Hockey: Pegasus stay top, first win in three years for Annadale

Pegasus remain a point clear at the head of the women’s EY Hockey League table thanks to their 3-1 success against Muckross.

Pegasus remain a point clear at the head of the women’s EY Hockey League table thanks to their 3-1 success against Muckross.

Lucy McKee and Niamh McIvor had given Pegs a healthy lead but a 50th-minute corner goal from Laura Hanlon threw it right back into the mix; former Irish captain Alex Speers, though, confirmed the points along with a one-point lead at the head of the table.

Below them, Pembroke and Old Alex are a point back with the former grateful to a single Claire Foley goal in their 1-0 win over Belfast Harlequins.

It was a game of precious few chances and only one penalty corner which the hosts failed to convert late on with Foley’s volleyed rebound handing Pembroke their fourth win of the campaign.

Pembroke will face Pegasus next Saturday in a massive battle at the head of the table.

For Old Alex, Nikki Evans’ first half hat trick put them on course for a 5-2 success against Cork Harlequins, with Lena Tice and Millie O’Donnell weighing in with corner strikes; Ruby Walsh and Leah O’Shea’s well-taken replies got Harlequins on the board.

Zara Delany’s pair saw Railway Union win an excellent contest against UCD 2-1 with the students producing a rousing late fightback with Sophie Thomas getting one back but they could not beat Riona Norton again.

Naomi Carroll’s goal, meanwhile, gave Catholic Institute their third win of the season as they won a battle against Loreto at Rosbrien 1-0.

In the men’s EY Hockey League, Annadale landed their first victory in over three years as David Tremlett’s double put them on course for a big 4-0 victory over UCD.

Dale had been tough to beat thus far this season with four draws from five outings but an elusive victory had proven just out of reach in the Covid-effected 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons.

But this success puts them in the highest they have been since the introduction of the season-long all-Ireland competition, six points clear of the relegation places in seventh place.

Tremlett’s double in the 16th and 20th minutes laid the perfect base for the victory before Owen McElhinney’s fourth of the campaign and an effort from Michael Robson put them out of sight in the second half.

It was part of a clean sweep for Ulster sides on the road to Dublin with Lisnagarvey making it four wins in a row with a 3-0 victory over YMCA.

Banbridge, meanwhile, got their second win of the campaign with a 4-3 victory over Corinthian at Whitechurch Park.