Healy holds key

Women's Hockey Weekend round-up: "I hate complimenting other goalkeepers," said Tara Browne after Saturday's scoreless draw between Hermes and Loreto, "but Louisa was the difference between the teams - she made some brilliant saves." Loreto's Louisa Healy, that is, one of the contenders to succeed the now retired Browne as Irish goalkeeper.

The draw between the teams that have dominated Leinster hockey for the past six years, during which time Hermes have won five titles and Loreto one, saw them both drop their first points of the season, but Loreto still top the table, a point ahead of Corinthian, Old Alexandra and Pembroke Wanderers. Hermes, with a game in hand on Loreto, are three points adrift.

A tale of two goalkeepers?

"No," said Browne, "a tale of one. We probably had the lion's share of the chances, I hadn't too much to do, but there was no beating Louisa, she was the difference between the teams. There are a few good goalkeepers in contention now for the Irish team, and she is definitely one of them."

Hermes' Aidan Kidney was, then, the more frustrated of the coaches by full-time, not least because Healy had denied his team on each occasion they threatened a breakthrough, while Loreto's Siobhan Keogh will have been impressed - and encouraged - by her side's resilience.

Old Alexandra, then, are the only Division One team to retain their 100 per cent record in the new campaign, making it three out of three with Saturday's 5-0 victory over Railway Union at Milltown. Trish Conway scored twice, bringing her early season tally to six goals in three games.

Corinthian, though, produced the most impressive winning margin of the weekend, beating Genesis 9-2: Carol McGowan's hat-trick and Anna Ancher's double leaves both players on five goals after four games.

Ulster champions Pegasus suffered a rare defeat on Saturday when Clare Parkhill scored a late winner to give Belfast Harlequins a 4-3 win - Arlene Boyles twice levelled for Pegasus after Judy Getty and Jenny McDonough had put Harlequins 1-0 and 2-1 up, before Susie Martin gave Pegasus the lead. Vicki Milligan equalised for Harlequins, with Parkhill's winner coming in the final seconds. Randalstown stay top after their 5-1 victory over Portadown.