NEWLY crowned Ulster Indoor champions Ards were the only Ulster winners in the latest round of EY All Ireland hockey fixtures. Ards defeated Ulster rivals Lurgan 2-1 in Pool B while Belfast Harlequins lost 3-2 at home to their Cork counterparts in Pool A.
In the Deramore Park clash between the latter two sides, Belfast Harlequins took the lead in the 29th minute when Emma Fraser converted a penalty stroke. Within five minutes Cork were back level when Michelle Barry scored from open play. Yvonne O’Byrne gave the visitors the lead when she converted a penalty corner in the 40th minute. Claire Whiteside got Belfast Harlequins back on terms when she scored in the 50th minute from open play to leave the score 2-2. All three points were heading back to the River Lee after Jane O’Brien got a third goal for her team in the 66th minute to leave the final score Belfast Harlequins 2 Cork Harlequins 3.
At Lurgan, Ards took the lead in the 13th minute through Ulster Women’s Premier League leading goalscorer Rachel Houston’s goal from open play. Susannah Cotter made it 2-0 to Ards with another open play effort on 19 minutes. Lurgan got on the scoresheet in the 41st minute when they were awarded a penalty stroke which was converted by Stephanie Thompson.
Other EYHL results: POOL A: AVOCA 2-0 GREENFIELDS. POOL B: UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK 3-1 MUCKROSS.
WOMEN’S IRISH HOCKEY TROPHY: DUNGANNON 2-1 UNIVERSITY OF GALWAY, GLENANNE 4 ARMAGH 1, NEWRY OLYMPIC 0 PORTRANE 4.
WOMEN’S IRISH HOCKEY CHALLENGE: BELVEDERE 2-1 CORK WANDERERS, TIPPERARY 5-0 KINVARA, WATERFORD 6-1 BOTANIC, GENESIS 7-0 COOKSTOWN.
IRISH WOMEN’S SENIOR CUP: TRINITY COLLEGE LADIES 0-3 CORINTHIAN, BALLYMONEY 3-1 PORTADOWN, BANBRIDGE 0-3 QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY.
