Pembroke picked up a hugely impressive 3-0 win over Catholic Institute to give their pursuit of the Irish EY Hockey League regular season title a big boost.

Goals from Leah McGuire, Hannah Irwin and Eanna Horan saw them win well in what was a re-match between Ireland’s leading lights last season. 

Last term, Pembroke won the EYHL title as well as the Champions Trophy with Insta finishing in second place while the roles were reversed in the Irish Senior Cup.

The win was their third in their last four outings – including against league leaders Loreto – and lifts Pembroke into fifth place in the division and within two points of second place.

And they will be hoping they are hitting the right form ahead of their EHL Women’s debut which will be in the curtain-raiser on April 6 against fellow newcomers Sanse Complutense.

It comes after a slow start to the season, only picking up four points from the first 15 on offer as they adjusted to a summer turnover with key player Gillian Pinder moving to London and Ali Griffin going to UCD.

Crucial players are current Irish international Ellen Curran who is their midfield dynamo alongside World Cup finalist Emily Beatty and Sinead Loughran. 

McGuire and Isy Delamer control the defensive line while Orla Macken is one of Irish hockey’s unsung stars in either midfield or defence.

Their trip to the Wagener Stadiu, will be the club’s women’s third trip to Europe having played in the Cup Winners Trophy in 2008 in Ghent and then the EuroHockey Club Trophy in 2015 in Minsk. 

They have a couple of links to that trip with Eanna Horan, Rachel O’Brien and Hayley O’Donnell with the club from those days.