Pegasus march on as Quins bow out

PEGASUS’ love affair with the women’s ESB Irish Senior Cup continued as they moved ominously into the quarter-finals after seeing off Loreto 2-0 at Queens University on Saturday.

While Leinster’s big three of Hermes, Loreto and Railway Union all have a phalanx of Irish internationals at their disposal for big cup games, Pegs have routinely shown the benefit of having a more settled side.

Vanessa Surgeoner and Kate McConnell got the all-important goals, and with Pegs — winners in 2004, 2007 and 2008 — having already eliminated Railway as well, they are now competition favourites along with Hermes.

However, they must now negotiate a tricky derby against Ulster league leaders Lurgan in the last eight, with Ulster Elks — who saw off Armagh 1-0 thanks to Kirstie Lammey’s golden goal — at home to Hermes.

Already waiting in the semi-finals are Ballymoney — 2-1 winners at Old Alex — and UCD, who saw off Cork Harlequins in dramatic circumstances.

A Caroline Hill golden goal broke Quins hearts and ended Munster’s hopes in the competition at Belfield, the students winning 3-2.

Irish international starlet Chloe Watkins twice put UCD in front but her efforts were cancelled out by Quins’ Cliodhna Sargent and Rachel McSharry, but Hill made the vital intervention in extra-time.

There was happier news for Ashton, however, as they raided north Dublin in some style, seeing off Clontarf 3-1 to book a place in the quarter-finals of the Irish Trophy.

Top goalscorers Caroline McCarthy and Emma Harrington — with a Shauna Fagan effort sandwiched in between — did the business for George Treacy’s side, as the veteran coach put one over his former Irish international protégé Fiona Manning.

They join Bandon in the last eight, and will be back on home turf against North Kildare; the west Cork girls will travel to the winners of Three Rock Ladies’ tussle with Galway.

Domestically, Catholic Institute swatted aside Bandon 9-0 — with Eimear Cregan claiming four of those — to open up an eight-point lead over UCC at the top of the standings in Munster.

The permutations are straightforward for Ger O’Carroll’s girls — defeat UCC at Rosbrien on March 5, and two points from their final three games will secure the title.

At the other end, Ann Marie Dooley struck a vital winner for Belvedere at UL, allowing the Ballincollig outfit to leapfrog the Limerick students, who will be in relegation trouble if they fail to pick up a point in their final four games.

Meanwhile, Bandon’s hoodoo over UCC continued after David Smith’s golden goal saw them qualify for the Munster Senior Cup final at the expense of the students on a 4-3 score-line in west Cork.

Smith and College’s Peter Catchpole swapped efforts for a half-time stalemate, before Darren Beamish nudged Bandon back in front.

An Andy Gray rebound and a spectacular Roger Gray flick turned the tables back in College’s favour, but Andrew Scannell netted from the penalty spot to force extra-time, before Smith nabbed the decisive effort. Bandon will now play Cork C of I or Cork Harlequins in the decider.

In the weekend’s sole league clash, Cork C of I B won the battle of the second string sides, Philip Sweetnam hitting the winner in their 2-1 victory over Quins B, after Darren Farrell’s drag-flick had cancelled out Mark Holmes’ dipping opener for C of I B.