Women’s EYHL Round 9: Railway’s Unbeaten Run Goes to Pegasus as Ards Chase

Railway Union are still unbeaten after eight rounds, and they’re six points clear. But Sunday showed the first crack. UCD came back from 2-0 down at half-time to draw 2-2, then beat the leaders in the shootout. Railway are still top, still unbeaten in normal time, yet the chasing pack got a glimpse of something. Saturday’s Round 9 is where we find out whether that was a warning or just a wobble.

Pegasus v Railway Union: leaders visit the bottom side

Pegasus are last on four points, and this is about as tough as it gets. Railway have 21 from eight games, and even on a day they trailed 2-0 they found a way back. UCD’s Le Roux and Sanderson put the hosts two up before half-time on Sunday, and Railway needed Quinn among the scorers to drag it level.

Pegasus did take a point on Sunday themselves, a scoreless draw at Portadown where the hosts won the shootout 3-1. A point against Railway would be a result of the season. Railway will expect three, and anything less hands Ards a real opening.

Ards v UCD: second against the side that nearly beat the leaders

Ards climbed to second on Sunday with a 2-0 win at Queen’s University, and that puts them 15 points, six behind Railway. They host UCD at Londonderry Park, and UCD arrive with confidence after taking that shootout bonus point off the leaders. UCD are eighth on 10, which looks low for a side that just went toe to toe with Railway for 70 minutes. This one could be closer than the table suggests.

Loreto v Portadown

Loreto are fourth on 13 after a scoreless draw at Pembroke on Sunday, where the hosts took the shootout 4-3. Portadown are sixth on 12, level with Queen’s, and they grabbed the bonus point in their own goalless draw with Pegasus. Two sides who both drew 0-0 last time out, both sitting in the top-four hunt. Neither will want another stalemate.

Monkstown v Pembroke Wanderers

Pembroke are third on 14, and they visit a Monkstown side that lost 2-0 to Old Alex on Sunday and slipped to ninth on eight points. Old Alex’s win lifted them out of the relegation zone and into seventh. Monkstown need points fast. Pembroke, meanwhile, will know a win keeps the pressure on Ards above them and Railway further up.

Queen’s University v Old Alexandra

Queen’s are fifth on 12 after Sunday’s 2-0 home defeat to Ards. Old Alex are one point behind them in seventh, and that 2-0 win at Monkstown was exactly the kind of result that changes a season. The Dub hosts this one at 12:30pm, and the visitors will fancy another.

Fixtures, Saturday 14 November (all times local, PKT +5 hours)

• Queen’s University v Old Alexandra, 12:30pm (5:30pm PKT), The Dub
• Ards v UCD, 2:30pm (7:30pm PKT), Londonderry Park
• Loreto v Portadown, 2:45pm (7:45pm PKT)
• Pegasus v Railway Union, 3:00pm (8:00pm PKT), The Dub
• Monkstown v Pembroke Wanderers, 4:00pm (9:00pm PKT), Rathdown

Table after Round 8

Railway Union 21, Ards 15, Pembroke Wanderers 14, Loreto 13, Queen’s University 12, Portadown 12, Old Alexandra 11, UCD 10, Monkstown 8, Pegasus 4.