Former Loreto player Rachel Brophy helped University of Limerick celebrate their first game in the Munster Senior League, since winning promotion from Junior A last season, by scoring the winner against Catholic Institute in Limerick on Saturday.
It was a mixed weekend, however, for the League's second college side, UCC, who could only draw 0-0 with Harlequins II on Saturday. "It was a typical first game of the season," said manager Gillian Harte. "But we have a lot of new players so it will take us time to get going."
In their second game of the weekend, against Church of Ireland yesterday, the students looked no less rusty but at least took maximum points, thanks to a goal from Irish under-18 international Orlaith Curtin midway through the second half.
Meanwhile defending Munster champions Harlequins cruised to an 8-0 thrashing of Bandon on Saturday, with Karen O'Brien, Rachel Kohler and Joyce Kehilly scoring two apiece; and Deirdre Deacy, who joined Belvedere from Old Alexandra this season, scored her team's winner against Lansdowne.
In Leinster, Hermes survived a spirited comeback by Genesis at Belfield to maintain their 100 per cent winning start to the season. Short corner strikes from Aoife Byrne, Fiona Manning (her fifth goal of the season) and Aisling Keane had Hermes 3-0 up early in the second half before Suzanne Moody pulled one back for Genesis.
A disputed goal from Carol Devine made it 4-1, but Moody, again, and Barbara Gibson reduced the arrears and gave the defending champions an uncomfortable finish to the game.
Loreto, who have played an extra game, stay top after goals from Caitriona O'Kelly and Cathy McKean gave them a 2-0 win over Trinity while Muckross remain third, following their 2-1 victory over Pembroke Wanderers.
Top scorers in Leinster at the weekend were Old Alexandra, who put six past Railway Union at Park Avenue, with Tracey Skoyles and Susan Keogh sharing four of their goals, while a Siobhan Keogh hat-trick at Beaufort gave Genesis a 3-0 win over Clontarf, moving them up to fifth in the table.
Up North, Pegasus won, yet again. This time Victorians were on the receiving end of a 6-0 beating, in the first round of the Ulster Shield. The top individual scorer of the weekend was Coleraine's South African player-coach Caryn Bentley, who, for the second week running, scored four goals, in an 8-0 win over Saintfield.
