THE Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) has released the squads for the upcoming Celtic Challenge competition.
Ulster’s Sophie Barrett and Sadhbh McGrath will join the Clovers, whilst Brittany Hogan, Fiona Tuite, Maebh Clenaghan and Claire Boles will join the Wolfhounds.
Like last year, two teams will represent Ireland – the Clovers and the Wolfhounds. Players are selected from the centralised women’s programme based at the IRFU High Performance Centre, from the Women’s National Talent Squad pathway programme and also from the recent Vodafone Interprovincial Series and the Energia Women’s All Ireland League.
The Clovers will train out of Limerick with the Wolfhounds based at the IRFU High Performance Centre and Kingspan.
The expanded format of the league will see each team play five home and five away fixtures.
The opening weekend continues its promise of intense competition with a raft of home derbies with the Clovers and Wolfhounds kicking off their campaigns against each other on Sunday, December 22 in Energia Park before the rivalry is reignited the following week on December 28 in UCD.
Speaking about the competition, the IRFU’s Head of Women’s Performance & Pathways Gillian McDarby said: “The Celtic Challenge continues to be an important tournament in the development of players in the Irish system. We are looking forward to building on the success of last year’s competition which saw valuable game time given to emerging players.
“In order to develop depth for our national team we need young players to be getting experience in a high performance environment and the Celtic Challenge provides us with that.
“It also gives us a great opportunity to develop depth within our coaching system, the addition of former internationals Larissa Muldoon, Leah Lyons and Maz O’Reilly this year to the coaching ticket is brilliant.
“Additional players will be added to both squads after the opening rounds of the HSBC SVNS Series, as we build towards the 2025 Guinness Women’s Six Nations and Rugby World Cup.”
Claire Boles, Cliodhna Ni Chonchobhair and Aoife Dalton ©INPHO/Tom Maher
Clovers Squad:Alana McInerney (UL Bohemian RFC)Aoibhe O’Flynn (UL Bohemian RFC)Aoife Corey (UL Bohemian RFC)Beth Buttimer (UL Bohemian RFC)Brianna Heylmann (UL Bohemian RFC)Caitriona Finn (UL Bohemian RFC)Chisom Ugwueru (UL Bohemian RFC)Deirbhile Nic A Bhaird (Old Belvedere RFC)Eabha Nic Dhonnacha (UL Bohemian RFC)Ella Burns (Tuam Oughterard)Emily Gavin (Railway Union RFC)Enya Breen (Blackrock College RFC)Faith Oviawe (Railway Union RFC)Grace Brown Moran (Galwegians RFC)Grainne Burke (UL Bohemian RFC)Grainne Moran (Galwegians RFC)Jane Clohessy (UL Bohemian RFC)Jane Neill (Old Belvedere RFC)Kate Flannery (UL Bohemian RFC)Lucia Linn (UL Bohemian RFC)Meabh Deely (Blackrock College RFC)Muirne Wall (UL Bohemian RFC)Nicole Fowley (Galwegians RFC)Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere RFC)Sadhbh McGrath (Cooke RFC)Saoirse Crowe (Shannon RFC)Shirley Bailey (Ballincollig RFC)Siobhan McCarthy (Railway Union RFC)Sophie Barrett (Enniskillen RFC).
Wolfhounds Squad:Alma Atagamen (Balbriggan RFC)Anna Doyle (Blackrock College RFC)Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC)Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College RFC)Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC)Caoimhe Molloy (Wicklow RFC)Cara Martin (Blackrock College RFC)Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC)Ciara Short (Wicklow RFC)Claire Boles (Railway Union RFC)Cliondhna Ni Choncobhair (Blackrock College RFC)Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC)Ella Roberts (Wicklow RFC)Ellie O’Sullivan Sexton (Old Belvedere RFC)Erin McConnell (Wicklow RFC)Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC)Jade Gaffney (Old Belvedere RFC)Katie Heffernan (Railway Union RFC)Katie Whelan (Old Belvedere RFC)Leah Tarpey (Railway Union RFC)Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC)Maebh Clenaghan (Queen’s University RFC)Molly Boyne (Railway Union RFC)Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere RFC)Poppy Garvey (Railway Union RFC)Sarah Delaney (Blackrock College RFC)Tricia Boyle (Railway Union RFC)
