HOCKEY: Pegasus fail to halt Cork Harlequins winning run

The Munster side finished in the bottom half of the table last term but the arrival of international stars like Naomi Carroll and Rebecca Barry, along with German Olympian Lena Geyer, has given them real impetus.

Katie Morris had given Pegs an early lead but Karen Bateman levelled from a corner before Barry put Quins in front. Olivia Roycroft completed the win in the closing quarter direct from a corner.

UCD are third, two points back, thanks to Deirdre Duke’s double in a 4-1 win over Ulster Elks. She scored early on before Kathryn Smiley levelled the game up just after half-time. But a Katie Mullan effort gave UCD back the lead before Leah Ewart and Duke closed out their third win of the campaign.

It also means they have opened up a four-point gap to the sides below them.

That was because Ards got one over Railway Union thanks to Chloe Brown’s winning goal. Lucy McKee and Cecelia Joyce had earlier exchanged goals to set the game up nicely.

Belfast Harlequins, meanwhile, won their first ever EYHL game thanks to a 2-0 win over Pembroke at Deramore Park. They held the majority of play but had to wait until the final quarter to final get on the board. Laura Johnston broke the deadlock before Gemma Frazer made extra sure for a famous day for the club.

Hermes-Monkstown have also won all their games to date, for the second week running winning 1-0 thanks to an Anna O’Flanagan goal. She struck in the second half for her 11th of the season, seeing off a Loreto side who impressed throughout.

The women’s league now goes on hiatus until November 5 with the Irish Senior Cup and the October Bank Holiday leading to the break.