Hermes owe Kelly a lot

WOMEN'S HOCKEY: Loreto and Pembroke Wanderers warmed up for today's Leinster Senior Cup final at Grange Road with critical league wins on Saturday, to keep Loreto's title hopes alive and Pembroke's top three ambitions intact.

UCD moved up to third in the table, but Hermes remain the team to catch after they dented Old Alexandra's title aspirations by winning 2-1 at Belfield.

Should Hermes retain their league title they will owe a lot to forward Dawn Kelly who has secured precious extra points in the last three weeks with late goals. Two games ago Kelly scored an equaliser at the death against UCD, on Saturday she got the winner against Alexandra to preserve Hermes' four-point lead over Loreto.

Alexandra would have gone level on points with Hermes, with a game in hand, had they won, which looked on when Zanya Dahl scored. Rosie Walsh, though, levelled before the break and then Kelly inflicted Alexandra's third defeat of the season.

Loreto, who have a game in hand on Hermes, who they still have to play, beat Genesis 2-0, with goals from Cathy McKean and Nikki Symmons - Symmons now joins team-mate Sarah Scott and Alexandra's Trish Conway on 12 league goals for the season, making them top scorers in Division One and Two. Kathryn Henderson gave Pembroke the points with the only goal of their game against Corinthian, while Barbara Fitzgerald got the winner for UCD against Railway Union.

Three Rock, meanwhile, are certain of promotion to Senior A, despite not playing at the weekend. Clontarf and Hermes II, second and third respectively in the table, drew 1-1 on Saturday, a result that maintains Clontarf's one point lead over Hermes II - they will also be promoted if they can hold on to second place.

Cork Harlequins won their seventh Munster Senior Cup in a row by beating Catholic Institute 5-1 at Garryduff yesterday, while Pegasus claimed their eighth successive Ulster Shield on Saturday, beating Randalstown 3-0 with goals from Claire McMahon and two from Heather Mullan, who was called up to the Irish senior panel last week.