The Ladies Hockey team secured their place in their 3rd successive Irish Senior Cup semi-final on Saturday when they beat Cork Harlequins.

They were pushed all the way however by the Cork champions, the golden goal winner coming 5 minutes into extra-time. The students started brightly and got off to the dream start when Rachel Burke played a lovely deflected ball onto Chloe Watkins in the circle. Watkins was fowled by the Cork keeper and Watkins duly dispatched the ensuing penalty stroke to give UCD an early 1-0 lead.

Harlequins equalised mid-way through the first half after a string of penalty corners. Irish international Cliodhna Sargeat scoring low into the bottom corner to make it 1-1. The second half brought many chances for UCD which they failed to convert.

They  did eventually take the lead again through Chloe Watkins, this time a drag flick from a short corner. Quins once more equalised, Rachel McSharry scoring from the right of the circle, again from a penalty corner. A nervy few final minutes followed during which UCD had chances to win the game but Quins defended well to force extra-time. 5 minutes into extra time Caroline Hill scored the priceless winner for

UCD, slotting the ball home from close range after a nice passage of play by UCD down the left handside of the pitch. The goal sends the students into the semi-final once again, the stage at which they exited last year to eventual winners Loreto. The semi-final will take place in Belfield on Saturday 16th of April with the final scheduled for the following day. UCD await the draw for the semi-final with 2 quarter-finals yet to be decided.

Irish Senior Cup – Second round : Pegasus 2 (V Surgeoner, K McConnell), Loreto 0; Ulster Elks 1 (K Lammey), Armagh 0, after extra-time. Third round : UCD 3 (C Watkins 2, C Hill), Cork Harlequins 2 (C Sargent, R McSharry); Old Alexandra 1 (R Griffith), Ballymoney 2 (J Nelson, J Lynch). Revised quarter-final draw: Pegasus v Lurgan, Ulster Elks v Hermes. UCD and Ballymoney are already through to the semi-finals.