Mayo trio makes Celtic Challenge squad
Connacht's Clara Barrett and Kayla Waldron have made the Celtic Challenge squad. Picture: INPHO/Ben Brady
The Clovers and Wolfhounds squads have been named for the Celtic Challenge and both teams will have a chance to impress in the opening match of the tournament which launches on Friday, December 29 in Musgrave Park.
The two Irish teams competing in this year’s competition will see two provinces combining namely; Connacht and Munster (Clovers), and Leinster and Ulster (Wolfhounds). In order to provide quality game time and positional cover, there will also be some crossover with the provincial players.
Geesala woman Clara Barrett and Westport duo Lily Brady and Eva McCormack have been selected on the Clovers squad. There are a total of nine Connacht players on the Clovers squad, while Ava Ryder is in the Wolfhounds squad.
Included in the squads are a mix of Ireland internationals and players from the Energia Women’s All-Ireland League.
The backroom teams for this season’s Celtic Challenge squads were recently announced as this year the tournament is expanded to include two teams from each Union with a total of six teams competing across the Celtic nations.
Gillian McDarby, the IRFU Head of Women’s Performance and Pathways, commented: “The Celtic Challenge is an integral tournament for the development of Women’s rugby players in Ireland and will play a significant role in the player pathway moving forward.
“Players named within the Clovers and Wolfhound squads have come through our rugby pathways. The Celtic Challenge competition provides players the opportunity to be exposed to a high performance training environment supported by our National Coaches and Management Teams. The competition structure will support their development and ensure that players are in the best position to compete in the Women’s Six Nations.”
This season’s tournament will span an 11-week period and will culminate on Sunday, March 3 2024, with all Irish home games played across three venues; Musgrave Park, Energia Park and Kingspan Stadium. The competition will adopt a new format which will be made up of five rounds.
Round 1 will see a derby day clash for the home Unions with their respective sides facing off for the first time.
The play-offs will be made up of three rounds, with each round being hosted by a Home Union as a double-header event. The fixtures, which will be determined by the regular round standings, will be the culmination of the competition’s most competitive fixtures as teams go head to head to be crowned this season’s winners.
Tickets for all home games can be purchased through provincial websites and Ticketmaster.
Lily Brady (UL Bohemians/Connacht) Clare Bennett (UL Bohemians/Munster) Beth Buttimer (UL Bohemians/Munster) Eilis Cahill (UL Bohemians/Munster) Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere/Leinster) Jane Clohessy (UL Bohemians/Munster) Brianna Heylman (UL Bohemians/Munster) Eva McCormack (UL Bohemians/Connacht) Sadhbh McGrath (Cooke/Ulster) Jane Neill (Galwegians/Leinster) Maeve Óg O’Leary (Blackrock/Munster) Niamh O'Dowd (Old Belvedere/Leinster) Róisín Ormond (Ballincollig/Munster) Faith Ovawie (Railway Union/Connacht) Shannon Touhey (Tullamore/Connacht) Dorothy Wall (Blackrock/Munster).
Clara Barrett (UL Bohemians/Connacht) Ellen Boylan (Blackrock/Munster) Aoife Corey (UL Bohemians/Munster) Nicole Cronin (UL Bohemians/Munster) Maebh Deely (Blackrock/Connacht) Aoife Doyle (Railway Union/Munster) Kate Flannery (UL Bohemians/Munster) Clare Gorman (Old Belvedere/Leinster) Ailsa Hughes (Railway Union/Leinster) Laoise McGonagle (UL Bohemians/Connacht) Alana McInerney (UL Bohemians/Munster) Michelle O’Driscoll (Ballincollig/Munster) Chisom Ugwueru (UL Bohemians/Munster) Kayla Waldron (Railway Union/Connacht)
Denis Fogarty (Head Coach), Niamh Briggs (Assistant Coach), Deirbhile Nic A Bhaird (Development Coach), Ciaran Purcell (Physio), Lorna Barry (S&C Coach) and Natalie Fox (Team Manager).
Wolfhounds v Clovers, Friday, December 29 2023, Musgrave Park – kick-off 4pm
Edinburgh Rugby v Wolfhounds, Saturday, January 6 2024, Hive Stadium – kick off 2pm
Clovers v West Wales Saturday, January 6 2024, Energia Park – kick-off 2.30pm
Glasgow Warriors v Wolfhounds, Saturday, January 13 2024, Scotstoun Stadium – kick-off 2pm
Clovers v East Wales Sunday, January 14 2024, Musgrave Park – kick-off 1pm
Wolfhounds v West Wales, Saturday, January 27 2024, Kingspan Stadium – kick-off 7.30pm
Glasgow Warriors v Clovers, Saturday, January 27 2024, Scotstoun Stadium – kick-off 2pm
Wolfhounds v East Wales, Saturday, February 3, 2024, Energia Park – kick-off 2.30pm
Edinburgh Rugby v Clovers, Saturday, February 3 2024, Hive Stadium – kick-off 12.30pm
Saturday, February 17 2024, Scotstoun Stadium
Saturday, February 24 2024, Kingspan Stadium
Sunday, March 3 2024, Parc y Scarlets Stadium
