FIXTURES
Round 2: Saturday 15 August
Munster v Ulster, Virgin Media Park at 2:30pm
Leinster v Connacht, Energia Park at 4:30pm
TV
Watch all eight games on the Spórt TG4 YouTube channel.
Online
Match reports on RTÉ News App and on rte.ie/sport.
Round two of the Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship takes place on Saturday as Munster go in search of a spot in the final with a game to spare. Meanwhile, in the later fixture Leinster and Connacht battle it out in a semi-final clash in all but name, where the home side must win to keep their title chances alive.
Last weekend was poised to be two of the narrowest contests of the series, but proved to be anything but in what was a repeat of finals day from 2025. Defending champions Munster blew their arch rivals Leinster out of the water in a 20-point victory, and that was followed with Connacht edging past Ulster in the Affidea Stadium.
Those results mean that a bonus point win for Munster guarantees a return to the final, while a Connacht win of any kind would see them progress also, making it a finely poised weekend in store.
Munster v Ulster
Matt Brown’s squad welcome Ulster down to Cork in the first of Saturday’s double-header knowing exactly what is at stake. Win and in.
His squad have now won eight of their last nine games in the tournament, dating back to the start of the 2024 edition, as they slowly begin to dominate proceedings. Yet, if they are to become the all-conquering province, they will feel the need to bag another title.
Saturday’s showdown with Ulster, is likely to present Brown with an opportunity to rotate, with many of his Ireland internationals still being eased back into action. That same challenge is being faced by Ulster head coach Murray Houston, who himself has to balance the minutes of influential duo Sadhbh McGrath and Fiona Tuite-O’Sullivan, among others.
Munster will enter this game as heavy favourites, given their superior record against their northern foes, but if 2025 is anything to go by, Ulster have the tools to cause serious headaches.
Munster: Aoife Corey (capt); Katie Corrigan, Alana McInerney, Lucia Linn, Chisom Ugwueru; Enya Breen, Emily Lane; Siobhan McCarthy, Beth Buttimer, Eilís Cahill; Jane Clohessy, Aoibhe O’Flynn; Clodagh O’Halloran, Sally Kelly, Grace Moore.
Replacements: Emma Dunican, Tuathla Ryan, Alisha Flynn, AnnaKate Cournane, Ava O’Malley, Abbie Salter-Townshend, Caitríona Finn, Andrea Murphy.
Ulster: Niamh Marley; Katie Gilmour, Caitlin Crowe, Lucy Thompson, Ciara Fitzsimons; Abby Moyles, Rachael McIlroy; Sadhbh McGrath, India Daley (capt), Sophie Barrett; Fiona Tuite-O’Sullivan, Rebecca Beacom; Moya Hill, Christy Hill, Claire Boles.
Replacements: Maebh Clenaghan, Sarah Roberts, Ava Fannin, Olivia McKinley, Stacey Sloan, Georgia Boyce, Leah Irwin, Ella Durkan.
Katie Whelan makes a break in last year’s game
Leinster v Connacht
There is a de facto knock-out tie in the evening slot when Leinster entertain Connacht at Energia Park in Donnybrook. Fresh from their win in Belfast a week prior, Connacht will be hoping to pull of a major shock and return to the final for the first time since 2019.
Craig Hansberry’s squad squeaked over the line against Ulster a week ago but will be emboldened by opportunity at stake, and the fine form of last week’s player of the match Meabh Deely and he Ireland colleague Anna McGann, who grabbed a brace on her return to action in round one.
As for Leinster, the home side will be keen to steady the ship after an underwhelming performance in Cork. Despite boasting multiple test-capped debutants, the 2024 champions never got going and now find themselves in dire need of victory.
Connacht’s last victory in this fixture came as recently as 2023, when they turned over their friends from the east 18-17, and they will know that a similar result this weekend will see a return to the final day, with the added caveat of it being on home soil.
Leinster: Stacey Flood; Maggie Boylan, Aoife Dalton, Eve Higgins, Emma Tilly; Dannah O’Brien, Alex Connor; Hannah Wilson, Sarah Delaney (capt), Linda Djougang; Ruth Campbell, Nikki Gibson; Aoife Corcoran, Roisín Kinch, Erin King.
Replacements: Emma Jane Wilson, Caoimhe Molloy, Shona White, Regan Casey, Kathy Baker, Katie Whelan, Niamh Murphy, Robyn O’Connor.
Connacht: Clara Barrett; Alanna Fitzpatrick, Anna McGann, Lyndsay Clarke, Emily Foley; Meabh Deely, Aoibheann Reilly (co-capt); Ella Burns, Stacy Hanley, Lily Morris; Faith Oviawe, Poppy Garvey; Emma Kelly, Ailish Quinn (co-capt), Jemima Adams Verling.
Replacements: Jess Keating, Éabha O’Mahoney, Hannah Rapley, Emma Fabby, Olivia Tallon, Gráinne Moran, Siofra Hession, Clare Gorman.