For 69 minutes and eight seconds Trinity kept Loreto scoreless on Saturday, with goalkeeper Barbara Sheehy-Skeffington proving invincible.

But their defences were finally breached by Rachel Brophy whose goal, following a short corner, keeps the defending Leinster Senior A champions' hopes of retaining their title very much alive.

When the goal finally came, Loreto's sighs of relief could probably have been heard over in Milltown where league leaders Hermes were having just as much trouble breaking Old Alexandra's resistance.

This was a more even contest, with Hermes' goalkeeper Sarah Hilliard having perhaps her busiest game of the season against an Alexandra side that knew it had to win.

Hermes snatched the only goal of the game 12 minutes from time when Caitriona Carey turned home Sixsmith's short-corner strike. The win keeps Hermes top, but just one point clear of Loreto.

UCD are now level on points with Alexandra in third place following their 4-0 win over Muckross while Pembroke Wanderers stay fifth after beating Railway Union 5-0. Genesis, meanwhile, got the better of Glenanne, winning 3-1.

A Carol Wortmann goal five minutes from time against Hermes II yesterday lifted Pembroke Wanderers II above Corinthian into first place in Senior B, making it six points out of six at the weekend following their 2-1 win over Aer Lingus on Saturday.

Hermes II, though, did Corinthian (who beat Railway II 8-0) a favour on Saturday beating third-placed Loreto II.

Harlequins, the University of Limerick and Church of Ireland all advanced to the semi-finals of the Munster Division One Cup while Pegasus made light work of Priorians' challenge in the Ulster Shield, beating the Section Two team 6-1.

A Jill Orbinson hat-trick helped Portadown to an even more emphatic win over Owls (7-0), two goals from Julie Doak gave Knock victory over Randalstown, but Irish Senior Cup semi-finalists Ballymoney were held 1-1 by UUJ.