Cork Harlequins and Pegasus made buoyant starts in the European Cup Winners Cup (B Division) tournament in Vienna yesterday. Harlequins beat the Swiss side Olten 2-0, while Pegasus swept to a 5-1 defeat of the home women's team, Academischer.

To add to a good day for the Irish, internationals Justin Sherriff (two) and Stephen Butler registered goals for Royal Dragons of Antwerp in a 4-1 win over Mladost Zagreb.

Harlequins were much the better side against Olten and should have won by a greater margin. Constant attack duly yielded the opening goal midway through the first half when David Egner got a touch to a cross from David Lombard.

Then the much involved David Eakins sent a drag flick against the crossbar before increasing the lead early in the second half when he broke through from the edge of the circle.

The opposition, though, will be much more demanding in the key Pool B match tomorrow against Kelburn of Scotland, who overwhelmed Collegians (Gibraltar) 9-0 yesterday.

It will be interesting to see how many goals Harlequins can score today against this weak team.

In the women's competition Pegasus completely outplayed Academischer.

The short-corner tally mounted to 10 in the first half in which, notably, Claire McMahon was irrepressible on the right wing.

A set-piece deflection by Kirsty McCollum put the Irish side one up in the second minute and, when the accomplished Arlene Boyle found the target herself, Pegasus were cruising.

Surprisingly, they conceded a gift goal to Meike Poppitz just before the interval but Boyle, Claire Redpath and Sarah Wilkinson left no doubt about the scoreline at the finish.

EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS CUP (B Division) in Vienna: Men: Pool A: Dragons Belgium 4, Mladost (Croatia) 1; Academischer (Austria) 4, Bohemians (Czechoslavakia) 2; Pool B: Kelburne (Scotland) 9, Collegians (Gibraltar) 0; Cork Harlequins 2, Olten (Switzerland) 0. Women: Pool A: Meteor (Czechoslavakia) 2 Penarth (Wales) 1; Real Polo (Spain) 6 Olten (Switzerland) 0; Pool B: Pegasus 5 Academischer (Austria), 1 Lorenzoni (Italy); 3 Smolevichi (Belarus) 3