WOMENS HOCKEY: Old Alexandra, Hermes and Loreto all made progress in their respective assignments over the weekend but it was to be expected in their mixture of cup and league undertakings.
On Saturday Old Alexandra booked their place in the Irish Senior Cup quarter-finals in two weeks' time by beating Pembroke Wanderers in their delayed third-round tie a fortnight ago when Alexandra were leading 1-0 before torrential rain forced an abandonment near half-time.
Alexandra had to wait until the second half before finding a way through the Pembroke defence with Trish Conway first off the mark with their opening goal following a breakdown from a short corner and later setting up the second for Laura McCoy who deftly lobbed the advancing Mary Goode in the Pembroke goal to point the way to victory.
Next up for Alexandra is a quarter-final meeting with Railway Union which promises much on two fronts as both are neck and neck chasing the much sought top-three league finish and a place in the forthcoming All-Ireland league play-offs.
Loreto, the unbeaten league leaders duly, kept their six points advantage intact with a 4-2 win over UCD at Belfield with Sarah Scott scoring twice in the first half and Cathy McKean matching her with a goal in each half.
Hermes and Railway Union, holding down second and third places in the league, were not unduly pressed in picking up full points at the expense of bottom sides Clontarf and Genesis.
Yesterday Hermes had another easy day's outing in the Leinster Senior Cup tie at Grange Road, scoring a 4-0 win over Loreto's second's.
However, they had to wait until the second half before stamping their authority having turned over 1-0 in the lead at the break with a goal from Jenny Lawson before Jenny Burke weighed in with two more. Aoife Mitchell completed the tally.
At the same time in Milltown the home side, Old Alexandra's seconds were emerging 2-0 winners over Armagh in the Irish Junior Cup quarter-final tie with second-half goals from Antonia Cosgrove and Gillian O'Shea.
IRISH JUNIOR CUP - Semi-final draw: Old Alexandra II v Cork Harlequins II; Loreto II v Pegasus II. Ties to be played on February 26th.
