Hockey: Loreto weathered both torrential rain and opponents significantly more capable than anticipated to mark their debut in European competition with an emphatic 5-0 victory over hosts Arminen in the Cup Winners' Cup yesterday.

While their drenched supporters, all 60 of them, returned sun-tan lotion to knapsacks and ran for any available shelter from the downpour, the team got on with the business of dampening Arminen's spirits, succeeding as early as the fifth minute when Caitriona O'Kelly scored.

Cathy McKean, the greatest threat to Arminen throughout, cut in to the circle on the right and set up O'Kelly, whose initial shot was saved - she drilled home the rebound, though, to give her team the perfect start.

The Austrians responded well and forced two penalty corners, the second requiring a smart save from Louisa Healy, but two goals in eight minutes from Nikki Symmons effectively sealed the points for the Irish cup-holders.

Fine work by O'Kelly led to the first of Symmons's goals, in the 23rd minute. The second resulted from a free on the right, the winger neatly turning the ball past the Arminen goalkeeper.

It was four-nil soon after the break when substitute Nikki Keegan reverse-sticked Rachel Brophy's pass home. Sarah Scott completed the scoring on 55 minutes, O'Kelly again the provider after she had skipped past three Arminen players.

Sarah Cooney, the 17-year-old schoolgirl, had an impressive afternoon at right-back, as had her Muckross Park team-mate Keegan, both of whom had lengthy run-outs, while more experienced players like Clodagh Grealy and Orla Ryan were rested in advance of more testing contests. They may return today, though, when Loreto take on Belgian side Royal Leopold, 2-0 winners over Cardiff Athletic yesterday, in what could prove to be the pool decider.

LORETO: L Healy, S Cooney, S Rand, A O'Brien, R Brophy, S O'Meara, C O'Kelly, N Lyons (capt), N Symmons, C McKean, S Scott. Subs (all used): M Harkin, O Ryan, N Keegan, E Hickey, T O'Keeffe.