IT IS the first of the Irish Hockey League weekends, with champions Loreto beginning their defence of the title with a home game against debutants Old Alexandra on Sunday. Nicci Daly and Sarah Scott are the two new faces in the Loreto squad, which contains most of the players from last season’s successful campaign.

The team has had a winning start to the season with narrow victories over Hermes and Bray and will probably expect a doughty performance from neighbours and rivals.

The Old Alex team is captained by former Loreto player Ann Marie Cullen, and their mix of youth and experience may not be enough this time to down her old club.

Elsewhere, last year’s IHL runners up Hermes will take on old rivals Pegasus on Sunday. Between them the two teams have dominated the old club championship format for a decade, Ulster’s Pegasus winning an astonishing seven titles and Donnybrook’s Hermes winning three. That trend was broken only last season when Loreto stepped up to win the inaugural IHL title.

Pegasus and Hermes last squared up in the semi-finals of the IHL, where the Dublin team, through former player Nikki Evans, scored a hat-trick on their way to winning 4-1. Former Hermes player Shelly Sloan has returned to Belfast is now playing with Pegasus.

Another club making their IHL debut are the students from UCC, who meet Ulster’s Randalstown in the first match up on Saturday.

The Cork side have an impressive array of underage internationals and will look to capitalise on the experience of senior international Julia O’Halloran and Ireland A defender Audrey O’Flynn as they try to make an impression.

Randalstown will have Vanessa Surgeoner as well as former international Katherine Elkin.

Saturday: Irish Hockey League, round one – UCC v Randalstown, 12.30, UCC; Ballymoney v Pembroke, 1pm, Ballymoney; Cork Harlequins v C of I, 2pm, Farmers Cross; Railway Union v Ards, 5pm, Park Avenue. Sunday: Irish Hockey League, Rd one – Hermes v Pegasus, 1.45, UCD; Loreto v Old Alexandra, 3.30, Loreto Beaufort.