4 days ago
Maeve Óg O'Leary returns to Munster's starting XV for Connacht clash
Munster have made eight changes to their side that lost the Interpro final last year to Leinster and include three debutants.
Gráinne Burke and Saoirse Crowe make their first senior appearances in the front row and will be joined by the experience Eilís Cahill.
Aoibhe O'Flynn makes her first start in the second row alongside Claire Bennett.
Captain Maeve Óg O'Leary returns to the starting XV following two knee surgeries last year is making her first appearance since Munster's historic clash against the Barbarians in Thomond Park in September 2023. She joins Brianna Heylmann and Chloe Pearse in making up a powerful back row.
Abbie Salter-Townshend and Caitriona Finn make their first senior starts at scrum-half and out-half. Stephaine Nunan and Alana McInerney partner in the centre. Chisom Ugwueru and Lyndsay Clarke start on the wings, with Clarke making her senior debut, while Aoife Corey takes up the full-back position.
There is a mixture of youth and experience on the bench with Aoife Fleming, Lily Morris, Eve Prendergast and Orna Moynihan in line for their first senior Munster appearances.
Ella Burns, Lily Brady and Megan Collis make up the front row for Connacht. Poppy Garvey and Grace Browne Moran make up the second row with Beibhinn Gleeson, Lesley Ring and Jemima Adams Verling making up the pack.
Grainne Moran and Siofra Hession partner at out-half with captain Éabha Nic Dhonnacha and Orla Dixon in the centre. Ava Ryder and Emily will start on the wings with Clara Barrett at full back.
Meanwhile, Leinster take on Ulster in the second interpro clash. Molly Byrne will captain the side during the summer period and will be joined in the back row by debutant Ciara Short and Ireland U20 captain Jane Neill.
Clíodhna Ní Chonchobhair and Kate Jordan make up a new-look engine room with Aoife Moore, Katie Layde are joined by the returning Lisa Callen who missed last season through injury.
Jade Gaffney renews her partnership with Nikki Caughey in the half-backs with debutant Kathy Baker partnering with Cara Martin in midfield.
Emma Brogan and Maggie Boylan start on the wings with Caoimhe McCormack at full-back as all three are set for their first senior appearances.
Veterans Kelly Burke and Clodagh Dunne have been named on the bench alongside uncapped replacements Méabh Keegan, Rosie Searle, Emma Kelly, Erin McConnell, Ellie O'Sullivan-Sexton and Katie Corrigan.
Ulster captain India Daley is joined by Ruby Starrett and Katie Hetherington in the back row with Lauren Darley and Brenda Barr in the engine room. Sarah Roberts, Maebh Clenaghan and Sophie Barrett make up the front row.
Georgina Boyce joins Lauren Farrell McCabe while Tara O'Neill and Siobhan Sheerin partnering in the centre. Paige Smyth joins Lucy Thompson on the wings with Niamh Marley at full back.
MUNSTER (v Connacht): A Corey, L Clarke, A McInerney, S Nunan, C Ugwueru, C Finn, A Salter-Townshend; G Burke, S Crowe, E Cahill, A O'Flynn, C Bennett, B Heylmann, M Óg O'Leary (C), C Pearse.
Replacements: A Fleming, C McLoughlin, L Morris, J Clohessy, A Cournane, E Prendergast, K Flannery, O Moynihan.
CONNACHT (v Munster): C Barrett, E Foley, O Dixon, É Nic Dhonnacha (C), A Ryder, S Hession, G Moran; E Burns, L Brady, M Collis, P Garvey, G Browne Moran, B Gleeson, L Ring, J Adams Verling.
Replacements: S Hanley, H Coen, R Maher, A Quinn, C Morrissey, K Tierney, S O'Brien, F Ní Bhraonáin.
LEINSTER (v Ulster): C McCormack, E Brogan, K Baker, C Martin, M Boylan, N Caughey, J Gaffney; A Moore, L Callan, K Layde, C Ní Chonchobhair, K Jordan, C Short, M Boyne (C), J Neill.
Replacements: M Keegan, K Burke, C Dunne, R Searle, E Kelly, E McConnell, E O'Sullivan-Sexton, K Corrigan.
ULSTER (v Leinster): N Marley, L Thompson, S Sheerin, T O'Neill, P Smyth, L Farrell McCabe, G Boyce; S Roberts, M Clenaghan, S Barrett, L Darley, B Barr, R Starrett, K Hetherington, I Daley (C).
Replacements: M Simpson, C McLean, A Fannin, R Beacom, M Hill, R McIlroy, K McCormill, S Sloan.
