It’s fair to say that Rachel Kelly is settling in nicely at Loreto after joining the club from UCD, the Irish under-21 international making it four EY Hockey League goals in two games with a hat-trick against Monkstown on Saturday.
Loreto’s newly promoted visitors did, though, give them a scare when they pulled two goals back late on, but they held on for a 3-2 victory, making them the only side in the league to have won their opening two games.
Pembroke Wanderers had to come from behind twice to draw 2-2 with Pegasus at Serpentine Avenue, new arrivals Sarah Young and Emilia Dacquin both getting their first goals for the champions. Rebecca McConnell had put Pegasus ahead before Young, who joined Pembroke from UCD, levelled, while Belgian Dacquin made it 2-2 after Lucy McKee had restored the Belfast side’s lead.
Catholic Institute, last season’s runners-up, also had to settle for a point after Old Alexandra’s Abbie Russell cancelled out Ciara Moloney’s opener, and 1-1 was the result too in the meeting of Railway Union and UCD, Michelle Carey getting her third goal in two games when she equalised after Lily Lloyd gave Railway the lead.
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Up north, Zara Malseed helped herself to a hat-trick in Ards’ 5-1 win over Belfast Harlequins, a double from Ali Carson completing their scoring.
And over in England, Anna O’Flanagan marked her debut for Hampstead & Westminster in the Premier Division with a goal in their 5-0 win over Buckingham.
Hockey League – Saturday: Loreto 3, Monkstown 2; Old Alexandra 1, Catholic Institute 1; Railway Union 1, UCD 1; Pembroke Wanderers 2, Pegasus 2; Belfast Harlequins 1, Ards 5.
