Team News | Munster Side Named For Interpro Opener Against Connacht

The Munster team has been named for Sunday’s Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship Round 1 clash against Connacht at Virgin Media Park (4.15pm), live on TG4 YouTube.

Tickets are available here. 

In total there are eight changes to the starting XV which lost out to Leinster in last year’s Interpro final, including three debuts.

Up front, Gráinne Burke and Saoirse Crowe start at loosehead and hooker, respectively, in what will be their first senior appearances for Munster. They will be joined in the front-row by the experienced Eilís Cahill who starts at tighthead.

Aoibhe O’Flynn, who makes her first start, and Claire Bennett start in the second-row with Brianna Heylmann, captain Maeve Óg O’Leary and Chloe Pearse taking their place in a powerful back-row. O’Leary, who underwent two knee surgeries last year, makes her first appearance for Munster since the historic clash against the Barbarians at Thomond Park in September 2023.

Abbie Salter-Townshend and Caitriona Finn will make their first senior starts for Munster at scrum-half and out-half while there is a familiar centre pairing of Stephanie Nunan and Alana McInerney.

Chisom Ugwueru and Lyndsay Clarke take up their place on the wings with Clarke set for her senior debut while the experienced Aoife Corey starts at full-back.

Among the replacements, there is a mixture of youth and experience with Aoife Fleming, Lily Morris, Eve Prendergast and Orna Moynihan in line for their first senior Munster appearances. Fleming, Ciara McLoughlin, Morris, Jane Clohessy and Annakate Cournane provide the forward cover with Prendergast, Kate Flannery and Moynihan covering the backs.

Captain Maeve Óg O’Leary said, “I just can’t wait to get on the field to show what we have been working on. The key thing for us will be to get performances, string them together and yeah, I’m really excited to see what this squad can do.”

Head Coach Matt Brown said, “I think we’re just going to focus on performance for this weekend. Go as hard as we can and try to put things on the pitch that we’ve worked on in training. If it goes our way, great, but once we put a performance in that’s where we are trying to head and that’s how we framed this season. Get that first one done then just keep improving from there every session and every game.”

Munster Team To Face Connacht

15. Aoife Corey (UL Bohemian RFC) (12)

14. Lyndsay Clarke (Ennis RFC)*

13. Alana McInerney (UL Bohemian RFC) (14)

12. Stephanie Nunan (UL Bohemian RFC) (15)

11. Chisom Ugwueru (UL Bohemian RFC) (8)

10. Caitriona Finn (UL Bohemian RFC) (3)

9. Abbie Salter-Townshend (UL Bohemian RFC) (5)

1. Gráinne Burke (UL Bohemian RFC)*

2. Saoirse Crowe (Shannon RFC)*

3. Eilís Cahill (UL Bohemian RFC) (12)

4. Aoibhe O’Flynn (UL Bohemian RFC)  (5)

5. Claire Bennett (UL Bohemian RFC) (14)

6. Brianna Heylmann (UL Bohemian RFC) (6)

7. Maeve Óg O’Leary (C) (Blackrock College RFC) (11)

8. Chloe Pearse (UL Bohemian RFC) (33)

Replacements: 

16. Aoife Fleming (Ballincollig RFC)*

17. Ciara McLoughlin (UL Bohemian RFC) (4)

18. Lily Morris (Ballincollig RFC)*

19. Jane Clohessy (UL Bohemian RFC) (9)

20. Annakate Cournane (Shannon RFC) (3)

21. Eve Prendergast (Ballincollig RFC)*

22. Kate Flannery (UL Bohemian RFC) (12)

23. Orna Moynihan  (Ennis RFC)*