Lizzie left frustrated as Loreto stage late show

LIZZIE Colvin’s eagerly awaited first appearance against her former Loreto team-mates didn’t quite go as planned as Belfast Harlequins had to settle for a 3-3 draw against the Dublin side in a controversial EY Irish Hockey League clash at Grosvenor on Saturday.

Harlequins were 3-0 in front after 42 minutes and looking good to secure their third win of the season but a hat-trick from Colvin’s international colleague, Hannah Matthews, including a last-minute equaliser, spoiled the script.

The home players protested vigorously, but in vain, that the second of two penalty strokes and the last-gasp penalty corner should not have been awarded.

Colvin said: “It was disappointing to not have won the game, having been 3-0 up.

“But I have to say I clearly saw a Loreto player play the ball with the back of her stick in the build up to the second stroke, so it should have been a free-out.

“Our girls also said the offence that led to the late corner was committed outside the circle.”

Goals from Zoe Wilson, Jenna Watt and Jenny McAuley put Quins in the driving seat, but Matthews twice scored from the spot as Loreto dominated the third quarter before hitting that controversial late equaliser to take a point.

Ards lost 5-1 to Cork Harlequins, Chloe Brown with the consolation goal but it was a better weekend for Pegasus, who stay in third place in the table after Lucy McKee hit the winner in a 1-0 victory over Railway in Dublin.

Yesterday, Pegasus booked their place in the Irish Senior Cup quarter-finals against Old Alex with a 6-0 win over Genesis at Stormont.

On Saturday, Ballymoney went top of the Ulster Premier League following a 5-1 success over Ulster Elks.

Yesterday: EYHL: UCD 7 Trinity 1; Irish Cup: Pegasus 6 (R McMillan 2, M Harvey, S McCay, L McKee, T Doherty) Genesis 0; Saturday: EYHL: Belfast Harlequins 3 (Z Wilson, J Watt, J McAuley) Loreto 3; Cork Harlequins 5 Ards 1 (C Brown); Railway 0 Pegasus 1 (L McKee); Ulster Premier: Ballymoney 5 (J Hamilton 3, N Parke, C Stacey) Ulster Elks 1 (L Paul); Rainey 0 Mossley 1 (K Smylie); Senior One: Knock 0 Lisnagarvey 4 (J Flynn 2, J McQueen, A Morwood). Winner: Lucy McKee netted for Pegasus on Saturday