LORETO 4 ULSTER ELKS 1
Loreto are the EYHL Champions for 2023/24 having beaten Ulster Elks by 4-1 and reaching 43 points. Even if Loreto lost all their remaining fixtures and second placed Railway Union won all their remaining fixtures including their game in hand the maximum they could get is 41.
Síofra O’Brien converted a penalty corner to give Loreto the lead in the 6th minute 1-0. Caoimhe Perdue made it 2-0 when she converted a penalty corner in the 23rd minute. Rachel Kelly made it 3-0 from open play in the 38th minute. Ulster Elks responded straightaway when Chloe Stewart scored from open play to make it 3-1. Hannah McLoughlin converted a 54th minute penalty corner to make the final score Loreto 4 Ulster Elks 1.
MONKSTOWN 0 CATHOLIC INSTITUTE 2
Monkstown’s battle against Catholic Institute took an unpromising turn at Rathdown where they lost 0-2 at home to 2022 Irish Senior Cup winners Catholic Institute. The current cup holders found themselves behind in the 15th minute when Ireland international Naomi Carroll scored from open play. It was still 1-0 at half-time. Despite Monkstown’s best efforts the score remained 0-1 in favour of the Shannonsiders going into the closing stages and Laura Foley added a second goal in the 67th minute to secure the win for Catholic Institute, by 2-0.
CORINTHIAN 1 PEMBROKE WANDERERS 2
Bottom of the table Corinthians took on Pembroke Wanderers at St. Columba’s College and found themselves on the wrong end of a 2-1 scoreline. Hannah Irwin scored for Pembroke Wanderers in the 5th minute from open play to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. Isobel Field increased the visitor’s lead in the 8th minute to leave Pembroke 2-0 ahead and they led by this margin at half-time. There was no scoring in the third quarter and just when it appeared Pembroke might have kept a clean sheet, Lynne Pomeroy scored for the hosts in the 67th minute from open play to leave the final score Corinthians 1 Pembroke Wanderers.
OLD ALEXANDRA 2 PEGASUS 1
Pegasus came down from Belfast in search of League points to put daylight between themselves and ninth placed Monkstown. The first two quarters were scoreless and it remained 0-0 at half time. Alex Speers gave Pegasus the lead in the 36th minute from open play. The lead only lasted six minutes as a 42nd minute goal from Bethany Russ from open play equalised matters at 1-1. Old Alex completed the turnaround and secured all the points when Elva Kerr scored from open play in the 68th minute to make the final score Old Alexandra 2 Pegasus 1.
UCD 1 RAILWAY UNION 2
Second placed Railway Union took on UCD at the National Stadium in Belfield in this EYHL Division 1 clash. Former student Niamh Carey opened the scoring for Railway Union in the 6th minute. Railway had the lion’s share of possession and chances in the first half . The vistors still led by a soiltary goal at half time. UCD couldn’t convert a number of penalty corners in the third quarter and Railway Union increased their lead in the 64th minute when Emma Smyth scored from open play. What the Railway captain was capable of doing was replicated by Ireland international Sarah McAuley who scored from open play for the students to leave the final score UCD 1 Railway Union 2. Railway Union will most likely secure second place in this Division but Loreto are the Champions and have secured the first automatic semi-final place in the Champions Trophy. The second placed team in the Division also get an automatic semi-final spot so it’s anything but a consolation price as the post season race for an EYHL place hots up.
UCD: Erika Gallagher, Aine Naughton, Katie-Jane Marshall, Caoimhe Byrne, Ali Griffin, Sarah McAuley, Sophia Cole, Lauren Moore, Mikayla Power, Emma Paul (C), Anna McCarthy SUBS USED: Sydney Weir McErlean (5 mins), Leah O’Shea (6 mins), Florence Maughan (6 mins), Lauren Jonston (6 mins)
RAILWAY UNION: Emma Buckley, Sarah Patton, Niamh Carey, Michelle Carey, Lisa McCarthy, Aebhfinn Burke, Kate Mullan, Emma Smyth (C), Sarah Hawkshaw, Orla Fox, Lily Lloyd, Jenny Long, Kate Dillon, Niamh Shaw, Clodagh Ferry, Saoirse Griffin
