They still have a four-point lead at the top of the EY Hockey League table, but Hermes-Monkstown’s winning streak has come to an end, a 1-1 draw with UCD preventing them from repeating last year’s feat when they won all nine of their fixtures in the first half of the campaign.

Rosie Carrigan put the leaders a goal up at Belfield from a penalty corner at the end of the first quarter but UCD were level before half-time when Sorcha Clarke was first to the rebound after Liz Murphy had saved Gillian Pinder's strike.

There were chances aplenty for both sides, UCD's goalkeeper Clodagh Cassin also kept busy, with the students' Katie Mullan denying her Irish team-mate Anna O'Flanagan by blocking her goal-bound effort in the closing minutes.

Home defeat

UCD hold on to second place, now two points clear of Cork Harlequins who suffered their first home defeat of the season, Railway Union taking the points with an impressive 3-1 win.

Yvonne O'Byrne cancelled out Grace McLaughlin's opener for Railway in the second quarter, but the visitors sealed their victory in the final period with goals from Sinead Dooley and Kate McKenna

Loreto’s 2-0 defeat of Belfast Harlequins at Beaufort, with goals from the McDermotts, Freya and Hannah, keeps them in fourth, four behind Cork Harlequins and one ahead of Railway.

Up north, Pegasus fought back for a 1-1 draw at home to Ards, but last season’s runners-up have plenty to do in the second half of the campaign – their run of three draws and three defeats in their last six games leaves them in seventh, 10 points adrift of third.

Meanwhile, bottom club Pembroke Wanderers twice came from behind to earn their first point of the campaign in a 2-2 draw away to Ulster Elks.