Ten Munster Women Named For Spain

Ireland Women’s Head Coach Philip Doyle has named ten Munster players in his squad to take on Spain on Saturday, 20th January in Ashbourne RFC (ko 12pm).

Heather O’Brien, who captained Munster to claim the women’s interprovincial title last December has been selected in the forwards along with her Highfield colleague Laura Guest.

Fiona Hayes, Gillian Bourke and Joy Neville from UL Bohemians have also been named in the forwards panel along with Tralee’s Siobhan Fleming.

Munster’s Ashling Hutchins, Niamh Briggs, Niamh Kavanagh and Nicole Fitzgerald, all from UL Bohemian, have been named in the backs.

The fixture is a warm-up match ahead of Ireland’s 2013 Six Nations Championship which begins away to Wales on 3rd February 2013.

IRELAND WOMEN'S Squad (v Spain, Ashbourne RFC, Sunday, January 20th, ko 12pm):

Backs (12) – Alison Miller (Connacht), Amy Davis (Ulster), Ashleigh Baxter (Ulster), Ashling Hutchings (Munster), Grace Davitt (Ulster), Jenny Murphy (Leinster), Larissa Muldoon (Exile), Lynne Cantwell (Exile), Niamh Kavanagh (Munster), Niamh Briggs (Munster), Nicole Fitzgerald (Munster), Shannon Houston (Leinster).

Forwards (14) – Ailis Egan (Leinster), Claire Molloy (Exile), Fiona Coghlan (Leinster) (capt), Fiona Hayes (Munster), Gillian Bourke (Munster), Heather O'Brien (Munster), Joy Neville (Munster), Laura Guest (Munster), Lauren Day (Exile), Leigh Dargan (Exile), Marie Louise Reilly (Leinster), Siobhan Fleming (Munster), Sophie Spence (Exile), Stacey-Lea Kennedy (Ulster).

Women’s Six Nations Fixtures

Sun, 3rd Feb 2013 Wales v Ireland, Talbot Athletic Ground, ko 12.00
Sat, 9th Feb 2013 Ireland v England, Ashbourne RFC, ko 13.30
Sat, 23rd Feb 2013, Scotland v Ireland, Lasswade, ko 14.00
Fri, 8th Mar 2013, Ireland v France, Ashbourne RFC, ko 19.30
Sun, 17th Mar 2013, Italy v Ireland, Parabiago, Milan, ko 14.30