Clovers and Wolfhounds Celtic Challenge squads named

The Irish Rugby Football Union has named the Clovers and Wolfhounds squads for the cross-border Celtic Challenge competition which will start when they face each other in back-to-back fixtures on 22 and 28 December.

The expanded format of this year's competition will see teams play 10 fixtures - five at home and five away.

Ulster duo Sadhbh McGrath and Sophie Barrett have been named in the Clovers squad while the Wolfhounds panel includes Rugby Writers of Ireland player of the year Aoife Wafer.

The Clovers will train at University of Limerick while the Wolfhounds, who won last season's competition, will be based at the IRFU High Performance Centre in Dublin and Belfast's Kingspan Stadium.

The IRFU say more players will be added following the opening rounds of the SVNS Series, which began in Dubai last weekend.

You can find the full Celtic Challenge fixtures here.

Clovers squad

Alana McInerney (UL Bohemian RFC), Aoibhe O’Flynn (UL Bohemian RFC), Aoife Corey (UL Bohemian RFC), Beth Buttimer (UL Bohemian RFC), Brianna Heylmann (UL Bohemian RFC), Caitriona Finn (UL Bohemian RFC), Chisom Ugwueru (UL Bohemian RFC), Deirbhile Nic A Bhaird (Old Belvedere RFC), Eabha Nic Dhonnacha (UL Bohemian RFC), Ella Burns (Tuam Oughterard), Emily Gavin (Railway Union RFC), Enya Breen (Blackrock College RFC), Faith Oviawe (Railway Union RFC), Grace Brown Moran (Galwegians RFC), Grainne Burke (UL Bohemian RFC), Grainne Moran (Galwegians RFC), Jane Clohessy (UL Bohemian RFC), Jane Neill (Old Belvedere RFC), Kate Flannery (UL Bohemian RFC), Lucia Linn (UL Bohemian RFC), Meabh Deely (Blackrock College RFC), Muirne Wall (UL Bohemian RFC), Nicole Fowley (Galwegians RFC), Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere RFC), Sadhbh McGrath (Cooke RFC), Saoirse Crowe (Shannon RFC), Shirley Bailey (Ballincollig RFC), Siobhan McCarthy (Railway Union RFC) Sophie Barrett (Enniskillen RFC).

Wolfhounds squad

Alma Atagamen (Balbriggan RFC), Anna Doyle (Blackrock College RFC), Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC), Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College RFC), Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC), Caoimhe Molloy (Wicklow RFC), Cara Martin (Blackrock College RFC), Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC), Ciara Short (Wicklow RFC), Claire Boles (Railway Union RFC), Cliondhna Ni Choncobhair (Blackrock College RFC), Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC), Ella Roberts (Wicklow RFC), Ellie O’Sullivan Sexton (Old Belvedere RFC), Erin McConnell (Wicklow RFC), Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC), Jade Gaffney (Old Belvedere RFC), Katie Heffernan (Railway Union RFC), Katie Whelan (Old Belvedere RFC), Leah Tarpey (Railway Union RFC), Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC), Maebh Clenaghan (Queen’s University RFC), Molly Boyne (Railway Union RFC), Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere RFC), Poppy Garvey (Railway Union RFC), Sarah Delaney (Blackrock College RFC), Tricia Boyle (Railway Union RFC).