Irish arrive in Nice for Celtic Cup clashes

IRELAND’S senior women’s squad touched down in Nice, France yesterday ahead of this weekend’s Celtic Cup tournament, knowing many are in the last-chance saloon as they bid to secure a place in the squad for next month’s World Cup qualifier in Chile.

With a test series against Italy over Easter the last set of preparation matches for the trip to South America, a number of players will view this tournament as their final chance to convince national coach Gene Muller of their worth.

Chief among them is UCC skipper Audrey O’Flynn, who earned her first cap against Belgium earlier this year and is handed another chance to compete for a defensive berth in a squad that boasts an average of 63 caps.