Hook Hockey

McMahon inspires Pegs against 10-woman Gantoise

Pegasus got their EuroHockey Club Champion’s Trophy campaign off to a flying start as they beat La Gantoise 4-1 on day one of the competition, hosted at Queen’s University Playing Fields the first time.

It was played in bizarre circumstances as the Belgian side – one of the pre-tournament favourites – were only able to field ten players throughout as a lack of UK visa denied South Africans Justine de Vlam and Margaux Pype entry to Belfast.

With just 12 players on their team list for the day, it meant they were one shy for the entire game but they put up a brave fight against the recently reinstalled Ulster champions.

Nonetheless, Claire McMahon and Vanessa Surgeoner combined down the left to create the first chance for Stephanie Quinn to break the deadlock with a mid-circle sweep in the fourth minute.

Grace Irwin’s long pass set up the second as former international McMahon ghosted down the left wing in the 33rd minute and her flipped reverse squirmed through Maaike Steup’s defences.

Pegs captain Arlene Boyles added a third with a straight hit from the penalty corner midway through the second half and McMahon got her second goal of the day with four minutes left before the Belgians pulled one back near the end with a quick counter, international Alix Gerniers finishing off the move.

Elsewhere in the group, Russia’s Metrostroy St Petersburg won 3-1 againast Lithuania’s Gintra Strekte Universitas, leaving Pegasus top overnight on goal difference.

Pegasus: S Moffett, N Graham, A Cooke, C McMahon, S Beaney, K McConnell, A Boyles (capt), G Irwin, P Glass, S Quinn, V Surgeoner
Subs: M Harvey, S Sloan, N Pinkerton, E Hood, L Camlin

La Gantoise: M Steup, S Voet, V Herbert, L Denaeyer, N Calewaert, V Vermeersch (capt), A Gerniers, M Willems, M Beernaert, A Brooks

Group A: Victroya Smolevchi 3 Grove Menzieshill 3; MSC Sumchanka 4 Libertas San Saba 0
Group B: Pegasus 4 ARA La Gantoise 1; Metrostroy St Petersburg 3 Gintra Strekte Universitas 1