ULSTER teams experienced mixed fortunes in the second round of games in the EY Hockey League Division 1.
Ulster Elks, quite literally weathered a storm to beat UCC in Cork while Ards and Pegasus had to settle for draws.
UCC 0 ULSTER ELKS 2
Appalling weather in Cork almost saw Ulster Elks’ game not go ahead. But eventually they were able to get underway.
Canadian student Audrey Sawers opened the scoring with her first goal of the season for Elks in the 26th minute when she scored from open play.
Ulster Elks secured the win in the 44th minute when Gabriella Scott converted a penalty corner to make the score 2-0 to the visitors. There was no way back for newly promoted students and it ended in a win for Elks.
Ulster Elks: Gemma Ferguson (GK); Anna Mollenhauer; Lucy Craig; Jessica McMaster; Ellie Stewart; Leah McGuire; Zahra Lowry; Audrey Sawers; Gabriella Scott ; Sarah Alexandra Byrne. Subs used: Bethany Scott (7 mins); Shannon McNellis ( 7 mins) ; Lucy McKimm (10 mins) ; Nieve Caldwell (10 mins ) Katie Craig (12 mins).
PEMBROKE WANDERERS 1 PEGASUS 1 (PEMBROKE WANDERERS 3-1 IN SHOOT OUT)
Pembroke Wanderers bounced back from their opening day defeat to Railway Union to register a shoot-out win over Pegasus at Serpentine Avenue.
Pegasus themselves had been the beneficiaries of a shoot-out win on Day 1 of the new season last weekend. Anna Richardson, the former Avoca and UCD player, opened the scoring for Pembroke Wanderers to put the hosts 1-0 up from open play in the 13th minute, a lead they maintained until the half-time break.
Alex Speers converted a 44th minute penalty corner to equalise for the Belfast based side and there was no further scoring so it went to a shoot-out. In the shoot-out Pembroke Wanderers took their chances on three occasions with Pegasus only converting a single one of theirs and the bonus point went to the Dubliners on a 3-1 margin.
Pegasus: Megan Todd (GK); Katie McKee ; Ruth McCandless (C) ; Taite Doherty : Anna Pim ; Lucy McKee ; Rosie Henderson; Alex Speers; Katie McDonald; Olivia Berry ; Emma Quinn. Subs used: Gemma Hassan (8 mins) Erin Pim ( 9 mins) ; Sophie McDowell (13 mins) ; Emma Gregson (15 mins).
OLD ALEXANDRA 2 ARDS 2 [ARDS WON 5-4 IN SHOOT OUT]
The late game in the EYHL Women’s Division 1 ended in a shoot-out, which saw Ards grab the bonus point on a 5-4 margin. Jess McGrane gave Old Alexandra the lead in the 15th minute when she converted a penalty corner. Pippa Best responded with a goal from open play for Ards in the 17th minute, to level the match at 1-1.
Isabella Dunlop restored Old Alexandra’s lead from open play in the 54th minute. Just when it looked like Old Alex had done enough to secure a win, Ards equalised through Zara Malseed with a last minute penalty corner to leave the score 2-2 at the final whistle.
The shoot-out ensued with Old Alexandra going first. Elena Neill converted her effort for 1-0. Ellen Robinson equalised for Ards with their first effort. Sharon Seaton made it 2-1 to Old Alexandra with their second effort and Zara Malseed equalised with the second one for Ards. Lindsay Power made it 3-2 to Old Alexandra with their third effort and Rachel Houston equalised with the third one for Ards. Jess McGrane missed her penalty for Old Alex with their fourth effort and Alan Doyle missed the fourth one for Ards. Abi Russell made it 4-3 to Old Alex with their fifth effort and Ellen Robinson made it 4-4 with the fifth one for Ards.
Sudden death penalties now followed Abi Russell took Old Alex’s sixth effort and missed and Ellen Robinson converted Ards sixth to give them a 5-4 win in the shoot-out.
Ards: Naomi McKnight (GK); Ellen Robinson ; Faye Tice; Emma Reid; Zara Malseed ; Naomi Grundie; Rachel Houston ; Lizzie Holden ; Alana Doyle (C) ;Erin Getty ; Georgia Thornton. Subs: Susannah Cotter (8 mins); Pippa Best (9 mins); Alyssa Boyd (11 mins) Amy Benson (11 mins) ; Rebecca Ellie Beggs (11 mins)
OTHER RESULTS: CATHOLIC INSTITUTE 2 RAILWAY UNION 1, LORETO 3 UCD 0
