UCD begin Senior Cup defence in style

ESB Senior Cup
UCD began their first defence of the ESB Senior Cup in 59 years in some style as they beat IHL-bound Cork C of I with ease at Belfield with Fiona Bradish continuing her brilliant scoring form with her third and fourth goals inside a week.

Her first set the scoreboard in motion from a 15th minute penalty corner before Rosie Carrigan went on a typical run from right midfield before scoring from a close-range reverse. CI, for their part, got little joy from the College defence marshalled by Megan Tennant-Humphreys and Laura Wilson while strict umpiring of the new rules saw both sides reduced to ten players in the first half.

But the students kept their heads in the second half to fly clear with Lisa Jacob scoring on her return to the side. Wilson finished off a neat corner and Bradish got her second for a 5-0 win.

Just down the road, Gillian Pinder's double was the difference between Hermes and Trinity as the St Andrew's hosts prevailed 2-0 to take their place in the second round draw. Railway Union were the big winners of the day as they beat Victorians by eight clear goals with Jean McDonnell bagging a hat-trick. Emer Dillon scored her first since returning from camogie duties while there was a rare goal for Hannah de Burgh-Whyte.

Corinthian meanwhile battled well on home turf against one of the cup's kingpins, going down 3-1 to Pegasus. Cork won the Harlequins battle 4-0 against their Belfast equivalent.

ESB Senior Cup results: UCD 5 (Fiona Bradish 2, Rosie Carrigan, Lisa Jacob, Laura Wilson) Cork C of I 0; Hermes 2 (Gillian Pinder 2) Trinity 0; Victorians 0 Railway Union 8 (Jean McDonnell 3, Nikki Evans, Kate Dillon, Cecelia Joyce, Hannah de Burgh-Whyte, Emer Dillon); Corinthian 1 Pegasus 3 (Kate McConnell, Jenny Kyle, Grace Irwin); Cork Harlequins 4 (Karen Bateman 3, Cliodhna Sargent) Belfast Harlequins 0

Women's Leinster Division One result: Loreto 2 Bray 1

* Deryck Vincent's photos from the Hermes vs Trinity match can be seen here