PwC Under-18 Girls Interpros – Finals Day Previews

PwC Under-18 Girls Interpros: Standings & Top Scorers After Round 3

Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	Diff	TF	TA	TB	LB	Points
LEINSTER	3	3	0	0	114	41	+73	18	7	2	0	14
CONNACHT	3	2	0	1	53	71	-18	9	11	1	0	9
MUNSTER	3	1	0	2	54	34	+20	10	6	1	2	7
ULSTER	3	0	0	3	19	94	-75	3	15	0	0	0

PWC UNDER-18 GIRLS INTERPROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP 3RD-4TH PLACE PLAY-OFF:

Saturday, August 30 –

MUNSTER U-18 GIRLS (3rd) v ULSTER U-18 GIRLS (4th), UCD Thornfield astro pitch, 1pm

Munster Under-18 Girls head coach Damien Hicks has made some tweaks to the team that won 34-5 when visiting Affidea Stadium last weekend. Ulster struck first, but the young Reds responded with six unanswered tries.

Clonakilty’s Julie Finn is brought back in at scrum half for her third start of the competition. She scored Munster’s final try in Belfast, and will combine again with her club-mate Lani O’Donovan at half-back.

The back-three all crossed the whitewash in the third round, with Ennis winger Abi Kelly maintain her run of tries with her third in as many games. Lani O’Donovan and Lily Byrne, who captains Munster from inside centre, both played for the Ireland Under-18s earlier this year.

Erin Ridgway and Aine O’Rourke swap back in for Ciara O’Driscoll and Alice Buckley in the front row, with Ennis prop Aoife Martin, who beat five defenders the last day, an ever-present figure in the number 1 jersey.

Dolphin’s Kiera Murphy is the final change at openside flanker, coming in for her first start of the series. She was a co-captain with the South Munster team when they won the U18.5 Zara Horan Trophy at Thomond Park last season.

Hicks’ charges have been competitive in all three of their Interprovincial outings, falling on the wrong side of a narrow defeats, including a last-gasp loss away to Leinster. A similar performance to last week’s would be an ideal way for them to finish the campaign in Dublin.

Meanwhile, Erin Robinson and Julia Mulligan will direction operations from half-back for Ulster, as they did in the group stage against both Leinster and Connacht. Ballymoney’s Charlotte Thompson is the third change on the left wing.

Ulster U-18 Girls head coach Colm Finnegan has also reshuffled his starting pack, giving Malone’s Ella Moore her second start at tighthead prop. Lock Dearbhla Smith comes in as one of four Virginia players in the forwards.

Also in the engine room is Banbridge starlet Olivia McKinley, who gained experience with Ireland at the U-18 Women’s Six Nations Festival back in April. As Ulster’s co-captain, she has led the way with tries in the defeats to Leinster (36-7) and Connacht (24-7).

Myah Vance and Fainche Higgins are both promoted from the bench to join fellow Virgina representative Elinor van Lill in the back row. There are eight clubs represented among the replacements, including Cooke whose young scrum half Amy McConkey touched down against Munster.

MUNSTER U-18 GIRLS: Maria O’Donovan (Clonakilty RFC); Abi Kelly (Ennis RFC), Jo McCaughey (Clonakilty RFC), Lily Byrne (Dolphin RFC) (capt), Cora Miller (Waterpark RFC); Lani O’Donovan (Clonakilty RFC), Julie Finn (Clonakilty RFC); Aoife Martin (Ennis RFC), Erin Ridgway (Kinsale RFC/Dolphin RFC), Aine O’Rourke (Mallow RFC), Lisa O’Mahony (Ballincollig RFC), Laura Danaher (Scariff RFC), Elena O’Brien (Midleton RFC), Kiera Murphy (Dolphin RFC), Eliza Wiley Murphy (Scariff RFC).

Replacements: Ciara O’Driscoll (Clonakilty RFC), Maya McMahon (Clonakilty RFC), Alice Buckley (Kanturk RFC), Orlaith Grimes (Shannon RFC), Cailinn O’Brien (Garryowen FC), Sophie O’Riordan (Bruff RFC), Niamh O’Mahony (Ballincollig RFC), Alice O’Donovan (Bantry Bay RFC).

ULSTER U-18 GIRLS: Aoibhín Smith (Virginia RFC); Katelyn Magee (Enniskillen RFC), Caitlin Crowe (Cavan/Virginia RFC) (co-capt), Emily Irwin (Omagh Accies RFC), Charlotte Thompson (Ballymoney RFC); Erin Robinson (Ballymena RFC), Julia Mulligan (Enniskillen RFC); Orlaith Maguire (Enniskillen RFC), Alanna Scullion (Cooke RFC), Ella Moore (Malone RFC), Olivia McKinley (Banbridge RFC) (co-capt), Dearbhla Smith (Virginia RFC), Elinor van Lill (Virginia RFC), Myah Vance (Virginia RFC), Fainche Higgins (Cavan/Virginia RFC).

Replacements: Rachael Henderson (Clogher Valley RFC), Maddie Waddel (Donaghadee RFC), Jessica McFarlane (Limavady RFC), Rachel Easdon (Ophir RFC), Sophie Hamilton (Omagh RFC), Amy McConkey (Cooke RFC), Ciara Lewis (Malone RFC), Natalie Turner (Enniskillen RFC).

PWC UNDER-18 GIRLS INTERPROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL:

Saturday, August 30 –

LEINSTER U-18 GIRLS (3rd) v CONNACHT U-18 GIRLS (4th), UCD Thornfield astro pitch, 2.45pm

Both the Leinster and Connacht coaching teams elected to test out their strength in depth last week, with the presence of Sophia White, and returning Ireland Under-18 international Diana Izekor, helping Derek Maybury’s Blues to storm their way to a 59-19 win.

Both sides had already qualified for the Interprovincial final, so the result at Galway Corinthians RFC mattered little in the end, but Longford centre Izekor shone on her seasonal debut by scoring four of the visitors’ nine tries.

Maybury makes 11 personnel changes for tomorrow’s rematch as Leinster look the retain the title they won with a 17-14 final triumph over Connacht at Buccaneers RFC last September. They have five survivors from that match, including current captain Katieanne Bobbett.

Bobbett is the younger sister of former Ireland international Judy, and was involved in last year’s decider alongside Gráinne Cleary, Rebecca Cahill, Erin McFadden, and Mullingar prop Éabha O’Mahony.

White and the strong-running Izekor remain in the starting XV from last week, with White, the 2025 Championship’s leading points scorer with 23 points, joined by Jade Carroll in an all-Arklow half-back partnership.

Portlaoise winger Cahill is another player to look out for having scored three tries so far. In the forwards, there are positional switches for McFadden, last week’s captain who reverts to the second row, and Greystones’ Sophie O’Mahony who will occupy the blindside flanker berth.

Bobbett and Navan’s Emma O’Rourke complete a dynamic back row unit, while two of last Saturday’s try scorers in Galway, backs Maebh Ní Cholla and Isabella Larkin, are held back for impact roles this time around.

Meanwhile, Roisin O’Sullivan and Kate Gallagher, two of Connacht’s starters from last season’s final, feature again in the back-three as head coach Craig Hansberry almost completely changes his starting line-up for the second week running.

Tuam/Oughterard lock Juno Hayes is the only player to hold onto her starting place, while the back row brings experience of 2024 when co-captain Anna McDermott, Ruby Jennings, and Ballina number 8 Evie Kennedy were all involved.

The influential McDermott has scored two tries in the current campaign, a tally matched by winger Gallagher and sharp scrum half Kitty Fin Sweeney. Two more of last year’s squad, front rowers Ciara Corrigan and Cairinn Kearns, are also back for a second bite at the cherry.

Creggs’ Mia White has the reins at out-half, and Westport centre Ruth Conway is another key leader as co-captain. Hansberry’s side won their opening two encounters of the series, edging out Munster 10-5 in Cork, and breaking clear of Ulster at home for an eventual 24-7 success.

When Connacht beat Leinster 9-5 to win their last U-18 Interpro title in February 2024, current senior players Gráinne Moran, Emily Foley, Siofra Hession, Ella Burns, Jemima Adams Verling, and Ailish Quinn, the recent Ireland debutant, all started.

Buccaneers’ Sally Fleming, who drops back to the bench, was one of their most impressive performers in the third round, scoring a try, kicking two conversions, making 14 carries, and beating four defenders.

LEINSTER U-18 GIRLS: Gráinne Cleary (Mullingar RFC); Lily Harney (Naas RFC), Diana Izekor (Longford RFC), Sophie McDonagh (Tullamore RFC), Rebecca Cahill (Portlaoise RFC); Sophia White (Arklow RFC), Jade Carroll (Arklow RFC); Éabha O’Mahony (Mullingar RFC), Bobbi Cahill (Enniscorthy RFC), Lilly Murphy (Tullow RFC), Orlagh O’Brien (Mullingar RFC), Erin McFadden (Balbriggan RFC), Sophie O’Mahony (Greystones RFC), Katieanne Bobbett (Ashbourne RFC) (capt), Emma O’Rourke (Navan RFC).

Replacements: Alex O’Shea (MU Barnhall RFC), Molly Hennessy Murphy (New Ross RFC), Grace Cosgrove (Dundalk RFC), Muireann Foy (Mullingar RFC), Milita Valteryte (Dundalk RFC), Sloane Rangitaawa (Wicklow RFC), Maebh Ní Cholla (Tullamore RFC), Isabella Larkin (Longford RFC).

CONNACHT U-18 GIRLS: Roisin O’Sullivan (Ballinasloe RFC); Kate Gallagher (Ballina RFC), Esther Albert (Ballinasloe RFC), Ruth Conway (Westport RFC) (co-capt), Aoibh Morrow (Tuam/Oughterard RFC); Mia White (Creggs RFC), Kitty Fin Sweeney (Westport RFC); Isabel Lynott (Ballina RFC), Ciara Corrigan (Creggs RFC), Cairínn Kearns (Gort/Monivea RFC), Aoibhinn Lyons (Westport RFC), Juno Hayes (Tuam/Oughterard RFC), Ruby Jennings (Claremorris RFC), Anna McDermott (Ballinasloe RFC) (co-capt), Evie Kennedy (Ballina RFC).

Replacements: Millie Ager (Claremorris RFC), Holly Horkan (Westport RFC), Sharron Thornton (Tuam/Oughterard RFC), Orla Palasz (Westport RFC), Poppy Tunney Ware (Westport RFC), Maebh Smith (Claremorris RFC), Sally Fleming (Buccaneers RFC), Leah McNamara (Westport RFC).

PWC UNDER-18 GIRLS INTERPROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS/FIXTURES –

Sunday, August 10 –

Munster 5 Connacht 10, Virgin Media Park

Leinster 36 Ulster 7, Energia Park

Saturday, August 16 –

Connacht 24 Ulster 7, Galway Corinthians RFC

Leinster 19 Munster 15, Energia Park

Saturday, August 23 –

Connacht 19 Leinster 59, Galway Corinthians RFC

Ulster 5 Munster 34, Affidea Stadium

Saturday, August 30 –

3rd/4th Place Play-Off: Munster v Ulster, UCD Thornfield astro pitch, 1pm

Final: Leinster v Connacht, UCD Thornfield astro pitch, 2.45pm