The senior women’s season is back, with the Bank of Ireland Invitational Cup getting underway this weekend.

The opening game sees Tuam/Oughterard welcoming OLBC on Saturday evening, while there is more Pool B action on Sunday, as Corinthians host Sligo at 1pm.

There are eight teams taking part in this year’s tournament and a full list of fixtures and pool standings is available here.

Cawley Cup and Curley Cup continue this weekend

In the men’s game, Westport and Monivea will be hoping to put disappointing opening day defeats behind them in the Bank of Ireland Cawley Cup when they face on Saturday.

Connemara and Tuam face off in the other game in Group B on Sunday at 2.30pm.

In the Bank of Ireland Curley Cup, Loughrea take on Carrick On Shannon in Group A, with both sides hoping to build on opening game bonus point victories.

Group B sees Ballinasloe RFC and University of Galway get their seasons underway, with games against Claremorris and Ballina on Sunday.

In Group C, Ballyhaunis face Tuam’s Curley Cup side on Friday evening. Meanwhile in Group D, Galwegians’ Curley Cup side face Corrib RFC on Saturday, while Oughterard host Ballinrobe on Sunday.

Full club fixtures can be found here.

This Saturday at the HPC in Dublin, Connacht U16s and U18s squads are in action in the 7s Inter Pro tournament. The tournaments gets underway at 10:30am

 

CONNACHT U18s TEAM 1

NAME/CLUB
Karly Tierney (C) – Tuam/Oughterard

Sarah McCormick – Ballina

Beibhinn Gleeson – Tuam/Oughterard

Hannah Clarke (VC) – Tuam/Oughterard

Eabha Nic Dhonncha – Corinthians

Clara Barrett – Ballina

Giselle Gallagher – Sligo

Evanna Finn – Corinthians

Eabha Dowd – Creggs

Mila Sotoparra –  Ballina

Cria Flannagan – Sligo

Emma Mitchell – Ballinasloe

 

CONNACHT U18s TEAM 2

NAME/CLUB
Eloise Clarke – Buccaneers

Ella Greene – Ballinasloe

Kayla Conway – Westport

Niamh Corless – Claremorris Colts

Jade Herry – Corinthians

Abbie Murray – Buccaneers

Laura Hastings – Tuam/Oughterard

Rachel Forkan – Tuam/Oughterard

Ellen O’Toole – Westport

Saoirse Quinn – Claremorris Colts

Natasha Deacy – Tuam/Oughterard

Katie Dwyer – Buccaneers

 

Aoife Gormley and Clionadh O’Sullivan (both Sligo), out of the tournament due to injury.

 

CONNACHT U16s TEAM 1

NAME/CLUB
Ailbhe Gannon – Oughterard

Ailish Quinn – Ballina

Aoibhinn Tynan – Buccaneers

Aoife Heaney – Claremorris

Catherine Fleming – Ballinasloe

Ceoladh Lydon – Tuam

Emer Collins – Ballina

Emily Foley – Ballina

Eva White – Sligo

Lea Walsh – Westport

Mollie Ronan – Sligo

Siofra Hession – Creggs

 

CONNACHT U16s TEAM 2

Ciara Power – Ballinasloe

Eabha Ni Choisdealbha – Corinthians

Emma Poland – Ballinasloe

Grainne Moran – Ballina

Isobel Phillips – Claremorris

Jemma Lees – Galwegians

Magdalen Ebalu – Corinthians

Meabh Golding – Claremorris

Merisa Kiripati – Buccaneers

Rebecca Hastings – Galwegians

Sara Kenneally – Galwegians

Siomha McNulty – Claremorris

 

Fixture List:

U18s Fixtures – All games on pitch 2

QF1 – Leinster 1 v  Ulster 2 – 11am

QF2 – Connacht 1 v Connacht 2 – 11:22am

QF3 – Ulster 1 v Leinster 2 – 11:44am

QF4 – Munster 1 v Munster 2 – 12:06pm

 

Lunch and Break – 12:28pm

 

5^th place SF – L QF1 v L QF3 – 1:43pm

5^th place SF – L QF2 v L QF4 – 2:05pm

 

Cup SF – W QF1v W QF3 – 2:27pm

Cup SF – W QF2 v W QF4 – 2:49pm

 

Break – 3:11pm

 

7^th place play-off – 4:11pm

5^th place play-off – 4:33pm

3^rd place play-off – 4:55pm

Cup Final – 5:17pm

 

U16s Fixtures – All games on pitch 1

QF1 – Leinster 1 v Ulster 2 – 10:30am

QF2 – Munster 1 v Munster 2 – 10:52am

QF3 – Connacht 2 v Leinster 2 – 11:14am

QF4 – Connacht 1 v Ulster 1 – 11:36am

 

Lunch and Break – 11:58am

 

5^th place SF – L QF1 v L QF3 – 1:13am

5^th place SF – L QF2 v L QF4 – 1:35am

 

Cup SF – W QF1 v W QF3 – 1:57pm

Cup SF – W QF2 v W QF4 – 2:19pm

 

Break – 2:41pm

 

7^th place play-off – 3:41pm

5^th place play-off – 4:03pm

3^rd place play-off – 4:25pm

Cup Final – 4:47pm

 

Corinthians hosted the third Girls Mini Blitz last weekend, with eight clubs represented on the day.
 
Players from Galwegians, Loughrea, Tuam, Oughterard, Portumna, Sligo, Claremorris, Corinthians and Gort came together and played some great rugby.
 
Wendy Hickey, Connacht Women’s Development Officer, was delighted with day. “Girls Only sections are the only way to increase participation at mini level as players really enjoy playing against other girls! A huge thank you to Jonathan Kay and Corinthians RFC for coordinating the day, to all the coaches, players, referees and parents for all their support, and to John Howard from Gort RFC for all the great pics!”
 
The next blitz is on Dec. 8th in Galwegians RFC, kick off 10:30. Any queries, please contact [email protected]
 
See below for some of the best pics from Corinthians at the weekend.
 

The Connacht Women’s management team have named their team for Saturday’s opening inter-provincial series tie against Munster.

The side will be captained by Grainne Egan who’s joined in the back row by Edel McMahon and Nichola Fryday. Vice-captain Laura Feely starts in the front row alongside Ciara O’Connor and Annmarie O’Hora, and the pack is completed by Nicola Caldbeck and Amelie Roux in the second row.

The half-back partnership sees scrum-half Mary Healy play alongside fly-half Nicole Fowley, with Shannon Touhy and Catherine Martin named as centres. The back three sees wingers Orla Dixon and Rachel Healy alongside full-back Jill Draper

Kick-off at Irish Independent Park, Cork is at 2.30pm on Saturday, the squad’s only one home game of the series with ties against Leinster (Sunday 9th September) and Ulster (Saturday 15th September) to follow at The Sportsground.

CONNACHT WOMEN STARTING XV VS MUNSTER
1. Laura Feely (vice captain) – Galwegians
2. Ciara O’Connor – Galwegians
3. Annmarie O’Hora – Castlebar / Galwegians
4. Nicola Caldbeck – Tullow
5. Amelie Roux – Galwegians
6. Edel McMahon – Galwegians
7. Grainne Egan (captain) – Railway Union
8. Nichola Fryday – Galwegians
9. Mary Healy – Galwegians
10. Nicole Fowley – Galwegians
11. Orla Dixon – NUIG
12. Shannon Touhy – Galwegians
13. Catherine Martin – Suttonians
14. Rachel Healy – Railway Union
15. Jill Draper – Tullamore

16. Moya Griffin – Tullamore
17. Elizabeth McNicholas – Tuam
18. Julia Bauer – Suttonians
19. Denise Redmond – Galwegians
20. Tara Buggie – NUIG
21. Shannen Lane – Galwegians
22. Hilary Griffin – Tullow
23. Mairead Coyne – Galwegians

Extended Squad

Aifric O’Brien – Suttonians
Clodagh Dunne – Old Belvedere
Ellen Taite – Mullingar
Jane O’Neill – Old Belvedere
Lauren Retig – Suttonians
Racheal O’Brien – UL Bohemians
Sarah Jane Fox – Galwegians
Tracey Foley
Ursuala Sammon – Castlebar / Galwegians

Management Team
Jarleth Naughton (Head Coach
Jason East (Forwards Coach)
Brian Murphy (Backs Coach)
Dan McCabe (Physio)
Mark Moran (Manager)