Comprehensive home win for Railway Union as game is livestreamed on Hockey Ireland TV for first time to Season Pass holders.
Saturday Sept 28, Dublin: EY Hockey League Division 1 Round 1 (Women) commenced today. Railway Union put on a show for the sideline fans as well as live on Hockey Ireland TV as they hit local rivals Pembroke Wanderers for four. Old Alex got their season underway with a victory over UCD.
Down south, Catholic Institute cruised to victory over newly promoted UCC. And up north, Loreto began their mission to retain the EYHL League title with a win over Ulster Elks. Pegasus and Ards drew, but Pegasus grabbed the bonus point in the shootout.
CATHOLIC INSTITUTE 3 UCC 0
Catholic Institute hit the ground running in their opening game of the 2024/25 EYHL Women’s Division 1 at Rosbrien. After a scoreless first half, Catholic Institute took the lead through a goal from Naomi Carroll in the 38th minute. Róisín Begley added a second goal from open play in the 39th minute to make it 2-0. The points were secured in the 50th minute when Ciara Moloney converted a penalty corner securing a successful 3-0 home opener for the Limerick side against newly promoted UCC.
CATHOLIC INSTITUTE: Pamela Smithwick-Hearne (GK); Róisín Begley; Aoife Hickey; Emilie Ryan-Doyle; Michelle Barrett; Jennifer Clein; Laura Foley; Ciara Moloney; Anna Horan (C); Eimear Ryan; Naomi Carroll
SUBS USED: Aoibheann Collins [5 mins]; Sarah Fitzgerald [5 mins]; Tabitha Billingham [7 mins]; Seodhna Dervan [8 mins]
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK: Laurna Murphy (GK); Robyn Murphy; Aine Power; Lauren Cripps; Micaela Sanderson; Sarah Murphy; Jayne Murphy (C); Enya O’Donoghue; Eabha Curran; Isabel Lyons; Emma O’Sullivan
SUBS USED: Nikki Barry [7 mins]; Julia McCarthy [7 mins]; Bethanne O’Farrell [10 mins]; Bronagh O’Shaughnessy [16 mins]; Leah Hayes [18 mins]
UCD 1 OLD ALEXANDRA 2
Two much changed teams took the field at Belfield, eager to make a positive start to their 2024/25 campaigns. UCD featuring several new faces took on a new look Old Alexandra, with the visitors looking closer to the finished article early in this game. Two goals within three minutes gave Old Alex a comfortable lead.
UCD failed to capitalise on a number of chances in the first quarter and as the game wore on it swung more in favour of the visitors. Abi Russell gave them a 1-0 lead with a goal from open play in the 29th minute. In the 32nd minute Old Alexandra increased their lead through Jess McGrane who converted a penalty corner. Leading 2-0 and looking comfortable, a number of shots were confidently dealt with by debutant goalkeeper Lucy McGoldrick along with a superb defence marshalled by Ireland international Elena Neill, and Millie O’Donnell saw Old Alex firmly in the driving seat.
UCD finally got on the scoresheet in the 65th minute when Mikayla Power converted a penalty corner to leave the final score UCD 1 Old Alexandra 2
UCD: Erika Gallagher (GK); Anna McCarthy; Lucy Crowe; Ali Griffin; Florence Maughan; Mikayla Power; Amy Handcock; Amelia Jerman; Lauren Moore; Emma Paul (C); Leah O’Shea,
SUBS USED: Rebecca Carthy [6 mins]; Ava Maleady [6 mins]; Aine Naughton [6 mins]; Orla Young-Hughes [11 mins]
OLD ALEXANDRA: Lucy McGoldrick (GK); Millie O’Donnell; Lindsay Power; Sarah Byrne; Zoe Handcock; Sharon Seaton; Robyn Hetherington; Elena Neill; Abigail Russell
SUBS USED: Leah Clery [ 8 mins]; Eva Doyle [8 mins]; Allie Hetherington [11 mins]; Lucy Fox [12 mins]
RAILWAY UNION 4 PEMBROKE WANDERERS 0
The 2023/24EYHL League runners-up got their first game of the new campaign off to the perfect start at Park Avenue. Railway took the lead as early as the 3rd minute when they were awarded a penalty stroke which they duly converted by Orla Fox to make it 1-0. Niamh Shaw made it 2-0 when she converted a penalty corner in the 34th minute. It was 2-0 at half time. Sarah Patton scored from open play to increase the home side’s lead in the 65th minute and Niamh Gowing got another goal from open play in the 67th minute to secure a 4-0 win over Pembroke Wanderers.
RAILWAY UNION: Emma Moloney (GK); Sarah Patton; Lisa McCarthy (C); Emma Smyth; Ailish Long; Sarah Hawkshaw; Orla Fox; Lily Lloyd; Niamh Shaw; Saoirse Griffin.
SUBS USED: Alison O’Leary [4 mins]; Orla Patton [5 mins]; Kate Lloyd [5 mins]; Jenny Long [5 mins]
PEMBROKE WANDERERS: Aoife Glennon (GK); Martha McCready; Amy-Kate Trevor; Christine Powell; Orla Macken; Katie Murphy; Anna Richardson; Emma Young (C); Hannah Irwin; Sarah Young; Katherine Young.
SUBS USED: Isobel Field [5 mins]; Milla Fulton [5 mins]; Abi O’Mahony [6 mins]; Rachel Horan [7 mins]; Eanna Horan [9 mins]
ULSTER ELKS 0 LORETO 2
Defending EYHL Champions, Loreto, journeyed North to Ulster University to take on Ulster Elks as they began their title defence. The visitors took the lead through Rachel Kelly who scored from open play in the 38th minute. Caitlin Sherin got a second goal two minutes from time when she converted a penalty corner to secure a 2-0 win and give the defending champions a solid away win.
ULSTER ELKS: Gemma Ferguson (GK); Anna Mollenhauer; Lucy McKimm; Lucy Craig; Shannon McNellis; Jessica McMaster; Ellie Stewart; Kirsty McLarnon; Audrey Sawers; Gabriella Scott (C); Sarah Alexander.
SUBS USED: Zahra Lowry [8 mins]; Leah McGuire [9 mins]; Katie Craig [9 mins]: Bethany Scott [9 mins]; Nieve Caldwell [23 mins]
LORETO : Lizzie Murphy (GK); Ella Pasley; Lisa Mulcahy; Síofra O’Brien; Grace McLoughlin; Caitlin Sherin; Yasmin Pratt; Grace Donald; Christina Hamill; Emily Kealy; Rachel Kelly.
SUBS USED: Nicola Torrans [6 mins]; Rebekah Fitzpatrick [9 mins]; Zoe Dunne [10 mins]; Mollie Lennon [11 mins]; Katie Dunne [12 mins]
PEGASUS 2 ARDS 2
A thrilling Ulster derby ended in a stalemate, with Pegasus securing a bonus point under the new format. New to the EYHL Divisions in 2024/25 season, in the event of a draw both teams will be awarded a point each, proceeded by a 1v1 shoot out for a chance to secure a bonus point.
Pegasus took an early lead when Katie McKee converted a penalty corner in the 7th minute on her return to her home club. Ards equalised through Zara Malseed scored from open play in the 21st minute to leave the score 1-1. Alex Speers restored Pegasus’ lead in the 62nd minute when she converted a penalty corner to make it 2-1. In the closing minute when it looked like Pegasus had done enough to secure the win Zara Malseed came back to haunt her former club, converting a penalty corner to make it 2-2. And so it went to a shoot-out.
After both sides missed their opening shots, Lucy McKee gave Pegasus a 1-0 lead. Ards missed their second effort and Megan Todd saved their third effort. Ruth McCandless missed Pegasus 4th effort. Megan Todd saved Ards’ 4th Effort and Katie McKee scored the final penalty to win the game 2-0
PEGASUS: Megan Todd (GK); Katie McKee; Ruth McCandless (C); Taite Doherty; Lucy McKee; Anna Pim; Rosie Henderson; Alex Speers; Katie McDonald; Gemma Hassan; Emma Quinn.
SUBS USED: Sophie McDowell [7 mins]; Olivia Berry [7 mins]; Emma Gregson [14 mins]
ARDS: Naomi McKnight (GK); Faye Tice; Ellen Robinson; Naomi Grundie; Alyssa Boyd; Emma Reid; Zara Malseed; Rachel Houston; Susannah Cotter; Alana Doyle (C); Erin Getty.
SUBS USED: Maddie Leathem [10 mins]; Georgia Thornton [10 mins]; Francesca Brown [14 mins]; Rebecca Ellie Beggs [18 mins]
