Pegasus defeated Belfast Harlequins 4-3 on penalties after a 2-2 draw to secure the Denman Ulster Shield yesterday after a thrilling final at Lisnagarvey.
It was end to end stuff throughout a superb 70 minutes as the game ebbed and flowed.
Quins went into the game as rank outsiders but fought back superbly from 2-0 down at the break to force the penalty decider. They were on top for most of the second half and could have stolen an unexpected victory had they not missed a good chance near the end.
In another dramatic twist, Pegasus had a goal disallowed with the last play of the game after Lucy McKee’s strike was wiped out for ‘feet’ in the build up.
The shootout wasn’t short of excitement either as Quins fought back from 3-1 down to force sudden death and after Gemma Frazer’s effort was saved by Pegasus keeper Megan Todd, it was left to Ruth Maguire to score the winner.
Pegasus captain Michelle Harvey said: “We’re delighted to have won the Shield again although we made it difficult for ourselves.”
Pegasus captain Michelle Harvey said: “We’re delighted to have won the Shield again although we made it difficult for ourselves.”
“We could have had the game won by half-time and we should have been three or four goals ahead but we didn’t take our chances.”
“We let them back into it in the second-half and gave them a few chances through giving away penalty corners but we got there in the end.”
Harlequins’ coach Davy Frazer had mixed emotions after the game but was full of praise for his squad.
He said: “We got off to a bad start for a variety of reasons – the unfamiliar pitch and nerves mainly but we fought back superbly in the second-half.”
“I thought we were the better team after the break and we could easily have won the game without it going to the wire and shootouts are always a lottery.”
“Obviously, I’m gutted at the result but, at the same time, extremely proud of the girls.”
Pegasus got off to a flying start when Alex Speers fired home from 10 yards out when the ball broke to her after the Quins keeper had saved the initial shot. McKee, Taite Doherty and Speers all had chances to extend the lead but, after that slow start, Harlequins settled down and Todd made a point blank save from Jenna Watt at a 25th minute penalty corner.
But it was Pegasus who went into the break in the driving seat after Speers got her second goal of the game in the 34th minute, hammering in a rebound after Shirley McCay’s set piece had been saved by Marianne Fox.
Quins threw themselves a lifeline in the 45th minute when Watt finished clinically after Pegasus had carelessly coughed up possession. After McKee and Speers had gone close at the other end, Abigail Edwards grabbed the equaliser five minutes later when she scrambled home a penalty corner from close range.
Watt missed a chance to win it with nine minutes left when she shot just wide at the far post from an Edwards cross and then came that last minute drama with McKee’s disallowed goal.
And so the game went to the shootout when Maguire became the hero of the hour after one of the best finals for years as Pegasus lifted the trophy for a record 29th time.
