PwC U-18 Girls Interpro Play-Offs Begin In Terenure

Captained by Creggs centre Sarah Purcell, Connacht come into the play-offs as the top seeds. Craig Hansberry’s well-drilled side went unbeaten during the round robin phase back in August and September.

Ailbe Gannon’s 67th-minute try was the match winner for the westerners against Leinster, securing a hard-fought 19-15 victory last time out. Having finished top of the table earlier in the season, they will play Ulster in today’s semi-finals in Terenure (kick-off 2.30pm).

There is a strong spread of clubs in Murray Houston’s Ulster squad, with 13 different teams represented. The province’s U-18 Youth League winners, Enniskillen, have Amanda Farrell at hooker, and Leah Irwin and Natalie Turner in the starting back-line.

Leinster and Munster meet in the opening semi-final clash (kick-off 12.30pm), with Eugene McCarthy’s young Reds eager to build on their 20-12 defeat of Ulster in their most recent Interprovincial game.

Ella Buckley, daughter of former Munster and Ireland prop Tony, packs down at tighthead this afternoon for Munster, while Caitriona Finn, Lyndsay Clarke, and Niamh Crotty, who were part of last summer’s Ireland U-18 Sevens squad, all feature in the backs division.

Navan winger Emma Brogan, another of the players with international experience, is one to watch in the Leinster ranks. She scored tries in each round last August and September, running in a hat-trick against Connacht to take her tally for the campaign to five.

PWC UNDER-18 GIRLS INTERPROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP:

Thursday, February 15 –

SEMI-FINALS:

LEINSTER v MUNSTER, Terenure College RFC, 12.30pm

LEINSTER: Sophie Cullen (Naas); Emma Brogan (Navan), Sadhbh Furlong (Greystones), Caoimhe McCormack (Mullingar), Clara Dunne (Wicklow); Abby Healy (Wicklow), Alex Connor (Navan); Kate Noons (Cill Dara), Avril Whittle (Portarlington), Lily Byrne (Skerries), Carla Cloney (Enniscorthy), Rebecca Brennan (Wicklow), Isobel O’Sullivan (Greystones), Aoife Corcoran (Coolmine), Usha Daly O’Toole (Gorey).

Replacements: Bronagh Boggan (Wexford Wanderers), Katie O’Driscoll (Suttonians), Emma Jane Wilson (Cill Dara), Alma Atagamen (Balbriggan), Sarah Moody (Greystones), Aoibhe Kelly (Tullamore), Meabh O’Hara (Mullingar), Sorcha Tierney (Tullamore).

MUNSTER: Meghan Crilly (Dolphin); Niamh Crotty (Dolphin), Lyndsay Clarke (Ennis), Niamh O’Mahony (Bandon/Ballincollig), Grace Kingston (Bantry Bay); Caitriona Finn (UL Bohemian/Ballina-Killaloe), Mia Hennelly (Ballina-Killaloe); Niamh McCarthy (Bantry Bay), Emma Dunican (Tralee/Killarney), Ella Buckley (Kanturk/Ballincollig), Sally Kelly (Ennis), Aoife Grimes (Shannon), Aoibheann McGrath (Dungarvan/Carrick-on-Suir), Clodagh O’Keeffe (Ballincollig) (capt), Ava O’Malley (Killarney).

Replacements: Muireann McCarthy (Bantry Bay), Tuathla Ryan (Ballina-Killaloe), Meghan Maher Daly (Shannon), Sadie Murphy (Ballincollig), Kiera Murphy (Dolphin), Orlaith Morrissey (Ballincollig), Fia Whelan (Killarney), Lily Byrne (Dolphin).

CONNACHT v ULSTER, Terenure College RFC, 2.30pm

CONNACHT: Aoife Heaney (Claremorris); Saoirse Lawley (Sligo), Sarah Purcell (Creggs) (capt), Siofra Hession (Creggs), Emily Foley (Ballina); Jemma Lees (Galway Corinthians), Grainne Moran (Ballina); Ciara Corrigan (Creggs), Uillin Eilian (Tuam/Oughterard), Ella Burns (Tuam/Oughterard), Catherine Fleming (Ballinasloe), Chloe Conneely (Tuam/Oughterard), Merisa Kiripati (Creggs), Ailish Quinn (Ballina), Jemima Adams Verling (Creggs).

Replacements: Louise Seoighe (Tuam/Oughterard), Amy Horan (Ballinrobe), Isabelle Quinn (Creggs), Alannah McKeigue (Ballinasloe), Aisling Whyte (Galway Corinthians), Katie McNamara (Loughrea), Shauna Walsh (Creggs), Meabh Flannery (Galway Corinthians).

ULSTER: Natalie Turner (Enniskillen); Aoibhín Smith (Virginia), Amy McConkey (Cooke), Leah Irwin (Enniskillen), Erin McConalogue (Inishowen); Nicole Campbell (City of Armagh), Megan Creighton (Malone); Grace Simati (Letterkenny), Amanda Farrell (Enniskillen), Sophie McAllister (Ballymena), Olivia McKinley (Banbridge), Anna-Rose McNally (Monaghan), Ruby Starrett (Larne) (capt), Laura Scott (Ards), Cara McLean (Ards).

Replacements: Aoife Prunty (Monaghan), Tess McFadden (Monaghan), Elinor van Lill (Virginia), Lucy Calvin (City of Armagh), Jessica Wilkinson (Ballymena), Julia Mulligan (Enniskillen), Caitlin Crowe (Cavan), Abi Carson (Malone).

Sunday, February 18 –

3RD-4TH PLACE PLAY-OFF, Buccaneers RFC, 1pm

FINAL, Buccaneers RFC, 3pm

–

GROUP STAGE RESULTS –

ROUND 1 – Saturday, August 19

MUNSTER 5 CONNACHT 13, Musgrave Park
LEINSTER 48 ULSTER 0, Energia Park

ROUND 2 – Saturday, August 26

CONNACHT 42 ULSTER 12, Galway Corinthians RFC
LEINSTER 41 MUNSTER 0, Energia Park

ROUND 3 – Saturday, September 2

ULSTER 12 MUNSTER 20, Ballymena RFC
CONNACHT 19 LEINSTER 15, Galway Corinthians RFC