Institute miss chance to move ahead in EY Hockey League title race

With Saturday’s meeting of UCD and Loreto ending in draw, Catholic Institute missed a golden opportunity to nudge ahead in the EY Hockey League title race, the Limerick club taking just a point from their double-header having led in both games.

They appeared to be cruising away to Ards on Saturday after Jenny Clein and Laura Foley had put them 2-0 up, but had to settle for a draw after conceding twice in three third-quarter minutes.

And on Sunday, another third quarter to forget, when they gave up three goals, cost them dearly again, Railway Union coming back from a 2-1 half-time deficit to win 4-2.

Those results, combined with UCD and Loreto’s 2-2 draw, means all three teams are now on 29 points, but Institute have played an extra game.

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Caitlin Sherin gave Loreto an early lead at Belfield but UCD came back through goals from Leah O’Shea and Katherine Egan, Sherin getting her second of the game with an equaliser seven minutes from time.

Old Alexandra, meanwhile, moved to within a point of the leaders by beating Railway 3-2 on Saturday and Ards 2-1 on Sunday.

Hockey League - Saturday: UCD 2 (L O’Shea, K Egan), Loreto 2 (C Sherin 2); Ards 2 (N Grundie, A Benson), Catholic Institute 2 (J Clein, L Foley); Old Alexandra 3 (M Power, E Russell, A Giblin), Railway Union 2 (K Mullan, L Lloyd); Monkstown 2 (R Carthy, C Watkins), Pembroke Wanderers 2 (E Beatty, S Campbell); Pegasus v Belfast Harlequins postponed.

Sunday: Railway Union 4 (K Mullan, O Fox 2, K Lloyd), Catholic Institute 2 (L Cleary, L Foley); Ards 1 (Z Malseed), Old Alexandra 2 (A Russell, N Evans).