Hermes 3 (Deirdre Duke 2, Anna O'Flanagan) Loreto 1 (Nikki Keegan)
Hermes returned to the top of division one as they sped into a rapid 3-0 lead inside the first 20 minutes and held off a game but heavily understrength Loreto. It meant what usually is a season-defining tie was turned into somewhat of a damp squib as Deirdre Duke (pictured) struck twice in the first quarter - the second with a high tap in to round off Aine Connery's steal and strike - as Hermes dominated the early phases.
But the game proved incredibly open and while Hermes were on top, Cathy McKean did clip the inside of Emma Gray's post before a defender was needed to sweep the ball off the line. Anna O'Flanagan rolled in amid a goal-mouth melee for 3-0 but Nikki Keegan pulled one back before the break with a sweet reaction on the rebound to Hannah Matthews original strike.
And the Beaufort side took that momentum into the second half to camp in the Hermes 25 for much of the third quarter, earning a couple of corners, and bossing play. A couple of wrong options on the approach to the circle and some confident Gray goalkeeping meant the margin stayed intact - Ali Meeke a particular thorn when introduced in bursts.
The excellent Connery and Elaine O'Neill were threats on the break but generally the chances died down in the latter stages though Christine Quinlan did need to slide to clear Sarah Barnwell's nudge off the line with six minutes to go.
The win lifts Hermes to first, a point clear of Railway with a game extra played while Loreto are three points further back. Both sides will hope to welcome back a number of players for the weekend's IHL ties with the Booterstown side hoping to have Jenny Burke and Chloe Watkins back while Loreto will hope their Irish quintet return unscathed from three matches in England.
14 comments:
loreto, and others, should stop moaning about them not having their internationals. surely its an advantage to have 5 current internationals in your squad and if its causing them so many problems maybe they should not recruit as many in the future and let those players moving clubs go elsewhere
is that league table right? hermes have lost twice to loreto and railway at start of season and loreto have lost twice to railway and hermes last night, so are they not level on points taking out the game in hand. are they both not on 30 points or hermes 33, loreto 30 if u take the extra game played.
Table is correct to the best of my knowledge. Hermes lost to Loreto on the first day of the season but it remains their only league defeat.
The loss to Railway earlier this season occurred in the Irish Senior Cup.
Railway have only played Hermes and Loreto once each in the league. Loreto have played hermes twice. Hermes dropped points to one of the other teams in the league with a draw, but I can't remember who that was against.
10.11am - Hermes drew with Pembroke in the league in November.
so the game between Loreto and Railway in a couple of weeks time will decide the battle between the top three...except I suppose, Railway will be playing Loreto with internationals for the second time, whereas Hermes managed to face the international contingent zero times.
as a neutral, I think its a bit disappointing for the leinster league to have this variable have such an effect.
I was there last night and thought Loreto gave it a good go and had a load of chances in the second half but Hermes seemed to be trying out plenty of youngsters once they were 3-0 up to giive them experience.
for loreto, i reckon it must be pretty tough to constantly have to chop and change their side, especially with a euro campaign coming up.
for teams like Railway, Alex and UCD it must be frustrating to see Hermes play an understrenth Loreto.
Glenanne player
extremely frustrating. and its not the first time they have played Loreto without their internationals.
7.13am ...I have never heard Loreto complaining that they had to play without their internationals ...and I am involved in that club ...dont ever recall anyone posting on the site that Loreto moaned about it ...its a fact of life that we have dealt with for a long time now ...
Fair play loreto affiliated contributor. It has been like this for many years. Hermes have experienced it a lot, loreto have and I presume Pegasus have been similarily affected over the years. It's the price you pay for having top players. Top teams tend to just get on with it in my experience.
Well said. Guys would you be moaning if you got to play loreto with out internationals?
Sometimes things like this go for you and some times they don't.
Its all part of playing in a league. Players get injured, suspended, international duty. Its part of sport so for god sake get on with it!
I repeat!
Sometimes things like this go for you and some times they don't.
PWHC Player
They may not complain but it is frustrating for other clubs in that it's can be a different Loreto team at various stages inthe season so not everyone gets to play the same Loreto team, thus not a level playing field
Ah come on... It's an 8 month league. The make-up of a team will change frequently throughout the season. Alex gain an American but lose fyona flinn. Ucd play without lisa Jacob & lose fiona braddish. Hermes lose a couple to pregnancies halfway through and play parts without the injured Chloe watkins&niamh achelor. Railway play without emma smyth& Helen Stevenson... And I'm sure every other team has experienced similar, that's just a few examples. There will never be a league where every team will play against the same combination of players as every other team has. Quit the moaning. It's pathetic.
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