Ards Ladies lost 2-1 to University College Cork in their first EYHL2 game of the season at Londonderry Park.
The Ulster side fell behind in the early stages of the first quarter when Jane Murphy was on hand to deflect a penalty corner goal bound for her side.
Both teams created chances and the game’s next goal could have gone to either side but it was the hosts who found a leveller.
Having won a penalty corner of their own, Ards slipped the ball to the left of the circle before Rachel Houston fired in to equalise for her side.
With the score remaining 1-1 until the half-time break, the Cork side restored their lead midway through the third quarter.
Having conceded a short corner, the Ards defence initially did well but could only half-clear the danger before Murphy got her second of the game to make it 2-1.
Despite reacting well to falling behind once more, the Ards attack were unable to equalise for a second time with the final score 2-1 to the visitors.
Elsewhere Belfast Harlequins got their EYHL2 campaign off to a flying start as they won 3-0 away to Leinster side Greenfields.
The result sees them move joint top of their group with Cork Harlequins who also won 3-0 on matchday one.
Portadown bounced back from a cup defeat to Pegasus last week as they beat Banbridge 4-1 in the Legacy Ulster Women’s Premier League.
Youngster Evie Girvan opened the scoring in the second quarter when she dispossessed a defender before firing a reverse strike into the bottom corner.
They soon doubled their lead when Banbridge once again lost the ball in a dangerous area as Leah Galbraith struck in from the top of the circle.
After the half-time break, Portadown extended their lead to 3-0 when Rebekah Lennon picked out Emily Adamson in the circle and she remained composed before slotting past the goalkeeper.
Banbridge did manage to get a goal back and make it 3-1, but it was soon cancelled out as their visitors restored the three-goal advantage.
Keeley Telford played Girvan through one vs one with the goalkeeper and it was the outfielder who came out on top as she got her second of the game.
The final game of the day saw Lurgan continue their unbeaten run as they beat Armagh 3-0 away from home.
Chloe McCann got her sixth goal of the campaign before Julie Morrow and Sarah McClure rounded off the scoring.
The win keeps them third in the table meanwhile Armagh stay bottom of the table with one win in fourteen matches.
Photo: Front Row Union
