After getting his Loreto coaching career off to the best of possible starts last weekend, when the defending Leinster champions beat Glenanne 7-0, Fred McDarby will expect a sterner test from Pembroke Wanderers tomorrow afternoon when the teams meet at Beaufort.
The loss of several key players after last season will make McDarby's task of leading the club to the retention of their title a difficult one but the arrival of Sarah Rand from Trinity, Irish under-18 goalkeeper Louisa Healy, Nikki Lyons (ex-Railway Union) and the return of Rachel Brophy from Limerick should go some way towards compensating for the absence of Avril Copeland, Orla Ryan, Clodagh Grealy and Sarah Scott, all four of whom have moved abroad. Pembroke, meanwhile, will hope that the addition of Orla Bell (ex-Old Alexandra) and Wendy Hobson (ex-UCD) will help them improve on last season's fourth place finish - tomorrow's game should give them some indication of their strength.
With Tara Browne now playing in Holland for HGC, Sarah Hilliard is back in goal for Hermes who have added UCD's Jenny Osborne to their squad. They play Genesis at Belfield tomorrow while UCD and Trinity begin their campaigns against Old Alexandra and Muckross (coached by TRR player Scott Crombie) respectively.
LEINSTER LEAGUE - Senior A: Old Alexandra v UCD, Milltown, 1.15; Loreto v Pembroke Wanderers, Beaufort, 2.0; Glenanne v Railway Union, St Mark's, 2.30; Hermes v Genesis, Belfield, 2.30; Muckross v Trinity, Milltown, 3.45. Senior B: Aer Lingus v Avoca, ALSAA, 1.0; Corinthians v Old Alexandra II, Whitechurch, 3.0; Our Lady's v Pembroke Wanderers II, Templeogue, 3.0; Loreto v Railway Union II, Beaufort, 3.30; Hermes II v Clontarf, Belfield, 4.0.
MUNSTER LEAGUE - Division One: Harlequins v Lansdowne, Farmers' Cross, 1.0; Church of Ireland v Bandon, Garryduff, 1.0. ULSTER LEAGUE - Section One: Belfast Harlequins v Ards, Olympia LC, 2.30; Knock v Pegasus, Queen's, 2.30; UUJ v Coleraine, UUJ, 2.30; Portadown v Randalstown, Edenvilla Park, 2.30; Section Two: Ballymena v Victorians, The Showgrounds 2.30; Queen's v Owls, Queens, 2.30; Enniskillen v Omagh, Irvinestown, 2.30; Saintfield v Priorians, Avoniel LC, 1.0; Banbridge v Civil Service, Havelock Park, 4.0.
