Loreto end season in style

Loreto have arguably taken to the Irish Hockey League rules better than any other side in the country, so it was fitting that they walked away with the inaugural title after a tense victory over Hermes on penalties yesterday. Neither side could find the net in normal or extra time – though Loreto did have two chalked off – meaning both had the new experience of ‘penalty one-on-one’; indeed, Loreto’s win makes them the first side anywhere in the world to win a title via the new format. Nikki Keegan and Cathy McKean made it look easy for Loreto, with Anna O’Flanagan awarded a penalty goal for Hermes after she was impeded by Louisa Healy. But Loreto’s Irish international netminder dusted herself down and did brilliantly to deny Jenny Burke.

Niamh Small had the chance to wrap it up for Loreto only to run out of time, but the same fate befall young Chloe Watkins to spark wild celebrations in the Loreto camp. While they have been something of a curate’s egg in the league this term, few can deny that Loreto are deserving IHL winners. They almost took maximum points in their pool, and ruthlessly dismantled Cork Harlequins 2-0 in the semi-finals on Saturday. Their primary flaw was an inability to turn chances into goals, though it wasn’t for lack of trying. They appeared to have broken the deadlock here 20 seconds into the second half, when Nikki Symmons’ audacious reverse appeared to have been touched in by Ali Meeke. But the Leinster U18 representative’s body language suggested she hadn’t got a touch, and the goal was correctly chalked off. McKean slammed the ball home in extra-time, but the ball had struck team-mate Keegan’s foot en route and once again got the decision spot on. It mattered little, as Loreto did the business in the one-on-ones. They had given up just a single circle penetration in their semi-final against Quins in a match that was all one-way traffic. Keegan blasted them in front inside 80 seconds and added another from a corner in the second half, as Nikki Symmons, McKean and Small reigned supreme. Eimear Cregan and Karen Bateman battled hard for Quins, but the recently-crowned Munster champions were never able to get a foothold. In the other semi, a Nikki Evans hat-trick sent Pegasus back up the M1 with their tails between their legs for the second time in seven days.

The Belfast girls had relinquished their hold on the Irish Senior Cup in a shock 4-1 defeat to UCD, and talk of redemption for that defeat – plus last season’s Club Championships semi-final loss to Hermes – was wide of the mark as the Booterstown outfit ran out 4-1 winners. Hermes kept out 11 of Pegs’ 12 corners, with Evans cracking in a reverse to allow them to take first blood. She also converted two counter-attacks via first-time snap shot to complete her treble, and although Pegs hit back through Arlene Boyles, Aoife Harte deflected home Burke’s shot from their sole corner of the day to seal a flattering win. Adrian Boehm’s photos from the final can be seen here, while his pictures from the Loreto vs Quins semi are available here. Deryck Vincent’s final photos are available here.