Women’s hockey: UCD and Loreto grab two wins each

UCD and Loreto are the only sides with two wins out of two after the second round of the Irish Hockey League on Saturday, the defending champions getting much the better of Cork Harlequins in a 6-1 victory while Loreto edged past Ulster Elks at Beaufort to go level on points with the students at the top of pool B.

Harlequins had trailed by just a goal at half-time, Cliodhna Sargent pulling one back for the Munster champions after Anna O'Flanagan and Chloe Watkins had given UCD the advantage, but the hosts added four more after the break.

Loreto had to work considerably harder for their four points at home to Ulster Elks, but after Irish captain Megan Frazer cancelled out Hayley Mulcahy’s opener with a brilliant solo goal, Hannah Mathews got the winner in the second half.

Greenfields, meanwhile, produced an outstanding result, drawing away to Ulster league joint leaders Ards, Alex Hunt giving the Connacht champions the early lead with Janice Vaughan levelling before half-time.

In the first of three Test matches against Scotland in Dublin, a last minute goal from Chloe Brown gave Ireland victory. Brown scored from a short corner with just 20 seconds left on the clock.