Glass is happy to return and lend Pegasus a hand
PAMELA Glass made an unexpected return to the Pegasus side in Saturday’s 5-1 Irish Senior Cup quarter-final win over UCC at Upper Malone after announcing her retirement from first-team hockey at the end of last season.
The former international defender answered an emergency call-up at the 11th hour and revealed that she will continue to play, if required, in the shortterm.
This season, Pegasus have lost the services of three experienced players in Stephanie Quinn and Kate Miller, to maternity leave, while Grace Irwin has retired.
Add in the fact that Shirley McCay is unable to participate in the Irish Cup as she prepares for Ireland’s upcoming Olympic qualifiers against Canada and Glass felt she had to remain loyal to the cause.
She said: “I got a text on Friday from the club asking me if I would be available to help out even though I hadn’t been involved in any training sessions.
“I had little hesitation in saying yes but it’s only a short-term thing and as soon as Shirley comes back, I will go back down to the seconds. I was just delighted that we won.”
Alex Speers, Ireland’s leading scorer in national competitions last season with a total of 23, added three more to her tally with a hat-trick with Lucy McKee getting the other two.
Pegasus now face Banbridge’s conquerors Corinthian in the last-four in Dublin on Saturday, while Loreto take on UCD.
Banbridge failed to reach the semis for the first time as they lost 3-2 to the Leinster side.
In IHL 2 yesterday, Ards came from 2-1 down to open with a thrilling 4-3 win over Queen’s.
Koren Ferguson put the students ahead and Jess McMaster made it 2-1 after Emma Reid’s equaliser.
Ellen Robinson then scored twice as Ards moved 3-2 up and she completed her hat-trick with a late winner after Tori Hastings had made it 3-3.
In the other section, Lydia McNeill hit a late equaliser for the hosts as Lurgan were held to a 1-1 draw by NUIG.
Results: Irish Senior Cup: Quarter-finals: Pegasus 5 (A Speers 3, L McKee 2) UCC 1; Corinthian 3 Banbridge 2 (E Reid, G Hassan); Pembroke 1 UCD 2; Loreto 5 Railway Union 3. Ulster Premier: Ballymoney 1 (N Parke) Raphoe 0; Randalstown 3 (E Clyde 2, CJ McDonald) Rainey 0; Ulster Elks 3 (L Craig, A Hutchinson, C Mitchell) Dungannon 2 (L Cassells, K Elliott). Senior One: Armagh 3 (N Babika 2, E Mackey) Omagh 0; Coleraine 0 Ballymena 0; North Down 3 (H Brittain, I Lockhart, A Kimber) Club KV 2 (R Hewitt 2); Portadown 4 (A Gordon, D Blevins, A Black, C Porter) Priorians 2 (E Allen, B O’Neill). IHL 2: Pool A: Lurgan1(L McNeill) NUIG 1. Pool B: Ards 4 (E Reid, E Robinson 3) Queen’s 3 (K Ferguson, J McMaster, T Hastings).