Notre Dame look for good start with new recruits

Notre Dame have signed another American player ahead of tomorrow's opening round of the men's ESB Superleague, along with the confirmation this week that Anthony Jenkins had received an Irish passport.

Jenkins will continue as Notre Dame player-coach.

Coming in is Alex Harris, the 6ft 9in centre who will play alongside the club's second American, Brandon Hughes. Notre Dame's line-up has also been bolstered by the return of Ciarán McEvilly after a year in an American high school, as well as the signing of Lennie McMillan, formerly of Tolka Rovers.

After their disappointing 10th-place finish in the league last year, Notre Dame will be seeking a strong start to the new season. Limerick, their opening opponents, will be no pushovers, however, with two new Americans in their ranks in Jermaine Williams and Nazareth Henry, as well as Luke O'Hea, who now has dual Irish-Australian citizenship.

Another in recent receipt of Irish citizenship is Star of the Sea's John Leahy, who returns to the Belfast club and clears the way for two new American signings - Pat Campolieta and Willie Bryant, the latter from Lynn University.

Star's opening game is against Tralee, last year's league runners-up but who appear a little weaker on paper this season. Ricardo Leonard will be out for several months after an operation on his Achilles tendon, and instead they'll look to new American Chris Thompson to make an early impact.

Defending champions Waterford open their season tomorrow against UCD Marian with a number of exciting new signings, headed by Americans Derrick Lyons and Chris Thomas.

The women's league heads into its second weekend, with Tolka Rovers and the Wildcats looking to maintain winning starts against St Paul's and Drimnagh respectively.

Fixtures: Men's Superleague: Tomorrow - Notre Dame v Limerick, 8.0; Star v Tralee, 7.15; Waterford v UCD Marian, 7.30; Sunday - Saints v Star, 3.30; UCC Demons v Tolka Rovers, 3.15. Women's Superleague: Tomorrow - Tolka Rovers v St Paul's, 5.30; Wildcats v Drimnagh, 7.0; University of Limerick v Meteors, 7.0; Tipperary v Glanmire, 8.30.