HOCKEY WOMEN: THE CHAMPIONS of Leinster, Ulster and Munster – Railway Union, Pegasus and Cork Harlequins – have all made it through to the semi-finals of the Irish Hockey League, but Loreto, who won the inaugural competition last season, are out after a 2-0 defeat to Hermes at Beaufort yesterday.

Hermes, runners-up last year, will play Railway in the last four, with Pegasus meeting Harlequins in the other semi-final on May 15th.

It was 0-0 at half-time in Beaufort, Louisa Healy’s form in the Loreto goal largely responsible for keeping Hermes at bay in the opening quarter.

A draw would have sufficed for the visitors but Elaine O’Neill sent them on their way to victory when she deflected home Christine Quinlan’s short-corner strike, Chloe Watkins’ goal nine minutes from time sealing the win.

Pegasus, meanwhile, made certain of top spot in Pool B with a 5-0 defeat of Randalstown, giving them their fifth win out of five in the pool phase of the competition. Only Railway matched that feat, but they needed a goal from Jean McDonnell yesterday, on the final hooter, to maintain their perfect record.

McDonnell’s strike, from a short corner, broke Pembroke Wanderers’ hearts, giving the hosts a 5-4 victory. Pembroke went in to the tie in second spot in pool A, a point ahead of Harlequins, and their hopes of doing enough to hold on to second were boosted when Sarah Clarke scored from the first short corner.

Railway, though, rallied in some style, responding with four goals before the end of the third quarter but, remarkably, Pembroke, through Shona Doyle, Rachel McKeon and Anli Kotze, drew level, only for McDonnell to snatch the win with the final act of the game. Losing by a single-goal margin gave Pembroke a bonus point, leaving Harlequins needing to beat Ards to leapfrog the Leinster side in to second place. And win they did, a Karen Bateman hat-trick giving the Cork side a 3-1 win.