Having helped Pegasus dominate Ulster hockey in recent years former Irish captain Jeanette Turner will now attempt to break the Belfast club's stranglehold on honours north of the border in her new role as player-coach of Portadown.

Turner, back at the club where she started her senior career, will have two New Zealand internationals to call upon for at least part of the season after Jeanette Anderson and Tessa Fraser joined the club. While it is hard to imagine anyone but Pegasus topping the table at Christmas, Portadown will be amongst a small group of clubs hoping to take advantage of the absence of the defending champions' Irish internationals from January on.

Collegians are another ambitious outfit who, this season, will be coached by South African Gregor Meyer. They have, however, lost the services of Irish under-21 international Jenny McDonough, who has moved to England for her studies, but have been joined by South African Pippa McCarroll and Karen Mitchell from North Down.

Pegasus, who open their campaign tomorrow against Victorians (the last club to beat them in the Ulster league, in September 1997), have lost Tamara Stronge, who has returned to Ards, but are likely to be joined by Canadian Heather Andrews in time for the new season.

In Leinster newly promoted UCD, boosted by the arrival of Ciara O'Brien from Railway Union during the summer, begin their Senior A campaign against Hermes at Belfield. The defending champions will be without their latest recruit, former UCC player Johanna Hyland, who is recovering from a finger injury.