Pearse To Captain Munster Women For Interpro Campaign

Just over four months after leading UL Bohemian to Energia All-Ireland League glory, experienced forward Chloe Pearse has been selected as Munster’s captain for the Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship.

Munster are targeting a third Interprovincial title win in four seasons following their back-to-back successes when Matt Brown and Niamh Briggs had the coaching reins in 2021/22 and 2022/23 respectively.

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Fiona Hayes steps up as Munster’s head coach this season, having been in an assistant role for the last two campaigns, and the release of her 32-strong squad comes with confirmation of Pearse’s captaincy appointment.

The Munster Women are aiming for a strong start in next Saturday’s first round clash with Ulster at Virgin Media Park (kick-off 2.30pm – live on TG4/BBC iPlayer). Click here for ticket information.

Hayes’ side have back-to-back matches in Cork, renewing rivalries with defending champions Leinster a week later, before visiting Connacht in their last round robin fixture. The finals day will be hosted at Kingspan Stadium on Saturday, August 31.

Pearse, the 30-year-old Limerick native, was co-captain of the Munster squad back in 2019/20 alongside Eimear Considine, who is also part of the current group having recovered from her ACL injury.

Having torn her ACL last autumn, Deirbhile Nic a Bháird missed Ireland’s WXV3 and Guinness Women’s Six Nations tournaments, but her earlier-than-anticipated return from injury is set to provide both province and country with an early season boost.

Nic a Bháird, Enya Breen, and the Exeter-bound Dorothy Wall are three current Ireland internationals at Hayes’ disposal, while there are seven players included who featured for the Ireland Under-20s at the recent Six Nations Women’s Summer Series in Parma.

Talented teenager Lucia Linn, a Dolphin RFC product who plays in England with Loughborough Lightning, is one of nine uncapped players that have made the cut, alongside the likes of Tralee hooker Emma Dunican and Ireland U-18 Sevens captain Caitriona Finn.

Pearse will be supported by her UL Bohs club-mate, Aoife Corey (pictured below), as vice-captain, but unfortunately Maeve Óg O’Leary has been ruled out of the Championship as she continues to work her way back from knee injuries.

Hayes has brought in seven development players to train in the senior set-up and gain valuable experience across the summer. Among them are Ennis/Kilrush duo Lyndsay Clarke and Aoibheann Hahessy, and Dungarvan lock/flanker Aoibheann McGrath.

Looking forward to kicking off the Interpros this coming weekend, Hayes said: “It’s been going well, we’ve been building really well. It’s kind of different this year, we’ve had the Under-20s away which is brilliant for them in the Six Nations Summer Series.

“You’re trying to amalgamate them back into the squad, but we’ve kept squad numbers quite high so sessions have been absolutely brilliant numbers-wise, and intensity has been up through the roof which is great to see.

“Looking at the skills I’ve seen on show since I’ve come into this role, there’s a lot of girls…I’ve been coaching AIL, and some of the girls have stepped up from Under-18 that I mightn’t have seen a lot of this year.

“Their skillset is something special. They’re training all year with that NTS (National Talent Squad), and you can really see it in how these girls are stepping up.

“Eimear getting back in, she’s been training all summer. It’s great to see her back having had the baby, and then having had an injury.

“She’s just lightning quick and what she offers those younger girls in experience and how she talks to them on the pitch is brilliant.

“Derv, what can you say about Derv? She’s always brilliant to have around any team, and there’s just quality there. Everyone is fighting hard for those starting spots. It’s that competition that is driving everyone on.”

MUNSTER WOMEN’S SQUAD (2024/25 Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship):

Backs (15) – Ellen Boylan (Blackrock College RFC), Maggie Boylan (Blackrock College RFC), Enya Breen (Blackrock College RFC), Eimear Considine (UL Bohemian RFC), Aoife Corey (UL Bohemian RFC) (vice-capt), Nicole Cronin (UL Bohemian RFC), Caitriona Finn (UL Bohemian RFC), Kate Flannery (UL Bohemian RFC), Lucia Linn (Loughborough Lightning/IQ Rugby), Alana McInerney (UL Bohemian RFC), Stephanie Nunan (UL Bohemian RFC), Michelle O’Driscoll (Ballincollig RFC), Abbie Salter-Townshend (UL Bohemian RFC), Chisom Ugwueru (UL Bohemian RFC), Muirne Wall (UL Bohemian RFC).

Forwards (17) – Claire Bennett (UL Bohemian RFC), Gráinne Burke (UL Bohemian RFC), Beth Buttimer (UL Bohemian RFC), Eilís Cahill (UL Bohemian RFC), Jane Clohessy (UL Bohemian RFC), Annakate Cournane (Shannon RFC), Emma Dunican (Tralee RFC), Brianna Heylmann (UL Bohemian RFC), Siobhán McCarthy (Gloucester-Hartpury), Ciara McLoughlin (UL Bohemian RFC), Ciara Monahan (UL Bohemian RFC), Deirbhile Nic a Bháird (Old Belvedere RFC), Ciara O’Dwyer (UL Bohemian RFC), Aoibhe O’Flynn (UL Bohemian RFC), Clodagh O’Halloran (UL Bohemian RFC), Chloe Pearse (UL Bohemian RFC) (capt), Dorothy Wall (Exeter Chiefs).

Development Players: Lyndsay Clarke (Ennis/Kilrush RFC), Niamh Crotty (Dolphin RFC), Saoirse Crowe (Shannon RFC), Aoife Fleming (Ballincollig RFC), Aoibheann Hahessy (Ennis/Kilrush RFC), Aoibheann McGrath (Dungarvan RFC), Rebecca Rogers (Ballina-Killaloe RFC).

2024/25 VODAFONE WOMEN’S INTERPROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP FIXTURES:

ROUND 1 –

Saturday, August 10

• Munster v Ulster, Virgin Media Park, 2.30pm
• Leinster v Connacht, Energia Park, 4.45pm

ROUND 2 –

Saturday, August 17

• Ulster v Connacht, Kingspan Stadium, 2.30pm
• Munster v Leinster, Virgin Media Park, 4.45pm

ROUND 3 –

Saturday, August 24

• Connacht v Munster, Dexcom Stadium, 2.30pm
• Ulster v Leinster, Kingspan Stadium, 4.45pm

FINALS DAY –

Saturday, August 31

• 3rd v 4th, Kingspan Stadium, 2.30pm
• 1st v 2nd, Kingspan Stadium, 4.45pm