Places for all in top grades

IT WAS a weekend to savour for Irish women's hockey, with its junior and senior international sides producing some superb displays while, in Italy, Old Alexandra and Pegasus reached the finals of the European Cup Winners' Cup and Club Championships (B divisions), thereby securing promotion to the A divisions for next season's Irish representatives.

The result of the weekend was Alexandra's 2-1 win over French side Cambrai, who were favourites to win the tournament, in Rome on Saturday. Marissa Ahern scored both the Dublin side's goals, one in each half from short-corner strikes, before the French pulled one back in the 46th minute. Goalkeeper Jenny King brought off two great late saves to protect the lead.

A 9-2 victory over Newtown of Wales yesterday, with Trish Conway scoring four of her team's goals, made certain of a place in the final against Belgium's Royal Leopold.

Pegasus are also one win away from gold after qualifying for today's Club Championship decider in Milan, against Stade Francais, with a 6-0 win over Lokomotiva Raka and a 1-1 draw against Real Sociedad. The Spaniards took the lead from a penalty but Tamara Strong equalised. In Antwerp, the Irish under-16 team retained their European Youth Trophy A division status by beating Scotland 3-2 on penalty strokes, after the game had ended 0-0, in the fifth-eighth place playoffs. The win followed a stirring performance on Saturday when the Irish lost just 1-0 to Germany.

In Belfast, Mount Anville's Caoilfhionn Rowan scored twice for the under-18s in a 2-0 win over France on Saturday. The three points was enough to secure third place in their pool, despite yesterday's 2-0 defeat by England, and, like the under-16s, they face Belgium today with the winners retaining an A division berth. The Irish senior side rounded off an encouraging weekend by beating Scotland 4-1 and 7-1 at Lisburn. Loreto's Caitriona O'Kelly got two of the goals on Saturday while Jill Orbinson and Lynsey McVicker shared four of the seven yesterday.

Admittedly Scotland were without their Glasgow Western and Edinburgh Ladies' contingent, on club duty on the Continent, but Ireland were also understrength in both matches, missing their five Pegasus players and Sarah Kelleher, who is playing in Europe with Slough.