Pegasus edge out Loreto in shoot-out

Pegasus were surprise winners of the women’s Irish Hockey League after edging out Leinster powerhouses UCD and Loreto at Grange Road.

The Belfast side were probably the least fancied of the four semi-finalists, but defensive pillars Natalie Pinkerton and Hannah Grieve — plus some top-drawer performances from goalkeeper of the tournament Ayeisha McFerran — were instrumental in their success.

Vanessa Surgeoner’s corner strike helped them past favourites UCD in the last four, coming after Suzanne Ferris had put them ahead against the run of play before UCD’s Katie Mullan equalised. Loreto squeaked past Hermes thanks to Niamh Small’s strike but in the decider, they lost on a shoot-out having led in the third minute through Ali Meeke’s deflection before McFerran tipped a Hannah Matthews penalty stroke onto the post.