UCD’s defence of their Hockey League title opened in defeat on Saturday when a Stephanie Thompson goal five minutes from time gave Pegasus a 3-2 victory in Belfast. However, Champions Trophy holders Loreto had a happier time of it in Cork, where they began their campaign with a 2-0 win over Harlequins.
Elsewhere, Railway Union and Belfast Harlequins also got off to a winning start, while Muckross took a point from their very first Hockey League game when they drew 0-0 at home to Ards.
UCD also lost the opening game of last year’s campaign before going on to win 16 and draw one of their next 17 games, but their side is almost unrecognisable this time around following the departure of several stalwarts, among them Katie Mullan, Deirdre Duke, Sarah Robinson and Emma Russell.
Still, Miles Warren will have been heartened by the resolve shown by his new-look side on Saturday, when they fought back from 2-0 down after Irish international Shirley McCay and Hannah Craig had put Pegasus in control by the 11th minute.
It was two of UCD’s new players, Niamh Carey and Suzie Kelly, who got them back in the game, Carey pulling a goal back on 13 minutes before Kelly looked to have snatched a point when she scored from a penalty corner with just nine minutes to go. Thompson, though, sealed the win for Pegasus from another corner on 65 minutes.
Impressive win
A first-quarter goal from Niamh Small and a second just after half-time from Sarah Clarke gave Loreto an impressive win away to Cork Harlequins, last season’s Hockey League runners-up, while Railway also got off to a flyer with a 3-0 win at Old Alexandra, all of their scores coming in the first half. Sarah Hawkshaw marked her return to the club after four years at the University of Massachusetts with a first-minute goal, Anna May Whelan and Hannah de Burgh Whyte adding the others.
World Cup silver medallist Zoe Wilson sent Belfast Harlequins on their way to a 2-0 win over Pembroke Wanderers, firing home a penalty corner in the second quarter before helping set up Abi Edwards for Harlequins’ second before half-time.
