Ireland stars Dannah O'Brien (Leinster), Meabh Deely (Connacht), Meabh Óg O'Leary (Munster) and Mya Alcorn (Ulster) at the launch of the Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship. Photo: INPHO/Dan Sheridan

Connacht and Leinster name squads for women's interpro series

Kieran Galvin

Published: Wed 4 Jan 2023, 2:20 PM

Last updated: Thu 5 Jan 2023, 9:25 AM

Connacht have named a 37-player extended training squad for the upcoming Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship.

Fiona Scally from Summerhill, Athlone is among those named in the Connacht squad, but Ballinasloe native Béibhinn Parsons and Athlone's Anna McGann won't be involved due to their commitments with the IRFU Sevens programme.

Scally has represented Ireland in basketball and plays Gaelic football for Clann na nGael.

Meanwhile, Leinster have also named their final squad for the Women’s Interprovincial Championship, with former Moate Community School students Emma Kelly and Aoife Dalton included in the squad.

Kelly from Rosemount plays Gaelic football with Cill Óige LGFA and the UCD student has represented Westmeath at all levels. Kelly and Dalton, both of whom enjoyed considerable success in football during their time in Moate CS, play rugby for Tullamore RFC.

Connacht will take on Leinster in the first round of the Championship this Saturday, with a 2.30pm kick-off at Energia Park.

The squad are back on the road the following week with a trip to Kingspan Stadium to face Ulster on Saturday, January 14 with another 2.30pm start.

Connacht's sole home game follows on Saturday, January 21 for a 1pm kick-off at home to Munster at The Sportsground. Tickets are on sale now at connachtrugby.ie with free entry for all season ticket holders.

Looking ahead to the championship, Connacht head coach Lyndon Jones said: “It’s great that the games are finally here. The squad have been training really hard over Christmas so now it’s about putting all our hard work into practice over the next three weeks.

"Thanks to the ongoing work of our Women’s Emerging Talent programme we have seen a number of exciting young players come through the ranks in the 15 months since our last competitive game. A number of those are named in today’s squad.

"Unfortunately, the likes of Aoibheann Reilly and Rhiann Heery are unavailable through injury, while Beibhinn Parsons and Anna McGann are on the IRFU Sevens programme, but I feel we’ve still put together a really strong squad – which is a testament to all the hard work being done by both Connacht and the clubs in continuing to grow the Women’s game.

"We’ve just the one home game this year so I’d really encourage every rugby supporter in the province to come out and support the group on the 21st. It would be well deserved for these players after all their efforts and commitment the past few months.”

Connacht women's rugby squad

Forwards (22): Katelyn Bourke, Lily Brady, Grace Browne-Moran, Dearbhla Canty, Hannah Coen, Emma Fabby, Laura Feely, Orla Fenton, Emily Gavin, Stacy Hanley, Maria Kelleher, Jessica Loftus, Eva McCormack, Sonia McDermott, Elizabeth McNicholas, Lisa-Marie Murphy, Niamh O’Grady, Grainne O’Loughlin, Alana Roche, Fiona Scally, Mollie Starr, Karly Tierney.

Backs (15): Clara Barrett, Finola Collins, Mairead Coyne, Meabh Deely, Orla Dixon, Nicole Fowley, Maria Gorham, Olivia Haverty, Mary Healy, Laoise McGonagle, Eabha Nic Dhonnacha, Sarah O’Connell, Ava Ryder, Shannon Touhey, Kayla Waldron.

Management: Lyndon Jones – Head Coach; Jill O’Malley – Team Manager; Craig Hansberry – Forwards Coach; Emer O’Dowd – Assistant Coach; Diarmuid Codyre – Assistant Coach; Jim Herring – Video Analysis; Ann Caffrey – Strength & Conditioning; Andy Moran – Physio.

Leinster women's rugby squad

Ailsa Hughes – Tullamore RFC/Railway Union RFC; Alison Coleman – Blackrock College RFC; Anna Doyle – Tullow RFC/Blackrock College RFC; Aoife Dalton – Tullamore RFC/Old Belvedere; Aoife McDermott – Railway Union RFC; Carrie O’Keeffe – Suttonians RFC; Chloe Blackmore – Railway Union RFC; Christy Haney – St Mary’s College RFC/Blackrock College RFC (co-captain); Clare Gorman – Old Belvedere RFC; Clodagh Dunne – Gorey RFC/Old Belvedere RFC; Dannah O’Brien – Tullow RFC/Old Belvedere RFC; Eimear Corri – Portlaoise RFC/Blackrock College RFC; Elaine Anthony – Old Belvedere RFC; Elise O’Byrne-White – DUFC/Old Belvedere RFC; Ella Roberts – Wicklow RFC; Emma Kelly – Tullamore RFC/Old Belvedere RFC; Emma Murphy – Railway Union RFC; Emma Tilly – MU Barnhall RFC/Old Belvedere RFC; Hannah O’Connor – CYM RFC/Blackrock College RFC (co-captain); Jenny Murphy – Old Belvedere RFC; Jess Keating – Old Belvedere RFC; Katie Whelan – Enniscorthy RFC/Old Belvedere RFC; Lisa Callan – Railway Union RFC; Lisa Mullen – Virginia RFC/Blackrock College RFC; Mary Healy – Naas RFC/Suttonians RFC; Megan Collis – Greystones RFC/Railway Union RFC; Molly Boyne – DUFC/Railway Union RFC; Molly Scuffil McCabe – Westmanstown/Garda RFC/Railway Union RFC; Niamh O’Dowd – Old Belvedere RFC; Niamh Byrne – Railway Union RFC; Catherine Martin – Suttonians RFC.

2023 Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship fixtures

Round One (Saturday, January 7): Leinster v Connacht, Energia Park, 2.30pm (TG4); Munster v Ulster Musgrave Park, 4.45pm (TG4).

Round Two (Saturday, January 14): Munster v Leinster, Musgrave Park, 12:15pm (TG4); Ulster v Connacht, Kingspan Stadium, 2.30pm (BBC NI).

Round Three (Saturday, January 21): Connacht v Munster, The Sportsground, 1pm (TG4); Ulster v Leinster, Queen’s University Upper Malone, 5.30pm (BBC NI).