THE loss of London-bound Sarah Kelleher and a friendly defeat by Clontarf last week combined to give hope to the teams determined to prevent Muckross from winning their fifth Leinster League title in a row.
However, the defending champions sent an emphatic message to their rivals on Saturday by opening the new season with a crushing 6-0 victory over Glenanne at Tallaght and after one game take up their customary position at the top of the table.
A Mary Logue hat-trick and two goals by Kathy Johnson helped Muckross destroy a Glenanne team that narrowly avoided relegation last season and looks destined for another long struggle in the 1996-97 campaign. Muckross will have tougher games in the months ahead but the sheer quality of their attacking play will test more teams than Glenanne.
Meanwhile at Belfield, two of the teams expected to provide the main challenge to Muckross got off to a winning, if unconvincing, start. In a match the visitors were unlucky to lose, Loreto heat Pembroke Wanderers with a Carole Fanagan goal while Hermes held off a spirited Clontarf display to win an exciting match by 3-2.
It was only when Clontarf took the lead in the 25th minute that Hermes came to life and they equalised when Jenny Burke capped a superb performance with an equally-memorable goal.
