Railway again look like main challengers to the top two

Women's Hockey: Having watched either Loreto or Hermes win the Leinster first division title over the past eight seasons, Railway Union, Old Alexandra, Pembroke Wanderers and the rest will attempt to put an end to that stranglehold in the new campaign, which gets under way tomorrow.

If last season's form is repeated, it will be Railway, who finished third in the table (six points behind Hermes and seven adrift of champions Loreto), who will put up the strongest challenge, although they will have an early test when they face Alexandra, fourth last season, at Milltown tomorrow.

Alexandra, now coached by Fred McDarby, will hope for a considerable improvement on what, by their standards, proved to be a disappointing season, one that saw them finish 17 points short of Loreto's total.

Pembroke Wanderers, too, will attempt to regain some of the momentum they built up two or three seasons ago when they began putting together a squad of some potential. They open their campaign against Three Rock tomorrow.

But it is Railway who could, again, be the team to watch. Una McCarthy has managed to retain all the players who helped Railway to a third place finish at the Club Championships, in their first appearance in the tournament, but has also added five players to the squad.

Michelle van Duin, a defender, has arrived from the Netherlands, and is joined at the club by former Ireland under-21 midfielder Sarah McMaster (from Corinthian), Jean McDonnell (UCD), Cathy Kenefick (UCC) and Claire Waddell (Diocesan).

Plenty of strength in depth, then, but Railway's problem, as they try to close the gap further on the top two, is that Loreto and Hermes have been busy themselves this summer. Loreto, going for their third title in a row, have brought in three players from UCD - Catherine Murray, Rachel Keegan and Suzanne O'Connor - while Jessica Lynch is fit again and back in the first team squad. On the debit side, Caitriona O'Kelly is taking a year out, Clodagh Grealy is unavailable until November and Ann Marie Cullen has joined Alexandra.

Hermes have brought in Ireland international Kristin Farrell from Waterford, Claire Sullivan from UCD and a batch of Leinster under-16 players, including the St Andrews pair Caitriona McGlip and Rachel Burke. Most significantly, though, the club has found a replacement for Tara Browne, the former Ireland goalkeeper who has retired: Nikki King, another former international, has joined from Alexandra.

LEINSTER LEAGUE - Division One: Clontarf v Loreto, 12.30; Pembroke Wanderers v Three Rock, Ballsbridge, 12.30; Corinthian v Hermes, Whitechurch, 1.0; Old Alexandra v Railway Union, Milltown, 2.0.