WOMEN'S HOCKEY: A WEEK ahead of their Irish Hockey League meeting with Pegasus in Belfast, Railway Union maintained their perfect start to the season with a 4-0 defeat of Glenanne on Saturday, making it three wins out of three with as many clean sheets.
Glenanne, who had started the season brightly with four points from their opening two games, were weakened by the loss of their sweeper Ali Geoffroy, but Railway Union, with goals from Emer Dillon, Jean McDonald, Emma Smyth and Hannah De Burgh Whyte, proved too strong for the promoted side.
Second in the table at this early stage of the season are Pembroke Wanderers who, despite the loss of so many key players after last season, have begun the campaign well, Rachel McKeon's last minute goal against Corinthian giving them the points.
UCD and Hermes, who meet at Belfield next Saturday in the IHL, also picked up maximum points, the students beating Bray 3-0, with goals from Catriona McGilp, Fiona Braddish and Rachel Burke, and a double from Gillian Pinder, one in each half, giving Hermes a 2-0 win over Old Alexandra.
Loreto survived the absence of their five internationals, all away at a national training camp, to beat Trinity 2-0, with Zara Delany giving them an early lead and Nikki Keegan wrapping up the points in the closing minutes.
In Munster, Cork Harlequins dealt an early blow to Church of Ireland's title-winning hopes, the champions beating last season's runners-up 2-0 with goals in each half from Rachel McSharry and Hilary Chapple.
LEINSTER LEAGUE, Division One: Bray 0, UCD 3 (F Braddish, C McGilp, R Burke); Corinthian 0, Pembroke Wanderers 1 (R McKeon); Hermes 2 (G Pinder 2), Old Alexandra 0; Loreto 2 (Z Delany, N Keegan), Trinity 0; Glenanne 0, Railway Union 4 (E Dillon, J Mc Donald, E Smyth, H De Burgh Whyte).
MUNSTER LEAGUE, Division One: Cork Harlequins 2 (R McSharry, H Chapple), Church of Ireland 0; Catholic Institute 2 (K Daly 2), Univ of Limerick 0; Belvedere 1 (A Murray), Bandon 1 (T Kingston).
