After losing further ground on the top three in the Leinster Senior A table last week, when they drew 0-0 with UCD, defending champions Loreto will expect to get back to winning ways tomorrow when they play bottom club Muckross. Midfielder Caitriona O'Kelly conceded that having drawn two of their first four games they can't afford to drop too many more points if they are to retain their title.
"We always make it difficult for ourselves, it's the same thing every year," she said, "but I think it's because we're crowd-pleasers. We're trying to make sure there's a repeat of last season when it all went down to the final day. We like to make ourselves underdogs and then shock everyone by coming back.
"But, to be honest, we do look at the table and worry a little about the gap between ourselves and Hermes. It's early yet, though, and it's a long season. We still have to play Hermes and Old Alexandra twice so there's a chance for us to catch up." O'Kelly's confidence in Loreto's ability to keep the title they won so dramatically last season stems from the strength of the squad assembled by new coach Fred McDarby, who had to find replacements for four key players - Avril Copeland, Orla Ryan, Clodagh Grealy and Sarah Scott - during the summer. In came Nikki Lyons, Sarah Rand and Louisa Healy while Rachel Brophy and Elaine Goddard returned to the fold.
A place in the end-of-season All-Ireland League is the prize for a top-three finish in both Leinster and Ulster. After winning three of their opening four games Trinity might just have their eye on that prize, while UCD will have been similarly encouraged by their start to the season - they have taken four points from their first four games, a creditable tally considering three of their opponents were Loreto, Hermes and Alexandra.
Leinster under-21 training has caused the postponement of Sunday's fixture between Trinity and UCD but both teams are in action tomorrow - Trinity play Genesis while UCD are away to Railway Union. Pembroke Wanderers will hope to become the first team to take points off Hermes this season when they meet at Belfield while Glenanne host second-placed Alexandra.
