While it was a source of immense pride to Cork's Harlequins club that two of their players represented Ireland at the World Cup qualifying tournament during the summer they were aware that only one of them, Rachael Kohler, would be available for first team action this season.
Sharon Hutchinson, one of the club's most experienced players and Ireland's second choice goalkeeper in Zimbabwe, is returning to Africa this week where she will begin a two-year contract working for a drugs company in Uganda.
"I'll bring the hockey stick alright but I don't know if I'll get to use it. I'm not really sure how much hockey is played there but, hopefully, I'll get to play the odd game here and there," said the 27-yearold who won her first Irish cap in 1992.
It proved to be a frustrating fortnight for Hutchinson in Zimbabwe, where, as understudy to Portadown's Alison Vance, she played in just 35 minutes of Ireland's seventh and final match. "It was very frustrating, I thought I'd never get to play - it was very hard to keep yourself motivated."
and enthusiastic but at least I got on for a half a match at the end, against Russia." Meanwhile, one of the players who scored against Ireland during August's World Cup qualifier - South Africa's Caryn Bentley - has been named in Ulster's 25-strong training panel for next month's Interprovincial tournament.
Bentley became Ireland's first professional when she joined Coleraine at the beginning of the season as player-coach and is expected to be included in the squad of 16 chosen by new Ulster coach Andrea McClean for the championships in Galway.
The first round of the Leinster Senior Cup gets under way this weekend, with three Senior A clubs in action - Railway Union, Clontarf and Old Alexandra. Six of the clubs that received byes into the second round meet each other in the league, with newly promoted Genesis up against champions Muckross at Rathdown. Linda Caulfield, who began the season as a Hermes player, is expected to make her Trinity debut against Loreto at Belfield while Hermes take on Pembroke Wanderers at the same venue later in the afternoon.
The draw for the first round of the Sharwoods' Irish Senior Cup will take place on RTE's Radio One sports show on Sunday afternoon.
Leinster League - Senior A: Loreto v Trinity, Belfield, 11.30; Muckross v Genesis, Rathdown, 12.0; Hermes v Pembroke Wanderers, Belfield, 2.30.
Leinster Senior Cup - First round: Maids v UCD, Grange Road, 12.0; Avoca v Railway Union, Park Avenue, 12.15; Diocesan v Muckross II, High School, 1.30; Clontarf v Old Alexandra, Dardistown, 2.0.
Munster Senior League - Waterford v Harlequins II, Newtown School, 1.0; Belvedere v Bandon, Harlequin Park, 12.0; Church of Ireland v Catholic Institute, Garryduff, 2.0; Harlequins I v Lansdowne, Harlequin Park, 12.0.
Ulster Senior League - Section One: Knock v Ards, Jordanstown, 4.0; Coleraine v Victorians, Coleraine, 2.30; Collegians v Portadown, Olympia Leisure Centre, 4.0; Owls v Pegasus, Valley Leisure Centre, 4.0; Randalstown v North Down, Antrim Forum, 2.30.
