Connacht Women’s Cup & Plate Finals

Buccaneers face Tuam in the Connacht Women's Cup final at the Sportsground on Sunday.

Buccaneers and Tuam face off in the final of the Connacht Women’s Cup at the Sportsground on Sunday at 3pm with the Plate final between Carrick and Castlebar kicking off at 1pm.

The teams have been named for the Cup final with very little to choose between Buccs and Tuam.

Going on their form in the Connacht Junior League, Tuam would be favourites with three wins from six while Buccaneers have yet to record a victory.

Tuam won 27-15 when the sides clashed in November and beat Carrick 18-5 in the semi-final to reach the decider thanks to tries from captain Amanda Kelly, Pamela Devaney, and two penalties and a conversion from the boot of out-half Emma Keane.

Number 8 Marian Sheridan is one to watch for Tuam having starred for the Connacht Women’s team during the Interprovincial Series.

Opponents Buccs have trained diligently under coaches Sean Byrne and Ger Fallon all season and are raring to reverse that loss to Tuam.

Experienced scrum-half Niamh Gough captains the team and Buccs earned their place in the final thanks to a 24-12 victory in Castlebar.

Both teams would benefit from big numbers out in support at the Sportsground as they seek to claim the Connacht Women’s Cup.

Buccaneers: Susan Earner; Shannon Hennessey, Hazel Kilduff, Sabina Egan, Aileen Hayes; Emma O'Brien, Niamh Gough (C); Ciara Malone, Tracey Finnerty, Sarah Kelly; Gohar Kostanyan, Andrea Antonisson; Lorna Stuart Trainor, Antoinette Kemmy, Alex Hennessey.

Replacements: Katy Ryan, Lizzie Flynn, Dona Cromar, Judy Dowling, Anna McGann, Dearbhaile West, Niamh Ni Dhroma.

Tuam: Aine Sheridan; Nicola Kilgarriff, Deirdre Moroney, Pamela Devaney, Katie Tierney; Emma Keane, Andrea Donnellan; Petrina Devery, Shauna Cahill, Sarah Glynn; Catherina Kavanagh, Lorraine Bodkin; Elizabeth McNicholas, Edel Durkin, Marian Sheridan.

Replacements: Grainne Hamill, Kathryn Antweiller, Sandra Gunning, Fidelma Nunn, Miriam Durand, Amanda Kelly.

• women