Hockey: Inspired Insta end 110-year wait to claim Pegasus scalp

An inspired Catholic Institute secured a first win over Pegasus in their 110-year history on Saturday.

The Limerick side belied their rank just outside the relegation playoff spot to win 4-2 with something to spare.

They largely controlled the game but only had a Christine O’Shea 12th-minute effort to show for their hard work and that was quicly cancelled out by Ella Armstrong’s strike.

However, a golden period after half-time saw Dave Passmore’s side race clear with Laura Foley pouncing on a loose ball after three waves of shots to make it 2-1.

Roisín Upton nailed a penalty corner before Naomi Carroll finished in stunning fashion — first wriggling out of a congested spot before unleashing an upright reverse-stick volley finish.

Pegasus missed the influence of Shirley McCay — out for a few weeks with a broken toe — but this was, nonetheless, a historic moment for Insta in their maiden season in the EY Hockey League.

It also put four points of daylight between them and ninth place Railway Union — who were in European indoor action over the weekend — in the battle to avoid a rele gation play-off.

The win saw Pegs knocked off top spot in the division with Old Alex — 2-0 winners over Muckross — leading the table now for the first time.

Cork Harlequins are enjoying a purple patch of their own with their fourth win in five outings transforming their fortunes from a relegation tussle to a play-off pursuit. They fought back from a goal down at half-time to defeat their Belfast namesakes 2-1 with Michelle Barry and Emily O’Leary finding the net. It lifts them to a share of fifth.

In the men’s Irish Hockey Trophy, Waterford kept their title retention hopes alive courtesy of an Isaac Johnson hat-trick while man-of-the-match Alistair Shute rolled back the years between the posts. They beat UCC 3-0 at the Mardyke in their quarter-final, overturning a 4-2 home defeat to the same opposition just a couple of weeks ago. Next up for Waterford is a home date with Belfast Harlequins.

David Harte, meanwhile, added yet another trophy to his incredible haul as his annual winter stint with UNIKL concluded with a treble as they secured the Malaysia Hockey League TNB Cup on Saturday. It follows their Charity Shield win in January and the League Cup won a week earlier. Harte, in tandem with former Irish assistant coach Arul Anthoni, has now won five titles from his three campaigns in Malaysia.

The eight-week competition attracts a number of high-profile imports from around the globe with financial incentives for the elite performing teams during the European off season. Harte returns to the Netherlands now for the restart of the Hoofdklasse campaign with SV Kampong on Sunday.