Eimear Considine set for first Munster appearance in almost four years

Deirbhile Nic a Bháird also comes into the team to face Connacht at Musgrave Park on Saturday.

BACK: Eimear Considine training with Munster. Pic Credit ©INPHO/Ben Brady

Eimear Considine is set to make her first appearance for Munster since September 2019 as she has been selected to start against Connacht on Saturday.

Head Coach Niamh Briggs has named her team for their Women’s Interprovincial Championship Round 2 clash with Connacht at Musgrave Park (KO 3.15pm, live on TG4).

There are just two changes to the starting XV which earned a 41-14 win over Ulster in Round 1 as Considine and Deirbhile Nic a Bháird come into the side.

The front-row remains unchanged as Róisín Ormond packs down alongside Ciara Farrell and Fiona Reidy. Captain Dorothy Wall moves from the back-row to the second-row where she will partner Clodagh O’Halloran.

The back-row consists of Chloe Pearse, Maeve Óg O’Leary and Deirbhile Nic a Bháird. There is a settled look to the backline with Muirne Wall and Kate Flannery partnering at scrum-half and out-half while Stephanie Nunan and Alana McInerney also continue their centre partnership.

In the back-three, Stephanie Carroll and Aoife Doyle remain on the wings while Eimear Considine comes into the side at full-back.

Heather Kennedy and Beth Buttimer come onto the bench with 18-year-old Buttimer in line to make her Munster senior debut.

Munster: Eimear Considine (UL Bohemian RFC); Aoife Doyle (Railway Union RFC), Alana McInerney (UL Bohemian RFC), Stephanie Nunan (UL Bohemian RFC), Stephanie Carroll (Railway Union RFC); Kate Flannery (UL Bohemian RFC), Muirne Wall (UL Bohemian RFC); Róisín Ormond (Ballincollig RFC), Ciara Farrell (UL Bohemian RFC), Fiona Reidy (UL Bohemian RFC); Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College RFC) (c), Clodagh O’Halloran (UL Bohemian RFC); Chloe Pearse (UL Bohemian RFC), Maeve Óg O’Leary (Blackrock College RFC), Deirbhile Nic a Bháird (Old Belvedere RFC).

Replacements: Beth Buttimer (Fethard RFC / Carrick-on-Suir RFC / Thurles RFC), Eilís Cahill (UL Bohemian RFC), Claire Bennett (UL Bohemian RFC), Brianna Heylmann (UL Bohemian RFC), Jane Clohessy (UL Bohemian RFC), Abbie Salter-Townshend (UL Bohemian RFC), Ellen Boylan (Blackrock College RFC), Heather Kennedy (Ballincollig RFC).