Loreto, Pegasus boost hopes of retaining titles

WOMENS HOCKEY: Loreto and Pegasus prevailed in their respective top-of-the-table games on Saturday, against Hermes and Ballymoney, boosting both clubs' hopes of retaining their provincial titles. Loreto now lead Hermes by three points in the table, with a far superior goal difference, while Pegasus are seven points clear of Ballymoney, who have three games in hand (it's still two points for a win in Ulster).

Hermes really could have no complaints about their 3-1 defeat at Beaufort, their first loss of the season, where an in-form Loreto, for whom Clodagh Grealy, Caitriona O'Kelly and Sarah O'Meara stood out, finally capitalised on their greater share of possession in the second half.

American Molly Powers had cancelled out Nikki Symmons' early goal for Loreto to make it 1-1 at half-time but O'Kelly and Nikki Keegan converted pressure into two more goals after the break to give the home team the points.

There was more good news for Loreto on Saturday when Old Alexandra, second last season, dropped two points at Whitechurch where they drew 0-0 with Corinthian. It could have been three - Carol McGowan came agonisingly close to winning the game for Corinthian but saw her late shot fly just inches wide.

Railway Union's 2-0 win over UCD, with goals in each half from Sinéad Dooley and Emma Smyth, saw them leapfrog Alexandra, who they play tonight, into third place in the table. With just eight games played Railway are just one point short of their tally for all of last season, a fair measure of the team's development. Genesis remain bottom, after a 5-1 defeat by Pembroke Wanderers, a point short of Clontarf who lost 2-1 to Three Rock.

An eighth Ulster title in a row looks well within the grasp of Pegasus after their 2-1 win over Ballymoney. Sarah Wilkinson and Heather Mullan had the champions 2-0 up by half-time and they weathered late pressure from Ballymoney, who pulled a goal back through Emma Lynch in the 48th minute, to see off their closest rivals' challenge.

Ulster, meanwhile, retained their under-18 interprovincial title in Waterford - and, like last year, they won the tournament without dropping a point or, indeed, conceding a goal. Munster finished second after beating Leinster 4-0 in the final game.