Could Ards be the team to end Loreto’s unbeaten run? Women’s EY All Ireland hockey league match previews

ARDS travel to Dublin in search of an upset against table topping Loreto in the first set of November fixtures in the Women’s EY All Ireland hockey league.

Pegasus aim to continue their unbeaten start to the season as they face an Old Alex side who sit just one place and one point below them.

Railway Union will hope to turn the tides on a difficult start to the season but face a formidable challenge in the form of Ulster Elks.

Catholic Institute travel to Ballsbridge in hopes of narrowing the gap to Loreto with a win over Pembroke Wanderers while UCD and UCC will play out a collegiate clash at the bottom of the table, as both sides attempt to build on some good recent form.

Saturday, November 2 fixtures

LORETO v ARDS

Loreto Beaufort (2.00pm)

SIXTH placed Ards are the visitors at Beaufort where the league leading Loreto will be seeking to continue their unbeaten start to the season. Loreto have only dropped one point out of a possible 18 in their opening six games and have recorded an impressive four clean sheets so far making them a force both offensively and defensively. Ards have been fearless on their return to the EYHL and in Zara Malseed they have a goal scoring forward playing at the top of her game. Could Ards be the team to end Loreto’s unbeaten run? Only time will tell.

Umpires: Linda Coughlan, Sarah Craig

OLD ALEX v PEGASUS

Wesley College (12.30pm)

ONE of the ties of round 7 sees 5th placed Old Alex host Pegasus who sit just one place and one point ahead of them in 4th. The visitors have established themselves as a force so far this season and are the only side excluding top of the table Loreto to have maintained an unbeaten start to the season with 2 wins and 4 draws. There is a lot on the line for both sides in the race to catch the current league leaders.

Umpires: Fiona Davitt, Zoe Hall

RAILWAY UNION v ULSTER ELKS

Park Avenue (1.30pm)

SEVENTH placed Railway Union have already exceeded their total number of defeats of three in 2023/24 going into Round 7 of the Women’s EYHL. The home side have been without the services of Katie Mullan and Roisín Upton for large parts of this season so far, which goes some way into explaining the tricky opening period for last year’s EY Champions Trophy winners.

By contrast, Ulster Elks are enjoying a much-improved start to the season versus last year and find themselves in third place with 3 wins and a draw to their name. Gabriella Scott will be hoping to continue her form in front of goal this week, having scored three goals in the last two games for Elks.

Umpires: Liz Clifford, Amy Jones

UCD v UCC

Belfield Water (1.00pm)

A recent change in the tides for both of these teams will make this collegiate match one to keep an eye on. UCC are in a fine vein of form after a challenging start to the season, recording three draws and three shootout bonus points in their last three games. UCD sit below them in 10th, unfamiliar territory for a side that has been perennial title challengers over the last few seasons. However, the home side will enter the game after a convincing first league win over Ards last weekend.

Umpires: Oli Brown, Ellie Duffy

PEMBROKE WANDERERS v CATHOLIC INSTITUTE

Serpentine Avenue (1.00pm)

STILL in the process of hitting their stride, Pembroke face a Catholic Institute side who will be sky high on confidence following their 1-1 draw with Loreto last week, a game they arguably could have won if their last-minute effort had struck the backboard rather than the post. Both Pembroke and Catholic Institue boast similarly potent attacking threats, with the former being led by the likes of Kathrine Egan, and the latter by Naomi Carroll. This game could be separated by which side’s defensive unit can keep the other scoreless for longer.

Umpires: Julie Beamish, Aaron Donnell

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