Ladies' Rules panel taking shape

The Ireland panel for the first ever Ladies International Rules Series will be whittled down to 20 players after Saturday's final trial in Mullingar.

Ten further players will be added to the selection from the Cork and Armagh camps following the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies SFC final on October 1.

The Irish team, which is managed by former Armagh footballer Jarlath Burns, is to play two Tests against the visiting Australians - the first clash taking place on October 31 and the second just four days later.

Burns' fellow selectors include Kerry's Robbie Griffin, Pat Costello from Galway and Hayley Boyle from Armagh.

Having watched his players go through some extensive tests and trial games over the past weeks, Burns said: "Things are going great, the girls' fitness levels are superb, we are all very pleased with the effort the girls have put in over the last few weeks. It’s going to be very difficult to pick out just 20 players.

"The girls have bonded well and although there is a healthy level of competition within the squad, there is also a great sense of camaraderie and this is something that we will be looking to develop over the coming weeks."

IRELAND LADIES INTERNATIONAL RULES TRIAL PLAYERS:

Bronagh Sheridan (Cavan), Louise Henchy (Clare), Michaela Downey (Down), Sinead Aherne, Cliodhna O’Connor, Louise Kelly, Mary Nevin, Gemma Fay (all Dublin), Caroline Little (Fermanagh), Michelle Glynn, Patricia Gleeson, Lorna Joyce, Una Carroll, Annette Clarke, Aoibheann Daly, Niamh Fahey, Emer Flatherty, Anne-Marie McDonagh, Marie O’Connell (all Galway), Grainne Ni Fhlatharta, Sarah O'Connor, Patricia Dennehy (all Kerry), Brianna Leahy, Aisling Holden (both Kildare), Angela Casey, Patricia Fogarty, Mary Kirwan, Tracey Lawlor, Lorraine Muckian (all Laois), Meadhbh Nash, Dymphna O'Brien (both Limerick), Sharon Treacy (Longford), Christina Heffernan, Helena Lohan, Cora Staunton, Emma Mullin (all Mayo), Sinead Dooney, Irene Munnelly, Grainne Nulty, Jackie Shields, Mary Sheridan, Louise McKeever, Geraldine Doherty (all Meath), Catriona Brady, Christina Reilly, Niamh Kindlon (all Monaghan), Mairead Morrissey, Angie McDermott (both Tipperary), Maura Kelly, Lynda Donnelly, Siobhan M cGarvey (all Tyrone), Mary O’Donnell (Waterford), Laura Walsh (Westmeath), Leona Tector, Nikki Scallon (both Wexford)