Hockey: Alexandra go clear at the top after six-goal haul

After a tight first half away to Belfast Harlequins on Saturday, just a goal between the sides at the break, Old Alexandra found their range in the second period of their EY Hockey League game, running out 6-1 winners to take sole ownership of top spot in the table.

Their sporting all-rounders played no small part in their victory, a double from Irish international Deirdre Duke, just a couple of weeks after she helped Kilmacud Crokes win the Dublin Junior B Gaelic football Championship, and a goal apiece from twins Allie and Robyn Heatherington, both former players with Athlone Town in the National (soccer) League, sent them on their way.

Alexandra, with three wins and a draw from their opening four games, are now two points clear of UCD and Pegasus, the students held to a 3-3 draw by Ards, for whom Zara Malseed scored twice — bringing her tally to six goals in four games.

Monkstown initially put it up to Pegasus at Queens, Catalina Mena and Chloe Watkins scoring for the Dublin side to make it 2-2 at half-time after they had fallen behind to a Shirley McCay penalty stroke and a goal from Hannah Craig. But Pegasus then went to town, McCay and Craig both scoring their second goals of the game, with Eva Wainwright and Sophie McDowell making it 6-2 with their first Hockey League scores.

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Meanwhile, champions Pembroke Wanderers’ stuttering start to the defence of their crown continued with a home defeat by Railway Union, Aébfhinn Bourke getting the game’s only goal early in the third quarter. Catholic Institute, runners-up last season, picked up their first win of the campaign to go fourth in the table, Emer Ryan’s second quarter goal deciding their visit to Loreto.

Hockey League — Division One: Loreto 0, Catholic Institute 1 (E Ryan); Pembroke Wanderers 0, Railway Union 1 (A Bourke); Ards 3 (Z Malseed 2, E Robinson), UCD 3 (L O’Shea, E Paul 2); Belfast Harlequins 1 (K Welshman), Old Alexandra 6 (D Duke 2, M Power, R Heatherington, A Russell, A Heatherington); Pegasus 6 (S McCay 2, H Craig 2, E Wainwright, S McDowell), Monkstown 2 (C Mena, C Watkins). Irish Senior Cup — first round: UCC 0, Ulster Elks 2 (C Mitchell 2); Church of Ireland 3 (A O’Grady, C Sexton, A Collins), Ballymoney 3. Church of Ireland won 5-4 in a penalty shoot-out.