Loreto Hockey Club
Home Venue: Loreto Beaufort
Season 2024/25 Record: 12W, 5D, 1L
Coaching Staff: Paul Fitzpatrick, Ian Clarke, Anne Marie Curran.
Players In: Anna Horan (Catholic Institute).
Players Out: Mia Jennings (Club Junior – Spain), Caitlin Sherrin (Club Junior – Spain), Caoimhe Perdue (HC Rotterdam – the Netherlands).
A second league title on the bounce for Loreto marked yet another successful campaign from this perennial powerhouse. An exceptional run saw them remain unbeaten until Round 16 before they were thwarted by eventual EY Champions Trophy winners Railway Union.
The side have seen another cohort of key players head abroad to try their hand at professional hockey, with Caitlin Sherrin and former captain Mia Jennings heading to Spain, and Caoimhe Perdue heading to Tulp Hoofklasse side HC Rotterdam.
However, the club have plenty of young and ambitious players ready to make the step up, with the likes of Mollie Lennon, Sophie Maxwell and Ella Kenny all getting better with every passing week. Anna Horan also joins their ranks from Catholic Institute to help plug the gap left in defence.
“We have had a huge turnover of players in the past 2 years. Losing 7 senior players. This year is going to be a real challenge, one myself and the young team are looking forward to.” – Paul Fitzpatrick
First Match: Catholic Institute (Away)
Railway Union Hockey Club
Home Venue: Park Avenue
EYHL Season 2024/25 Record: 12W, 2D, 4L
Coaching Staff: Una McCarthy
Players In: TBC
Players Out: Roisin Upton (Braxgata – Belgium), Sarah Hawkshaw (Braxgata), Emma Smyth (Retired).
Another season bursting with success saw Railway Union retain their EY Champions Trophy and AIG Irish Senior Cup title and become the first Irish Women’s team to record a win in the Euro Hockey League.
Much like their closest rivals Loreto, Railway Union are waving goodbye to two key players this season as Sarah Hawkshaw and Roisin Upton join Niamh and Michelle Carey in Braxgata.
The squad is still bursting with talent though with Niamh Gowing, Katie Mullan, Sarah and Orla Patton and plenty of others lining out in yellow once again.
First Match: Old Alex (Home)
Ulster Elks Hockey Club
Home Venue: Ulster University, Jordanstown
Season 2024/25 Record: 8W, 5D, 5L
Coaching Staff: Joel Cathcart, Dan Mckimm, Fiona Clarke
Players In: Isla Allen (Mossley Ladies’ HC), Robyn Chambers (Returning), Ellie Stewart (Returning), Chloe Stewart (Returning)
Players Out: Anna Mollenhauer (Canada), Audrey Sawers (Canada)
2024/25 was a standout season for Ulster Elks as impressive performances saw them record their best season to date in the topflight, securing third in the league standings and an EY Champions Trophy Semi-Finals appearance.
The Ulster-based side have their sights firmly set on replicating, or even bettering, last year’s efforts. While the departure of Canadian internationals Anna Mollenhauer and Audrey Sawers will mean a shift in the starting XI for Elks, the arrival of Ireland Pathway International Isla Allen will certainly help fill that void.
“We move into another season of EY Division 1 and we hope to continue our success to date in this league. We have built upon each previous season and we will be aiming to do this again as we continually seek to improve as a team.” – Joel Cathcart
First Match: Portadown (Home)
Catholic Institute
Home Venue: Catholic Institute Athletics Club, Rosbrien
Season 2024/25 Record: 8W, 4D, 6L
Coaching Staff: Noah Erdeljac, Ger O’Carroll
Players In: Morgan Gallagher (Australia)
Players Out: Anna Horan (Loreto)
A new era begins for Catholic Institute with new head coach at Noah Erdeljac at the helm in Rosbrien, replacing longstanding coach Emer Cregan.
A fourth place finish last year was a solid performance for the Munster side, but their EY Champions Trophy Play-Off exit to Old Alex was likely a disappointing way for Institute to finish their season.
This year is very much an unknown for this side. Erdeljac will have to contend with the exit of pivotal player Anna Horan and find a new sweeper to build out of the back from, but is joined by Morgan Gallagher who trades Melbourne for Limerick for 2025/26. Add to that plenty of emerging young talent, such as Kate Russell-winning captain Anna Campbell and you can quickly see just how much potential this Institute team has.
“The ambition this season is to be competitive in each game we play. I’m looking forward to the season ahead and working with a fantastic group who give there all.” – Noah Erdeljak.
First Match: Loreto (Home)
Old Alex Hockey Club
Home Venue: Alexandra College
Season 2024/25 Record: 6W, 8D, 4L
Coaching Staff: Richard Couse, Grant Glutz, Nicky Cornick
Players In: Anneka Calder (New Zealand), Vicky Moretti (Waterford), Katie Leslie (Waterford), Ella Agnew (Edinburgh), Elva Kerr (Returning).
Players Out: Elena Neill (Stepping Away), Sarah Robinson (Stepping Away), Sarah Byrne (UCD), Lucy McGoldrick (UCD), Aoife Taaffe (Spain), Bella Dunlop (Belgium).
Old Alex can take plenty of positives from last season into this year as they managed to reach the EY Champions Trophy Semi-Finals, narrowly missing out on a final appearance to Loreto.
This season will see a new look Old Alex side try to go one better. Five players will be unavailable for the Milltown side with the likes of Elena Neill, Sarah Robinson, Sarah Byrne and Bella Dunlop no longer at the club. In their place they welcome a host of new faces as well as some aspiring young talent to fill the gaps, seizing on the opportunities that squad turnover presents. Lucy Fox is poised for another superb season having impressed last year, with Grace McKenna expected to step into Old Alex’s back line and show what she can do at the top level.
“It’s tough to ignore the loss of such high-quality players and even more importantly personalities like Elena Neill and Sarah Robinson, however I am very excited to see the players that will step forward to grab their opportunity. We have recruited some exceptional characters, and they have fitted in brilliantly with the resilient mentality and attitude that we have built over the last couple of years. Our intensity and tempo will be leaned on heavily and we will take immense pride in being a squad this year that teams won’t enjoy playing against.” – Richard Couse.
First Match: Railway Union (Away)
Pegasus Hockey Club
Home Venue: The Dub, Queen’s University Belfast
Season 2024/25 Record: 5W, 8D, 5L
Coaching Staff: Jonny Caren
Players In: Ella Brown.
Players Out: TBC
The 2025/26 season ushers in a new era for Pegasus as Scotland Men’s Hockey Coach Jonny Caren joins the side as Director of Hockey, hoping to steer the side back to the top of Ireland’s top division.
Last season, Pegasus made a name for themselves by being exceptionally hard to beat, boasting a one of the best defensive records in the league. With the defensive side of their game looking rock solid, Pegasus will likely turn their attention to the other end of the field as they look to improve their return in front of goal as they hunt for a top six finish.
First Match: Pembroke Wanderers (Home)
University College Dublin
Home Venue: UCD Belfield
Season 2024/25 Record: 6W, 4D, 8L
Coaching Staff: Roland Rixon Fuller
Players In: Sarah Byrne (UCD), Lucy McGoldrick (UCD), Issy Field (UCD), Milla Fulton (UCD).
Players Out: TBC
2024/25 was a difficult season for UCD as they spent a large portion of it battling their way out of the bottom three. A run of form in the final rounds lifted them into seventh and safe from relegation and giving fans a glimmer of the quality they possess.
This season sees Roland ‘Rixi’ Rixon Fuller take on the head coaching role as he looks to bring UCD back into the title contention conversation. The team welcomes plenty of young talent into its ranks with highly rated goalkeeper Lucy McGoldrick ready to contest for the #1 jersey, along with Sarah Byrne, Issy Field and Milla Fulton all joining after stellar summers with the IRUL U18 Girls team.
First Match: Queens University (Home)
Pembroke Wanderers
Home Venue: Serpentine Avenue
Season 2024/25 Record: 5W, 5D, 8L
Coaching Staff: Simon Pearson, Peabo Lembethe.
Players In: Emily Beatty (Returns), Emma Paul (UCD), Emilia Dacquin (Returns).
Players Out: Issy Field (UCD), Milla Fulton (UCD).
A mixed bag from the ever-present Pembroke Wanderers in 2024/25 saw the side miss out on an EY Champions Trophy Play-Off place and have to endure a relegation battle in the final rounds of the EYHL season, despite showing plenty of glimmers of the side they had the potential to be throughout the campaign.
New head coach Simon Pearson is targeting a return to the top six this year for his side, as he welcomes the return of ex-Ireland International Emily Beatty, Emilia Dacquin and Emma Paul to his side. However, with Milla Fulton and Issy Field heading to UCD, Pembroke will need to find a consistent way to score goals in order to achieve their ambitions.
“I’m really excited for the season ahead. It’s a great chance for us to build on the work we’ve done in pre-season and push the club back to where it belongs, which is competing at the top of the table. Pre-season has been very positive, giving me the opportunity to get to know the squad better, and the players have shown fantastic commitment and attitude. All the hard work we’ve put in has laid a strong foundation for the year ahead.”
First Match: Pegasus (Away)
Queen’s University Belfast
Home Venue: The Dub, Queen’s University Belfast
Season 2024/25 Record: 9W, 0D, 1L
Coaching Staff: Adam Louden, Jordan Robinson, Hannah Robinson
Players In: Chrissy Hopkins (Lisnagarvey), Brooke Logan (Lisnagarvey).
Players Out: Katie Stewart (TBC)
2024/25 will be a season that will live long in the memory for Queen’s as the college side rose above the rest to win the EYHL2 and retain the Ulster Premier League title. But there will be no time to dwell on past victories as Queen’s take on the best the country has to offer in the EYHL, under the leadership of new coach Adam Louden.
As is always the case with college sides, this relatively young group of players will need to adjust quickly. Fortunately for them they have plenty of experience amongst their ranks with the likes of Eva Gaston and Katie Kimber running the midfield, both of whom have represented Ireland at Pathway & Indoor respectively. Megan Cochrane will also be vital up top as one of QUB’s primary goalscoring threats.
“This is a new challenge for Queens University Ladies Hockey 1st XI but one that the squad is excited and motivated for. We expect every match EY1 to be fiercely competitive and we are looking forward to testing ourselves against the top club talent in Ireland.” – Adam Louden.
First Match: UCD (Away)
Portadown Hockey Club
Home Venue: Edenvilla
Season 2024/25 Record: 5W, 1D, 2L
Coaching Staff: David Sinnamon, Barry Galbraith.
Players In: Abbie Robinson (Pegasus).
Players Out: N/A
Portadown’s rapid rise right to the top of Irish Hockey saw them soar to the top of their EYHL2 Pool and edge Corinthian in St Columba’s to secure promotion, a challenge they took in their stride.
They face their biggest challenge yet as they begin their first ever EY Hockey League season as they hope to be as competitive as possible and maintain their topflight status. Portadown will be one of the youngest sides in the division this season, butwill benefit massively from being one of the sides with the fewest changes, allowing the them to continue to build on the patterns of player and team chemistry that has got this this far.
Portadown have a very promising group of players with lots of underage international experience from front to back. If they can adjust quickly to the pace and intensity of the EYHL they could well have a great season.
“This is an exciting season for everyone at Portadown Ladies Hockey Club as we embark on our first EY1 campaign. This season is a fantastic opportunity for our young squad to compete against the best teams in Ireland.” – David Sinnamon.
First Match: Ulster Elks (Away).
