Ballymoney to meet Pegasus in Ulster Shield Final

BALLYMONEY Ladies’ hockey team will be hoping to clip the wings of old rivals Pegasus when they meet them in January in the final of the Ulster Shield after a 2-1 success over Queen’s in Belfast on Sunday.

Queen’s looked sharp early on and were unlucky not to get a penalty stroke when Hannah McMillan was tackled in the circle but the umpire gave the defender the benefit of the doubt and gave only a penalty corner.

At the other end in the 16th minute Ashley McIlroy got down well to save well from Julie Nelson at a penalty corner.

Then, with 11 minutes to go before the break, McMillan slipped the ball to Katie Morris but she was unable to get enough power into her shot and Sammy-Jo Greer had little difficulty saving.

Ballymoney broke the deadlock in the 32nd minute when Nikki Parke advanced into the circle and drove a diagonal shot high into the net for the opener.

Four minutes after the interval Queen’s were level when Laura Robinson found McMillan and she squeezed the ball into the net.

‘Money went close to regaining the lead in the 55th minute when the impressive Susie Martin drove the ball into the circle for Jessica Lynch to touch on and Jessica Moore’s shot went narrowly over the bar.

With 14 minutes to go Parke grabbed the winner when she fired home after being released by Emma Kernohan and although Queen’s finished the game on the attack Ballymoney held on for a win they just about deserved.

* This Saturday (2.30pm), Ballymoney are in action in the Irish Cup 2nd Round when they entertain North Kildare.