She might have brought an end to an international career that yielded a record 316 caps, but Shirley McCay is still proving to be a major influence for her club Pegasus, no more so than on Saturday when she cracked home the winning goal in her side’s top-of-the-table EY Hockey League game against Catholic Institute in Belfast.
The Limerick side were ahead of the defending champions on goal difference going in to the game - these were the only unbeaten teams ones left in the League - but it was McCay who decided the tightest of contests in the first minute of the final quarter when she fired home from a penalty corner.
By then, Lucy McKee had broken the deadlock for the home side half an hour into the game. Naomi Carroll levelled 11 minutes later, but Pegasus were indebted to their goalkeeper Megan Todd who made a string of fine saves, including one from Laura Foley’s powerful reverse strike just a minute after McCay scored.
At the other end of the country, UCD handed out a 9-0 drubbing to Cork Harlequins, with Hannah McLoughlin helping herself to four of their goals. With just a minute to go to half-time, the game was scoreless, but once Niamh Carey put the students 1-0 up the floodgates opened.
McLoughlin doubled their advantage with a penalty stroke soon after the restart, the Irish international adding three more to her tally with Sophie Thomas, Katherine Egan and Rachel Kelly also getting on the scoresheet.
Pembroke Wanderers and Old Alexandra joined UCD on 10 points, one adrift of Pegasus, with 1-0 wins over fellow Dublin sides, Gillian Pinder getting Pembroke’s winner against Railway Union and Deirdre Duke settling Alexandra’s tie against Muckross.
An Aoife Taaffe double, meanwhile, helped Loreto to a 4-1 win over Belfast Harlequins, a result that puts them on eight points along with Institute. A four point gap has now opened between the bottom three and the rest. Belfast Harlequins sit third from bottom with Cork Harlequins and Muckross propping up the bottom of the table on one point.
Hockey League - Saturday: Pegasus 2 (L McKee, S McCay), Catholic Institute 1 (N Carroll); Cork Harlequins 0, UCD 9 (H McLoughlin 4, S Thomas 2, N Carey, K Egan, R Kelly); Muckross 0, Old Alexandra 1 (D Duke); Railway Union 0, Pembroke Wanderers 1 (G Pinder); Loreto 4 (A Taaffe 2, N Torrans, C Hammil), Belfast Harlequins 1 (J Watt).
