Wolfhounds And Clovers Teams Named For Round 3 Of Celtic Challenge

Round 3 of the Celtic Challenge takes place across Saturday and Sunday, with both the Wolfhounds and the Clovers playing their first matches outside of Ireland in this season’s competition.

Coached by Neill Alcorn and captained by Ireland star Aoife Dalton, the table-topping Wolfhounds will run out at Hive Stadium on Saturday (kick-off 3pm) to take on Edinburgh Rugby, whom they beat 34-7 in the opening round before Christmas.

Head coach Alcorn has three changes in personnel, the two up front seeing Wicklow’s Caoimhe Molloy start at looosehead prop, and Sligo native Poppy Garvey joins Maeve Óg O’Leary and the fit-again Erin King in the back row.

Ulster’s Niamh Marley comes into the back-three, starting on the right wing in her first Celtic Challenge appearance since February 2024. She came back from an ACL injury to play in this season’s Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship.

Meanwhile, the fourth-placed Clovers are in action in Wales on Sunday afternoon, lining out against a Brython Thunder team still looking for their opening win of the 2025/26 campaign.

For the clash at Cardiff Arms Park (kick-off 12pm), head coach Denis Fogarty has made four changes, the most notable of which will see Aoibheann McGrath (pictured above) and Lucia Linn making their first Celtic Challenge starts.

Ballincollig forward McGrath is set to pack down alongside Jane Clohessy in the second row, with Dunmore youngster Ella Burns replacing Siobhán McCarthy who started at loosehead in last week’s 24-7 derby defeat to the Wolfhounds.

The 20-year-old Linn will combine with Galwegians’ Niamh Murphy in a new-look centre pairing, while Ireland international Méabh Deely gets the nod at full-back in an all-Connacht back-three.

In a talented young back-line led by Cork woman Emily Lane, Béibhinn Parsons’ absence on the right wing is covered by the versatile Anna McGann.

Both games involving the Irish teams will be live on the TG4 Player, with separate coverage on the Celtic Challenge YouTube channel and the BBC iPlayer.

Celtic Challenge: Player Rankings – Top Tens

WOLFHOUNDS Team & Replacements (v Edinburgh Rugby, Hive Stadium, Saturday, January 10, kick-off 3pm):

15 – Stacey Flood (Leinster)
14 – Niamh Marley (Ulster)
13 – Aoife Dalton (Leinster) (capt)
12 – Eve Higgins (Leinster)
11 – Maggie Boylan (Leinster)
10 – Dannah O’Brien (Leinster)
9 – Aoibheann Reilly (Connacht)
1 – Caoimhe Molloy (Leinster)
2 – India Daley (Ulster)
3 – Sophie Barrett (Ulster)
4 – Kate Jordan (Leinster)
5 – Naoise Smyth (Leinster)
6 – Poppy Garvey (Connacht)
7 – Maeve Óg O’Leary (Munster)
8 – Erin King (Leinster)

Replacements:

16 – Maebh Clenaghan (Ulster)
17 – Cara McLean (Ulster)
18 – Alisha Flynn (Munster)
19 – Fiona Tuite (Ulster)
20 – Aoife Corcoran (Leinster)
21 – Katie Whelan (Leinster)
22 – Megan Burns (Leinster)
23 – Abby Moyles (Ulster)

CLOVERS Team & Replacements (v Brython Thunder, Cardiff Arms Park, Sunday, January 11, kick-off 12pm):

15 – Méabh Deely (Connacht)
14 – Anna McGann (Connacht)
13 – Niamh Murphy (Leinster)
12 – Lucia Linn (Munster)
11 – Emily Foley (Connacht)
10 – Caitríona Finn (Munster)
9 – Emily Lane (Munster) (capt)
1 – Ella Burns (Connacht)
2 – Beth Buttimer (Munster)
3 – Sadhbh McGrath (Ulster)
4 – Aoibheann McGrath (Munster)
5 – Jane Clohessy (Munster)
6 – Rosie Searle (Leinster)
7 – Faith Oviawe (Connacht)
8 – Jemima Adams Verling (Connacht)

Replacements:

16 – Emma Dunican (Munster)
17 – Orlaith Morrissy (Munster)
18 – Hannah Coen (Connacht)
19 – Amelia Green (Munster)
20 – Annakate Cournane (Munster)
21 – Gráinne Moran (Connacht)
22 – Lyndsay Clarke (Munster)
23 – Aoife Corey (Munster)