WOMEN'S HOCKEYREIGNING IRISH Hockey League champions Pegasus survived a 3-1 home defeat by Hermes on Saturday to go through to the semi-finals of the competition, beating UCD to second place in their pool on goal difference – by a single goal.

Hermes, beaten by Pegasus in last season’s final, were already assured of a place in the last four but maintained their momentum in Belfast, coming from a goal behind to make it an impressive five victories out of five in their pool.

But UCD, a point behind Pegasus going in to the final round of pool matches, were unable to take advantage of a favour from Hermes.

They led Catholic Institute 1-0 and 2-1 at Rosbrien, but a Kym Daly goal in the final quarter of the match sealed a 3-2 victory for the Munster champions, and ensured the recently-crowned Leinster title winners missed out.

Pegasus will meet Loreto in the IHL semi-finals on May 5th, the Leinster side coming out on top of Pool B after a 3-3 draw away to

Ballymoney, their former player Jessica Lynch getting a hat-trick for the hosts.

Ballymoney, though, needed a win to have any chance of progressing.

Railway Union’s 0-0 draw away to Cork Harlequins, then, proved enough to hold on to second place in the pool and they will now meet Hermes in the semi-finals, just as they did last year when were 3-1 winners.

Loreto II, meanwhile, won the Irish Junior Cup yesterday, second-half goals from Wendy Byrne and Stephanie Hall giving them a 2-0 victory over Pembroke Wanderers II.