While leaders UCD power on in the Hockey League, picking up their eighth successive win on Saturday, second-placed Cork Harlequins put some daylight between themselves and Pegasus by coming from behind to beat the Belfast side at Queens.
On their two previous trips to play Ulster teams in the Hockey League this season Harlequins were held to a draw, by Ards and Belfast Harlequins, but this journey proved more fruitful against an in-form Pegasus who were looking for their sixth win on the trot.
Taite Doherty put them on course to maintain that winning streak when she scored on 15 minutes, but Emily O'Leary had Harlequins level from their first penalty corner of the game after half an hour. Their winner came in the final quarter through Naomi Carroll, the victory keeping them within four points of UCD and putting them the same number clear of Pegasus, who have a game in hand.
White flag
Five of Harlequins’s remaining six games are at home, the next three against teams in the bottom three, so they won’t be waving a white flag just yet in their pursuit of UCD. Among the students’ remaining fixtures are away games against Pegasus and Ards, as well as a home tie against fourth-placed Railway Union.
But for now, there's no stopping the defending champions, Deirdre Duke helping herself to a double in a 5-0 win away to Belfast Harlequins. In the battle between the sides in fourth and fifth going in to Saturday's games, goals from Emma Smyth and Cecelia Joyce gave Railway Union the points against Ards.
As a result, Ards drop to sixth having been overtaken by Loreto, 2-0 winners against Monkstown. Meanwhile Trinity, second from bottom, got a late equaliser away to Pembroke Wanderers to take a share of the points in a 2-2 draw.
Hockey League results
Loreto 2 (A Meeke, J McGirr), Monkstown 0; Pembroke Wanderers 2 (J Ringwood, A Naughton), Trinity 2 (S Campbell, E Noone); Belfast Harlequins 0, UCD 5 (K Mullen, L Tice, K Egan, D Duke 2); Pegasus 1 (T Doherty), Cork Harlequins 2 (E O’Leary, N Carroll); Railway Union 2 (E Smyth, C Joyce), Ards 0.
