Coached by Emer O'Dowd for the second successive year, Connacht are working with an extended squad as they build towards the upcoming Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship which starts on Sunday, August 10.
There are a total of 56 players named in today's squad announcement, primarly made up of the 44 players currently training with Connacht.
Three development players have been included from their U-18 Women's group, and nine players who are currently involved with either Ireland's Rugby World Cup preparations or the Sevens programme.
The number of Connacht players in Ireland's World Cup preparation squad has been increased with Faith Oviawe and Ailish Quinn (pictured below) both called up. Oviawe starred during last season's Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship with a five-try haul.
The pair are also part of O'Dowd's extended panel, while it is encouraging to see the inspirational Kayla Waldron feature on the list after undergoing two surgeries on the leg she broke during the 2024 Energia All-Ireland League Women's Division final.
Éabha Nic Dhonnacha, Eva McCormack, Clara Barrett, and Laoise McGonagle all play their club rugby with back-to-back AIL champions UL Bohemian, and Orla Dixon, the recently-crowned Connacht Women's Player of the Year, leads the contingent from Galwegians.
Connacht have another talented batch of Under-18 graduates eager for their first taste of senior Interprovincial rugby. They include Uillin Eilian, Merisa Kiripati, Róisín Power, Aoife Heaney, and Siofra Hession, who all played with the Ireland U-18s this year.
Eilian, Power, and Heaney (pictured below) are the three development players listed by the westerners. Mayo youngster Heaney made history during April's U-18 Women's Six Nations Festival by becoming the first Claremorris Colts player to play rugby for Ireland.
The likes of Gráinne Moran and Ella Burns made their Connacht senior debuts last August as 18-year-olds, as did Sarah Purcell and Jemima Adams Verling, the Connacht Women's Club Player of the Year.
There is also a strong Connacht representation in the Ireland U-20 Women's group that is taking part in this month's Six Nations Summer Series. Merisa Kiripati, Moran, Burns, Adams Verling, Poppy Garvey, Beibhinn Gleeson, Hannah Clarke, and Emily Foley are making the trip to Wales.
O'Dowd's Connacht side will kick off their 2025 Interprovincial campaign against Munster, last year's beaten finalists, at Virgin Media Park on August 10 (kick-off 4.15pm).
They then have back-to-back home matches at Dexcom Stadium, taking on Ulster on Saturday, August 16 (kick-off 4.15pm), and defending champions Leinster on Saturday, August 23 (kick-off 2.30pm).
The title winners and overall Championship placings will be confirmed during the finals day which will be held at Energia Park on Saturday, August 30.
The pair are also part of O'Dowd's extended panel, while it is encouraging to see the inspirational Kayla Waldron feature on the list after undergoing two surgeries on the leg she broke during the 2024 Energia All-Ireland League Women's Division final.
Éabha Nic Dhonnacha, Eva McCormack, Clara Barrett, and Laoise McGonagle all play their club rugby with back-to-back AIL champions UL Bohemian, and Orla Dixon, the recently-crowned Connacht Women's Player of the Year, leads the contingent from Galwegians.
Connacht have another talented batch of Under-18 graduates eager for their first taste of senior Interprovincial rugby. They include Uillin Eilian, Merisa Kiripati, Róisín Power, Aoife Heaney, and Siofra Hession, who all played with the Ireland U-18s this year.
Eilian, Power, and Heaney (pictured below) are the three development players listed by the westerners. Mayo youngster Heaney made history during April's U-18 Women's Six Nations Festival by becoming the first Claremorris Colts player to play rugby for Ireland.
The likes of Gráinne Moran and Ella Burns made their Connacht senior debuts last August as 18-year-olds, as did Sarah Purcell and Jemima Adams Verling, the Connacht Women's Club Player of the Year.
There is also a strong Connacht representation in the Ireland U-20 Women's group that is taking part in this month's Six Nations Summer Series. Merisa Kiripati, Moran, Burns, Adams Verling, Poppy Garvey, Beibhinn Gleeson, Hannah Clarke, and Emily Foley are making the trip to Wales.
O'Dowd's Connacht side will kick off their 2025 Interprovincial campaign against Munster, last year's beaten finalists, at Virgin Media Park on August 10 (kick-off 4.15pm).
They then have back-to-back home matches at Dexcom Stadium, taking on Ulster on Saturday, August 16 (kick-off 4.15pm), and defending champions Leinster on Saturday, August 23 (kick-off 2.30pm).
The title winners and overall Championship placings will be confirmed during the finals day which will be held at Energia Park on Saturday, August 30.