Four of last season's Irish under-21 squad have been called up to the senior panel by coach Riet Kuper for the first training weekend of the build-up to the Olympic Qualifier in Milton Keynes next March. Loreto goalkeeper Avril Copeland and forward Cathy McKean, UCD midfielder Jenny Osborne and forward Helen Cathcart, who joined Ards from Enniskillen this season, join a panel of 24 players which includes all but one of the squad that played in August's European Nations' Cup finals (Sarah Kelleher is unavailable) and three more of last season's panellists - Julie Stewart, Anya Bowers and Shauna Parkhill. "Everyone at the club is absolutely delighted for Cathy and Avril," said Loreto coach Tom O'Donoghue.

Further additions are expected to be made to the panel in the coming months, with Kuper stressing that the door has not been closed to players who have missed out this time.

One of the panel, full-back Karen Humphreys, has joined Pegasus, having returned from Scotland. Coleraine, meanwhile, have confirmed the appointment of South African goalkeeper Nicky du Toit as their player-coach for the season. The big match in Leinster this weekend is between Hermes and Loreto at Belfield. Loreto lost all three of their games against Hermes last season (including a Leinster Senior Cup match) but should prove more formidable opponents this time around having strengthened their defence with the arrival of Orla Ryan and Clodagh Grealy from Muckross.