MUCKROSS may be adopting different tactics this season in their use of a diamond formation but as her spectacular winning goal against Loreto on Saturday demonstrated Mary Logue very much remains the jewel in the crown of the defending champions.

Nobody had to tell the Loreto defence in advance of their top-of-the-table clash at Rathdown School that the Irish international needed close attention but as the final whistle loomed, with the score at 1-1 and Logue still scoreless, they were entitled to feel they had done a good day's work.

Then, with two minutes to go, Logue collected the ball on the half-way line. When she drifted left towards the wing she seemed to pose little danger to the visitors. When she switched right, zigzagging her way past defenders, and entered the circle the Loreto alarm bells began to ring. She floated further right and suddenly unleashed a shot of such ferocity that it sent Muckross to the top of the table for the first time on their own this season.

Goalkeeper Avril Copeland showed bravery beyond the call of duty by even staying in her goal as Logue's shot rocketed towards her and, although she got a touch to the ball, there was nothing she could do to keep it out. "It was a bit of a blinder alright," was Muckross coach Ian Steepe's verdict on the goal that snatched victory over the team that everyone has been chasing since the start of the campaign.

Muckross had rallied after going behind to a fourth-minute goal by Mary Barnwell, equalising through Ciara McGrath eight minutes before half-time, and produced what Steepe described as "the best hockey we'd played this season" before the break. He conceded, however, that it was a more balanced contest in the second half. "I thought we died a little for a long spell in the second half and it was very even. At half-time I thought we were clearly going to win this game because we were running rings around them."

Now, with Muckross not scheduled to play another league match until January 11th, Steepe's half term report on the champions' form will read good but could do better. "It's been a difficult season for us because we've only been able to pick our best team two or three times but this win makes such a difference in the context of the league. A 1-1 draw would have left us level on points but now, suddenly, they've lost two matches and were on top, for the first time this season, going in to the Christmas break."

A couple of Hermes observers were spotted at Rathdown School on Saturday ahead of their match away to Railway Union but while they may not have cheered Logue's late winner they at least kept the pressure on Muckross and Loreto with an impressive 4-0 at Park Avenue later in the afternoon. Old Alexandra's 2-1 win over Trinity ensures that the race for the title remains very much a four-horse affair.

Meanwhile, Munster were celebrating their first Under-18 Interprovincial title since 1992 when they won the Templeton Cup `in King's Hospital. Leinster needed to beat the defending champions Ulster by five clear goals to snatch the trophy but goals were at a premium lover the two days and a 1-1 draw meant that Munster returned south victorious. Five of the series 10 matches ended in scoreless draws but the freezing conditions numbed the fingers and only Munster thawed sufficiently to score six in four games.