It's unlikely that Hermes goalkeeper Tara Browne had to dip in to her own pocket to pay for a postmatch refreshment on Saturday afternoon, so indebted were her team-mates to her for keeping alive their hopes of retaining the Sharwood's Irish Senior Cup.
The cup holders drew 0-0 with Ards after extra time at Belfield but it was the Ulster side which came closest to clinching a place in the quarter-finals. Twice they had players through in one-on-ones with Browne but she held her nerve and perhaps deserved her slice of luck when another Ards effort came off the post.
Hermes had the greater possession in the game, winning a string of short corners, but without Jenny Burke (injured) and Caitriona Carey (unavailable) they rarely threatened to convert it in to goals. They now face a replay at the Ards Leisure Centre next Saturday, causing the postponement of their crucial league fixture against Old Alexandra. If it cannot be re-arranged for before Christmas they will go in to the game without their five Irish internationals. Clinical finishing by Claire McMahon was the difference between Loreto and Pegasus at Beaufort where last season's beaten finalists won a wonderfully entertaining match 3-1.
Cathy McKean gave Loreto the lead in the 27th minute, forcing home a rebound from the first short corner of the game, but Irish sweeper Arlene Thompson levelled four minutes before the break from a disputed corner, awarded against Aoife Pomeroy whose tackle on Pamela Magill in the circle appeared legitimate. Loreto were desperately unlucky not to restore their lead when Caitriona O'Kelly hit the post 60 seconds later and were also denied by Pegasus goalkeeper Donna Hawthorne who kept out efforts from the impressive Peta Gallagher and McKean.
Clodagh Greally gave a towering first half performance at the back for Loreto, denying McMahon a certain goal with a timely interception in her own circle, but the winger sealed the match with two fine solo goals in the space of two minutes midway through the second half, twice picking up long passes from the back to round Avril Copeland and slot home.
Pegasus have been drawn at home in the quarter-finals to the only team to take points off them in the league this season - Portadown. They beat the University of Limerick 4-0 on Saturday, leaving Harlequins as Munster's only representative in the draw, following their 3-0 win over Church of Ireland and UCC's 2-0 defeat away to Ballymoney.
Harlequins next face Pembroke Wanderers in Cork after an extra time goal from Catherine Governey gave the Dublin side a 1-0 win over Randalstown at Serpentine Avenue. Old Alexandra recovered from going a goal down early in their tie against Collegians at Milltown, with scores in each half from Zanya Dahl and Trish Conway giving them a 2-1 win, and they are now away to Ballymoney in the last eight.
NUIG put up a battling performance against Victorians at Dangan to earn a 0-0 draw.
