Defeated Loreto need strong finish

WOMEN’S HOCKEY: RAILWAY UNION and Pegasus are the only teams in the Irish Hockey League with two wins out of two after their…

WOMEN'S HOCKEY:RAILWAY UNION and Pegasus are the only teams in the Irish Hockey League with two wins out of two after their victories over Cork Harlequins and Loreto, respectively, on Saturday.

Loreto, the reigning IHL champions, are now second from bottom of their pool, leaving them needing to come good in their remaining games – against Randalstown, UCC and Hermes – if they are to reach the semi-finals.

It was 0-0 after 38 minutes at Serpentine Avenue when Cecelia Joyce broke the deadlock for Railway, the same player making it 2-0 before their third, from Jean McDonnell a minute from time, clinched a bonus point.

Pembroke Wanderers are second in the pool, following their 3-1 defeat of Church of Ireland, with Ards and Ballymoney drawing 1-1.

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In Pool B Arlene Boyles and Michelle Harvey converted second-half penalty corners for Pegasus, with Nikki Symmons scoring for Loreto in between, to take the points in Belfast, but Old Alexandra had a more successful trip north, beating Randalstown 2-1 with goals from Roisín Flinn and Aoife Budd, the Leinster side surviving 12 penalty corners from the home side.

After their defeat to Pegasus last month Hermes revived their semi-final hopes with a 2-0 win over UCC yesterday, Aine Connery and Gillian Pinder both scoring in the second half.

Mary Hannigan

Mary Hannigan

Mary Hannigan is a sports writer with The Irish Times