Old Alexandra's Gillian O'Shea helped herself to five goals in a 10-0 win over Glenanne on the opening day of the Leinster League season to give the likely title contenders an impressive start to the campaign.
Fielding their two new "summer signings", goalkeeper Nikki King (ex-Pembroke Wanderers) and Anya Bowers (ex-Trinity), Alexandra overwhelmed a young Glenanne side even though they were without their prolific goalscorer, Trish Conway, who was unavailable for the club's opening league fixture.
Corinthian, meanwhile, came close to making a winning start to their top-flight debut when they led Railway Union 1-0, through an Anna Ancher goal, deep in to the second half on Saturday, but a late Helen Johnson penalty stroke levelled the game and divided the spoils.
In Munster, defending league champions Harlequins opened the defence of their title in emphatic style when they beat Waterford 6-1 with Jayne Chapple and Karen O'Brien scoring two apiece, while the University of Limerick beat UCC by a single goal.
Belfast Harlequins made hay in the absence of Pegasus, Portadown and Ballymoney, who are all yet to see league action having had several players between them in action at the World Cup qualifier, beating Randalstown 3-1.
