Hermes complete double delight over Railway

Jacqui Potter Cup, quarter-finals:
Hermes completed the perfect double weekend, beating previously unbeaten Railway Union for the second time in two days at Park Avenue, with Aine Connery (pictured, celebrating) striking ten minutes from time this afternoon to announce the Booterstown club as a major contender in the two domestic competitions.

Connery smashed in a super reverse as she drifted to the left of the circle to earn the laurels in a much tighter tie than Saturday's league encounter. Railway enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges, a repeat of last year's final, but found Emma Gray in good form as Hermes weathered a concerted 20 minute storm.

The second half saw the visitors grow into the game and eventually got their reward in the 60th minute with the game's only goal. The win makes Eric Fintelman's charges clear favourites for the title at the semi-final stage where they are joined by Pembroke, Old Alex and Corinthian.

Jenny Heggie's last second strike handed the reds their passage into the last four as they defeated Glenanne 2-1. Irish underage cricket international Laura Delany broke the deadlock with a sweet strike from open play for her first senior goal but Kate O'Connor's penalty corner shot levelled the game with 15 minutes to go. But Heggie popped up with a corner rebound on the final whistle to take the spoils.

Pembroke went even further, needing a Karen Hales' extra-time winner to deny Old Alex II a shock upset. Sarah Clarke opened the scoring but former Trinity woman Heather Irvine cancelled that out to force overtime. But Hales netted to leave just one Alex side in the last four.

Their first eleven came from behind to end Loreto II's cup dreams, also on a 2-1 scoreline. Sarah Scott's corner goal had given the Beaufort side a surprise lead but Nicola Gray bagged her second goal of the weekend with another straight hit in the 26th minute to make it 1-1 at the interval.

And fellow Alex schoolgirl Emily Beatty was on hand to seal the tie in the second half as Alex upped the tempo to advance.

Results:
Railway Union 0 Hermes 1 (Aine Connery); Old Alex I 2 (Nicola Gray, Emily Beatty) Loreto II 1 (Sarah Scott); Old Alex II 1 (Heather Irvine) Pembroke 2 (Sarah Clarke, Karen Hales); Glenanne 1 (Kate O'Connor) Corinthian 2 (Laura Delany, Jenny Heggie)

* For more of Deryck Vincent's photos from the Railway Union vs Hermes game, click here