Warren’s UCD look to maintain bright start to EY Hockey League campaign

Week two of the EY Hockey League will see Old Alexandra and Monkstown start their campaigns after sitting out the opening round, Alexandra hosting Catholic Institute while Monkstown will mark their return to the top flight with a testing away tie against Loreto.

Loreto, champions Pembroke Wanderers and UCD all began their campaigns with wins last Saturday, the students’ victory away to Institute the stand-out result after the Limerick side went through the previous Hockey League season unbeaten at Rosbrien.

It was, then, a bright start for the team under Miles Warren who is back at the helm after Lisa Jacob took up the role of high performance director with Hockey Ireland. Warren, who led UCD to huge success during his last spell in charge, will be assisted by Fiona Connery who remains in the role.

While they have lost Emma and Sarah Young to Pembroke, Rachel Kelly to Loreto and both Amy Elliot and Sophie Thomas, whose studies have taken them abroad, they’ve been able to add Lucy Crowe from Railway, Leah O’Shea and Kate Ryan from Catholic Institute, Ali Griffin from Pembroke and exchange student Hanna Badia from Spain.

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They make the short trip to Park Avenue to take on a Railway Union side that held Pegasus scoreless in Belfast last weekend, Pegasus heading to Dublin on Saturday to play Pembroke who opened with an emphatic 6-1 win over Belfast Harlequins. Harlequins are at home this weekend to Ards who, like Monkstown, were promoted from division two last season.

Hockey League - Saturday: Loreto v Monkstown, Beaufort, 1.15; Old Alexandra v Catholic Institute, Alexandra College, 1.30; Railway Union v UCD, Park Avenue, 1.30; Pembroke Wanderers v Pegasus, Serpentine Avenue, 2.0; Belfast Harlequins v Ards, Deramore Park, 2.30.