Women's IHL: Round Two

Pool A

Loreto 3 (Zara Delany 2, Nikki Symmons) Pegasus 2 (Alex Speers 2)

Loreto moved into pole-position in pool A after they claimed a vital win over Ulster kingpins Pegasus in what was billed as one of the group stages stand-out games. It did not disappoint as the visitors made the best of the opening stages, Arlene Boyles seeing her early strike saved off the line by Nikki Symmons before Alex Speers guided in a corner in the 10th minute.

But for heroics from Louisa Healy and Clodagh Grealy (pictured, right) it could have been more before the Beaufort-side got a foothold in the game. They won two corners by quarter-time, the second of which was dragged home by Symmons. She, subsequently, created her side's second. The Ireland midfielder won the ball on halfway before supplying a pin-point ball to Nikki Keegan. Keegan slipped the ball past Sharon Moffett to Zara Delany for 2-1.

Delany grabbed her second - and fifth of the tournament so far - in the second half, finishing from Cathy McKean's assist. It left both sides within a goal of a bonus point with 20 minutes left. The Irish Senior Cup holders bagged it, Speers slamming home with the clock winding down though there was almost a late equaliser but Loreto held out a corner to take a vital three points.

Pool B

UCD 2 (Catriona McGlip, Rosie Carrigan) Ballymoney 0

UCD got right back into the mix in Pool B, thanks to second half goals from Catriona McGlip and Rosie Carrigan, a result which cuts Armagh and Belfield visitors Ballymoney adrift at the bottom of the group.

Both sides had chances in the first half with UCD keeper Grace O'Flanagan producing some fine saves. The students, though, took the initiative soon after the big break as Rachel Burke and Lisa Jacob combined beautifully to set up Catriona McGlip to crash the ball home.

Jacob went close to a second but her drag-flick was well-tended to by Sammy Jo Greer before Ballymoney had their chances with two corners of their own. Rosie Carrigan, though, got the killer goal, coolly slotting home at the end of a jinking run with 11 minutes left to claim the points.