Ivana Kiripati (right) with her sister Merisa (left) and mother Mele.

Local players set for Celtic Challenge action

Published:

There will be local involvement in this weekend's games in the Celtic Challenge rugby tournament - a cross-border competition between the IRFU and their Scottish and Welsh counterparts.

Two Irish teams are competing in the Celtic Challenge, with the Clovers squad drawn from Connacht and Munster players, while the Wolfhounds consist of players from Leinster and Ulster.

Athlone duo Ivana Kiripati and Faith Oviawe, both of whom previously played for Buccaneers, have been selected on the Clovers team.

Kiripati, who now plays for Tuam-Oughterard, has been picked at openside flanker with Railway Union's Oviawe in the second row. Ivana is a daughter of former Buccaneers star and head coach Kolo Kiripati.

Clovers play Brython Thunder from Wales tomorrow (Saturday), January 6 at Energia Park in Donnybrook (kick-off 2.30pm).

Faith Oviawe.

In addition, former Moate Community School student Aoife Dalton from Clara is on of the Wolfhounds team. Dalton is already an Irish senior international and she was chosen as Women’s Young Player of the Year at the 2023 Rugby Players Ireland Awards.

The Wolfhounds play Edinburgh on Saturday at the Hive Stadium in the Scottish capital (kick-off 2pm).

Clovers team:

15. Aoife Corey (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)

14. Alana McInerney (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)

13. Michelle O’Driscoll (Ballincollig RFC/Munster)

12. Kayla Waldron (Railway Union RFC/Connacht)

11. Clare Gorman (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)

10. Méabh Deely (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht)

9. Ailsa Hughes (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)

1. Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)

2. Beth Buttimer (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)

3. Sadhbh McGrath (Cooke RFC/Ulster) (captain)

4. Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)

5. Faith Oviawe (Railway Union RFC/Connacht)

6. Brianna Heylmann (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)

7. Ivana Kiripati (Tuam-Oughterard/Connacht)

8. Shannon Touhey (Tullamore RFC/Connacht).

Replacements:

16. Lily Brady (UL Bohemian RFC/Connacht)

17. Róisín Ormond (Ballincollig RFC/Munster)

18. Eilís Cahill (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)

19. Claire Bennett (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)

20. Jane Neill (Galwegians RFC/Leinster)

21. Abbie Salter-Townsend (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)

22. Kate Flannery (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)

23. Clara Barrett (UL Bohemian RFC/Connacht).

Wolfhounds team:

15. Ella Durkan (Blackrock College RFC/Ulster)

14. Natasja Behan (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)

13. Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)

12. Leah Tarpey (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)

11. Aimee Clarke (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)

10. Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)

9. Katie Whelan (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)

1. Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)

2. Sarah Delaney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)

3. Sophie Barrett (Enniskillen RFC/Railway Union RFC/Ulster)

4. Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster)

5. Eimear Corri (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)

6. Hannah O’Connor (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) (captain)

7. Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)

8. Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster).

Replacements:

16. Maebh Clenaghan (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster)

17. Aoife Moore (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)

18. Hannah Wilson (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)

19. Keelin Brady (Railway Union RFC/Ulster)

20. Éadaoin Murtagh (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)

21. Erin McConnell (Wicklow RFC/Leinster)

22. Nikki Caughey (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)

23. Niamh Marley (Dungannon RFC/Cooke RFC/Ulster).

Kieran Galvin
    Published: