With seven major new recruits between them, Loreto and Old Alexandra, who meet at Beaufort tomorrow afternoon, start the new season with a considerable degree of optimism, hopeful of mounting a serious challenge to defending Statoil Leinster League champions Hermes and their closest rivals last season, Muckross.
Loreto, who, for the first time in 20 years, begin a campaign without the services of the retired Mary Barnwell, were joined by Orla Howe (from Genesis) and forwards Cathy McKean (Railway Union) and Sarah Scott (Muckross) during the summer.
"The team has changed quite a bit from last year," said Tom O'Donoghue who, after three seasons coaching Loreto's third team and another, last year, managing the firsts, steps up to succeed Noel Keogh as first-team coach. "The three new players have fitted in nicely so far - they're basically direct replacements for Mary Barnwell, Linda Jenkinson (who may be available again in October) and Paula Marshall (who is taking a year out of senior hockey)."
Alex, meanwhile, have recruited four Trinity old-girls for the new season - Jan Perrin, Kerry Hiles, Cathy Curran and Zanya Dahl, who won a league medal with Hermes last season. "I suppose we now have an `embarrassment' of riches, but we had a lot of injuries last season and we got very thin on the ground so at least if that happens this year we have greater strength in depth - we also have good competition for places now, which is very important," said Alex coach David Judge.
Hermes added just one player to their squad during the summer, but not just any player - Irish captain Mary Logue joined the champions, after one season with Railway Union. Logue will make her competitive debut for her new club, who beat an under-strength Muckross 4-0 in a challenge match on Wednesday night, against Clontarf at Belfield tomorrow. Hermes will be coached by another former Muckross star, Jacqui Potter, who will be assisted by Laura Daly, until mid-October when the club hopes to announce a long-term successor to Roy Horsfield. Having coached the club to Irish Senior Cup and Leinster League successes over the past two seasons Horsfield is now taking a break from the game.
Horsfield's wife Sarah returns to action for Railway Union, after a year out of ockey, but the club begins the season against Glenanne at Park Avenue without eight of last year's regular starting line-up, including goalkeeper Janet Quinn, who will be unavailable until next month - Irish under-21 panellist Shelly Ann Quilty, who has joined from Trinity, takes her place.
Although desperately disappointed to lose Logue to Hermes, Railway coach Una McCarthy accepts her reasons for leaving the club. "It was great having Mary for a year and it would have been lovely to have had her for another, but we respect her decision to join Hermes.
