HOCKEY: The defending Leinster and Ulster champions, Hermes and Pegasus, had wildly contrasting openings to their seasons on Saturday with the Belfast side getting an early warning that life without their five internationals, if all selected for Ireland's World Cup squad, could make their league programme before Christmas unusually tricky.
Pegasus twice had to come from behind against newly-promoted Coleraine, needing a Joanne Campbell penalty stroke five minutes from time to snatch a draw. Avril Gordon had given Coleraine the lead in the first half, one Caroline Conway restored after Campbell had made it 1-1.
No such problems for Hermes, who gave Glenanne a torrid time at Belfield, beating them 10-0 with four of the goals coming from former Irish captain Mary Logue. Rosie Walsh helped herself to a hat-trick and Jenny Osbourne, who will hope to put her recent injury problems behind her this season, scored twice - Carol Devine completed the scoring.
Pembroke Wanderers, under their new coaching team of Roy Horsfield and Gino Barnwell, produced the result of the day at Beaufort, where they beat Irish cup holders Loreto 3-1. Loreto, without the injured trio of Caitriona O'Kelly, Sarah Rand and Aoife Pomeroy, as well as Irish panellist Cathy McKean, fell to goals by Kathryn Henderson, Viv Doran and Sarah Clarke, with Nikki Keegan scoring for the home team. Corinthian and Genesis, meanwhile, shared the points at Whitechurch, drawing 2-2.
Ireland's World Cup squad, meanwhile, has been selected by coach Riet Kuper and the 21 players have been informed of their fate, but it will not be officially announced until today.
LEINSTER LEAGUE - Division One: Hermes 10 (M Logue 4, 2 pens, R Walsh 3, J Osborne 2, C Devine), Glenanne 0; Loreto 1 (N Keegan), Pembroke Wanderers 3 (K Henderson, V Doran, S Clarke); Corinthian 2 (S Murphy 2), Genesis 2 (S Kane, S French-Bloom).
Division Two: Our Lady's 2 (A Dolan, M Scanlon), Clontarf 3 (J Logan, L Waters, N Campbell); Three Rock 3 (E J Cassidy, K Squire, H Long), Hermes II 1 (M Flavin); Old Alexandra II 2 (G Dunne, R Flinn), Aer Lingus 1 (S Somers); Loreto II 0, Pembroke Wanderers II 0; Corinthian II 2 (M Kavanagh 2), Genesis II 1 (E Roughter).
ULSTER LEAGUE - Section One: Ards 3 (Y Steele, R Hamill, J Magill), Harlequins 3 (K Mitchell 2, 1 pen, L Ditchfield); Randalstown 0, Ballymena 1; Portadown 2 (J McVicker, V Best), Ballymoney 1 (N McCaughern); Pegasus 2 (J Campbell 2, 1 pen), Coleraine 2 (A Gordon, C Conway).
