Catholic Institute proved on Saturday in their EY Hockey League meeting with defending champions Pembroke Wanderers that they’ve lost none of the resilience they displayed last season when they took the Dublin side to the wire in the battle for all three major trophies.
Institute were under the cosh from the off at Rosbrien, Pembroke having much the better of the first half during which Orla Macken gave them the lead from a penalty corner.
But the home side turned the tide in the second half, Ciara Moloney levelling before Aoibheann Collins set up Irish international Naomi Carroll in the third quarter for what proved to be the winner.
The result consigned defending champions Pembroke to their third successive defeat, leaving them third from bottom of the table, while Institute are now just a point behind leaders Old Alexandra and UCD.
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Alexandra, though, were held to a 1-1 draw by their visitors Pegasus, Lucy McKee giving the Belfast side a first-half lead before Mikayla Power equalised with a powerful strike in the second half.
UCD eased to the points with a 5-1 win over Monkstown at Belfield, Loreto putting the same number of goals past Belfast Harlequins with Sarah Torrans setting up Siofra O’Brien for a double. Railway Union, meanwhile, were held to a draw by Ards at Park Avenue after Ali O’Leary had twice given them the lead, Ali Carson snatching a point for the visitors with a goal three minutes from time, soon after they had missed a penalty stroke.
Saturday — Hockey League — Division One: Catholic Institute 2 (C Moloney, N Carroll), Pembroke Wanderers 1 (O Macken); UCD 5 (N Carey, A Naughton, K Egan, CJ Marshall, S Cole), Monkstown 1 (S Moore); Old Alexandra 1 (M Power), Pegasus 1 (L McKee); Loreto 5 (Y Pratt, S Torrans, R Kelly, S O Brien 2), Belfast Harlequins 0; Railway Union 2 (A O’Leary 2), Ards 2 (S Kidd, A Carson).
Irish Senior Cup — Second round: Muckross 0, Glenanne 1; Trinity 0, Corinthian 4; Ulster Elks 3, Queens 0; Cork Harlequins 2, Lisnagarvey 0; Banbridge 2, Avoca 2. Avoca won in a penalty shoot-out.
