Hermes send out clear message with second massive victory

Just as Clontarf failed to cope with Hermes's array of attacking talents in last week's opening fixture of the season, when they lost 8-0 to the defending Leinster League champions, Railway Union were similarly overwhelmed at Belfield on Saturday afternoon.

Once again Hermes scored eight goals, with Jenny Burke notching her second hat-trick in two games and Irish captain Mary Logue, who joined Hermes from Railway during the summer, also credited with scoring three - although one of her goals, which came from a short corner strike, was deflected home by Railway's Ciara O'Brien.

Fiona Manning (2) completed the home team's scoring with O'Brien, Railway's Irish under-21 midfielder, replying for the understrength visitors. Meanwhile at Milltown, where Old Alexandra were playing their first game on their new astro-turf pitch, sweeper Tracey Skoyles helped the team bounce back from last week's defeat by Loreto by scoring the goal that gave her club a rare victory over Muckross.

Ann Klatt, the German player who joined Pembroke Wanderers during the summer, helped her new club to a 4-0 victory over Glenanne, while at Dardistown Loreto beat Clontarf 5-0, with Aoife Pomeroy scoring two of their goals.

There may be only three weeks of the league season gone in Ulster but already it's difficult to imagine anyone stopping Pegasus from retaining the title they won comfortably in the last campaign. Last week Ards captain Gillian Murphy was quoted as saying that "you might as well engrave the trophy with their name now", and, indeed, a glance at the Belfast club's form in their opening league fixtures (played three, won three, scored 22, conceded none) suggests that the only meaningful contest in Ulster this season will be for second place.

On Saturday Pegasus beat Collegians 5-0, while Ards and Randalstown at least kept up the pressure by maintaining their 100 per cent winning starts to the season, with victories over Ballymoney and Portadown, respectively. In Munster, a Karen O'Brien hat-trick and two goals from Rachel Kohler gave Harlequins a 5-0 win over their second team and kept them top of the League.