Provincial champions get off to winning starts

UCD, Cork Harlequins and Pegasus all opened the defence of their respective league titles with wins on Saturday, the Leinster and Munster champions having comfortable enough afternoons, although Lurgan made the Ulster title-holders work for their three points, a single goal deciding the game.

No such struggles for UCD who beat their old buddies Trinity 4-0, Chloe Watkins, who, at just 22, won her 100th international cap during the summer, among the scorers. Two more of the team's seven representatives in the Irish squad – Gillian Pinder and Emily Beatty – were also on the scoresheet.

Railway Union and Pembroke Wanderers were the only other Leinster division one sides to start their campaigns with victories, Emer Clarke and Kate Lloyd giving Railway a two-goal lead in the first half against North Kildare, but then having to hold on for the win after the hosts pulled a goal back after the break through Aideen Griffin.

Pembroke, meanwhile, took the points against Hermes, coached this season by Rudi Wortmann, in his second spell with the club. Sorcha Clarke scored the only goal of the game in the first half.

The division’s two remaining fixtures ended in draws.

In Munster, Cliodhna Sargent, who won her 150th cap for Ireland in July, helped Harlequins to a 3-0 win over Bandon. Catholic Institute matched that result against Church of Ireland at Rosbrien.