Munster derby honours for Cork Harlequins

The ever-growing gap between the EY Hockey League and the provincial leagues was evident as big scorelines littered the women’s Irish Senior Cup first round on Saturday.

Ulster Elks, bidding to become the first side to win three titles in a row since 1950 but with only two of last year’s side still in situ, crashed to a 7-0 home defeat to Railway Union.

UCD ran up the biggest win of the day with a 9-0 dispatch of Old Alex, while Hermes put five unanswered strikes past Corinthian and Chloe Brown and Lucy McKee shared hat-tricks in Ards’ 6-1 dismissal of Muckross.