Hockey: UCD and Alexandra aiming to extend bright start

UCD and Old Alexandra will look to maintain their bright starts to the EY Hockey League season when they take on sides from the bottom half of the table on Saturday, the students away to Ards while Alexandra travel to take on a Belfast Harlequins side that is yet to pick up a point.

Pegasus are the only other team still unbeaten after their opening three games, the Belfast side registering their first win of the campaign when they beat Ards 4-1 on Wednesday, Lucy McKee chipping in with two of their goals. Monkstown are their visitors on Saturday at Queen’s.

Loreto, meanwhile, will look to bounce back from last weekend’s defeat to Alexandra when they host Catholic Institute at Beaufort, while defending champions Pembroke Wanderers also need to dust themselves down after losing 2-0 to UCD last time out, Railway Union their next opponents at Serpentine Avenue.

Saturday - Hockey League: Loreto v Catholic Institute, Beaufort, 1.15; Pembroke Wanderers v Railway Union, Serpentine Avenue, 2.0; Ards v UCD, Ards Park, 2.30; Belfast Harlequins v Old Alexandra, Deramore Park, 2.30; Pegasus v Monkstown, Queens, 4.15. Irish Senior Cup - first round: Church of Ireland v Ballymoney, Garryduff, 1.0; UCC v Ulster Elks, The Mardyke, 1.0.