Extended Connacht Squad Confirmed Ahead Of Women’s Interpros

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.

CONNACHT SENIOR WOMEN’S EXTENDED SQUAD – 2025/26 SEASON:

Backs (27) –

Clara Barrett (UL Bohemian RFC)
Molly Boote (Tuam/Oughterard RFC)
Hannah Clarke (Galwegians RFC) ^
Méabh Deely (Blackrock College RFC) ^
Orla Dixon (Galwegians RFC)
Gemma Faulkner (Galwegians RFC)
Evanna Finn (Southeast Galway Warriors/Galwegians RFC)
Emily Foley (Galwegians RFC)
Nicole Fowley (Galwegians RFC) ^
Ailbhe Gannon (Tuam/Oughterard RFC)
Aoife Heaney (Claremorris RFC) *
Rhiann Heery (Railway Union RFC)
Siofra Hession (Creggs RFC)
Saoirse Kelly (Westport RFC)
Laoise McGonagle (UL Bohemian RFC)
Gráinne Moran (Galwegians RFC)
Orna Murphy (Sligo Rugby)
Fódhla Ní Bhraonáin (Tuam/Oughterard RFC)
Éabha Nic Dhonnacha (UL Bohemian RFC)
Sinead O’Brien (Galwegians RFC)
Holly O’Dwyer (OLBC/Galway Corinthians RFC/Galwegians RFC)
Beibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College RFC) ^
Sarah Purcell (Galwegians RFC)
Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College RFC) ^
Ava Ryder (Blackrock College RFC)
Kayla Waldron (Railway Union RFC)
Aisling Whyte (Southeast Galway Warriors)

Forwards (29) –

Jemima Adams Verling (Creggs RFC)
Lily Brady (Westport RFC/UL Bohemian RFC)
Grace Browne Moran (Galwegians RFC)
Ella Burns (Tuam/Oughterard RFC/Galwegians RFC)
Dearbhla Canty (Galwegians RFC)
Hannah Coen (Creggs RFC)
Megan Collis (Railway Union RFC)
Ellen Connolly (Galwegians RFC)
Uillin Eilian (Tuam/Oughterard RFC) *
Orla Fenton (Galwegians RFC)
Catherine Fleming (Southeast Galway Warriors/Galwegians RFC)
Poppy Garvey (Railway Union RFC)
Beibhinn Gleeson (Tuam/Oughterard RFC)
Stacy Hanley (Galwegians RFC)
Grace Kellett (Westport RFC)
Ivana Kiripati (Creggs RFC) ^
Merisa Kiripati (Creggs RFC)
Hope Lowney (MU Barnhall RFC)
Róisín Maher (Galwegians RFC)
Eva McCormack (UL Bohemian RFC)
Sarah McCormick (Galwegians RFC)
Edel McMahon (Exeter Chiefs) ^
Caoilfhionn Morrissey (Ennis RFC)
Faith Oviawe (Railway Union RFC) ^
Róisín Power (Ballinasloe RFC) *
Ailish Quinn (Galwegians RFC) ^
Hannah Rapley (Old Belvedere RFC)
Lesley Ring (Old Belvedere RFC)
Karly Tierney (Tuam/Oughterard RFC)

* Denotes development player

^ Denotes player involved in Ireland’s Rugby World Cup or Sevens squads