russell 3, J Burke, G Pinder) Loreto 0.

Irish Hockey Trophy – Semi-finals: Portadown 3 Ashton 2; Three Rock 2 Lisnagarvey 3.