Goal crazy Hermes set up final date with Pegasus

HERMES will face Pegasus in the ESB Women’s Club Championship final at Belfield next weekend.

Hermes, who are enjoying a remarkable season of success after retaining the ESB Irish Senior Cup and winning the Eurohockey Cup Winners Cup in Italy, recorded a sensational 8-0 victory over Ballymoney yesterday, having already beaten Railway Union 6-3 on Friday and Cork Church of Ireland 2-0 on Saturday, to secure their place at the head of the Pool A table.

Goals from Rachel Burke, (2), Linda Caulfield, Catriona Carey, Mary Logue, Molly Powers, Clare Lawson and Jenny Osborne, tied up a very one-sided affair and saw hermes comfortably top their pool.

Hermes notched a crucial 2-0 win over Cork C of I on Saturday thanks to goals from Ireland captain Linda Caulfield and Aoife Mitchell.

The result meant that they only needed a point against Ballymoney yesterday, but they managed to do a bit better than that.

In Pool B it was not so clear-cut and yesterday’s game between Pegasus and Loreto was the deciding match. In the end the Northern side won it 2-1 with goals from Claire McMahon and Sarah Wilkinson, while Cathy McKean got Loreto’s consolation.

Pegasus had to come back from behind against a determined Randalstown side to win 2-1 and Loreto overcame Cork Harlequins by the same score to set up the pool decider.

Loreto only actually needed a point from the game to go through, but their defeat gave Pegasus the edge and they now will contest the final against Hermes.

It was a disappointing competition for both the Cork sides competing with Cork Church of Ireland starting on Friday with a win, but then notching up two successive losses to Hermes (2-0) and Railway Union (1-0).

For their part, Cork Harlequins had to wait until yesterday to record their first win when two Karen Bateman goals secured a 2-1 win over Randlestown.

Earlier they had lost 1-0 to Pegasus and 2-1 to Loreto, with Bateman once more scoring the goal.

Both the men’s and women’s final will take place at Belfield next Sunday, with Glenanne and Pembroke Wanderers contesting the men’s final at 12.30 pm and Hermes and Pegasus fighting it out for the women’s title at 3 pm.