An already competitive EY Hockey League season got a little bit more interesting on Saturday when Pembroke Wanderers and Old Alexandra moved to the top of the table after the former inflicted on Pegasus their first defeat of the campaign and the latter registered their fourth win in a row.
Pembroke coach Gavin Groves had graded the first third of his team’s campaign as “okay”, but an upgrade on that assessment might be due after their 2-1 win over the defending champions at Serpentine Avenue.
Gillian Pinder set up Ellen Curran for the opening score, Aisling Naughton doubling Pembroke’s lead in the third quarter, before Kerri Magee pulled one back for Pegasus, but Pembroke thwarted the Belfast side’s efforts to force an equaliser.
Alexandra, meanwhile, knocked in five goals for the second game running when they eased to victory over Belfast Harlequins at Milltown despite going a goal down in the first minute, Sarah Robinson, Nikki Evans, Mikayla Power, Abbie Russell and Deirdre Duke sharing the scores.
Catholic Institute are now level with Pegasus in third, two points behind Pembroke and Alexandra, after a stunning comeback against UCD at Belfield, Roisín Upton scoring a hat-trick from penalty corners after the Limerick side had trailed by two goals deep in to the third quarter.
Over at Park Avenue, Railway Union and Loreto drew for the third time this season, following their earlier Hockey League meeting and Irish Senior Cup encounter, which Railway won in a shoot-out. This time Christina Hamill gave Loreto an early lead before Orla Patton levelled later in the first quarter, and there ended the scoring.
Hockey League - Division One: Old Alexandra 5 (S Robinson, N Evans, M Power, A Russell, D Duke), Belfast Harlequins 1 (J Kilpatrick); Pembroke Wanderers 2 (E Curran, A Naughton), Pegasus 1; Railway Union 1 (O Patton), Loreto 1 (C Hamill); UCD 2 (R Kelly, M Carey), Catholic Institute (R Upton 3).
