WOMENS HOCKEY: There'll be something of a Loreto old boys reunion about tomorrow's meeting of Corinthians and UCD at Whitechurch, with Fred McDarby and Tom O'Donoghue, both of whom led Loreto to the Irish Senior Cup in their spells at the club, the coaches in charge.
McDarby is one of just four Leinster first division coaches to retain his post from last season - the others are Siobhán Keogh (Loreto), Orla Bell (Old Alexandra) and Una McCarthy (Railway Union) - with O'Donoghue one of six appointments, along with Fiona Manning (Clontarf), Paul Fitzpatrick (Genesis), Rudi Wortmann/Sarah Hilliard (Hermes), Jonathan Harte (Pembroke) and Roy Horsfield/Gino Barnwell (Three Rock).
While O'Donoghue's UCD squad have been strengthened by Irish under-21 international Christine Quinlan (from Hermes), Emilie Balbirnie (from Pembroke) and Fyona Flinn (captain of last year's St Andrews double winners), with former Leinster under-21 players Siobhán Burke and Kelly Whelan returning after Erasmus years, they have suffered significant losses too.
Linda O'Neill left for Loreto midway through last season, with her Ireland team-mate Ciara O'Brien returning to Railway Union. Sarah McMaster joined up with Corinthians, while Ireland under-21s Suzanne O'Connor and Rachel Keegan will miss most, if not all, of the season with cruciate-ligament injuries.
Old Alexandra, like UCD, play their first league game of the season tomorrow, against Three Rock at Milltown. They've plenty to live up to, too, after finishing second in the league last season and performing impressively at the club finals. They have been joined by Connacht's Ciara Murphy, who made the Irish senior development panel last year, and Laura McCoy from Trinity. With Nicky King missing most of the pre-season with a shoulder injury Ireland under-21 Shauna Frey will start the season in goal.
Cork Harlequins, now coached by Ireland manager Julie Dwyer, assisted by Irish goalkeeper Wesley Bateman, and managed by former Munster branch president Pat Dawson, start their league season against Church of Ireland on Sunday.
The Munster champions will be without last season's captain Johanna Hyland, who has moved to New Zealand for the year, and Carrie O'Callaghan, who has joined Pembroke. Jessie Morris has, though, arrived from Pembroke while Sarah Glembe, a German midfielder, has also joined up.
In Ulster, Belfast Harlequins were dealt a blow with the news that Ireland's Jenny McDonough is moving to London for work reasons. She will, however, remain available for international duty.
* The first Leinster Hockey Umpires Association training and social evening is being held on Thursday, September 30th, at Pembroke Wanderers (8.0).
LEINSTER LEAGUE - Division One: Clontarf v Genesis, Mount Temple, 12.30; Railway Union v Loreto, Sandymount, 1.0; Old Alexandra v Three Rock, Milltown, 1.15; Hermes v Pembroke Wanderers, Booterstown, 3.0; Corinthian v UCD, Whitechurch, 1.30. Division Two: Diocesan v Muckross, Rathgar, 2.0; Old Alexandra II v Glenanne, Milltown, 2.45; Hermes II v Skerries, Booterstown, 4.30; Loreto II v Pembroke Wanderers II, Beaufort, 4.30.
