Former Ballina rugby star to play for Ireland against Wales

FORMER Ballina RFC winger Emily Foley will play for Ireland tomorrow, Saturday, when the Under-20 Women’s team take on Wales in Ystrad Mynach at 3.30pm in the Six Nations Summer Series.
Foley, who has come through the ranks with Connacht and Irish underage sides has been named in the replacements for the big game as she continues her exciting trajectory.

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With three rounds of games at the Centre for Sporting Excellence in Ystrad Mynach, Caerphilly, the Six Nations competition provides a platform not only for players but also for coaches and match officials to gain valuable experience in a cross-Union setting.

Ireland U-20 head coach Niamh Briggs has seven players with experience of the 2024 Summer Series in her starting XV, along with Lily Morris and Ellie O’Sullivan Sexton on the replacements bench.

Leinster lock Neill leads the team again, forming a second row partnership with Aoibhe O’Flynn, an Energia All-Ireland League winner with UL Bohemian in April. The pair played together with the Clovers in this season’s Celtic Challenge.

Beth Buttimer and Sophie Barrett both bring experience of last year’s Summer Series, scoring two tries between them with tight-head prop Barrett receiving the Most Valuable Player accolade. 19-year-old Connacht prop Ella Burns completes the front row.

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A new-look back row sees Connacht duo Poppy Garvey and Jemima Adams Verling combine with MU Barnhall’s Aoife Corcoran, who was part of last year’s Ireland Under-18 squad along with Adams Verling and a number of her new U-20 team-mates.

Half-backs Caitríona Finn, who only turned 19 last month, and Jade Gaffney, the vice-captain, are back for their second Summer Series campaign, while the centre berths are filled by Lyndsay Clarke, who helped Ennis to gain promotion recently, and the Ulster-capped Tara O’Neill.

Niamh Gallagher, Hannah Clarke and Robyn O’Connor start in Ireland’s back three.

In the pack, Ella Burns, Beth Buttimer and Sophie Barrett are in the front row, Neill joins Aoibhe O’Flynn in the engine room and Poppy Garvey, Aoife Corcoran and Jemima Adams Verling make up the back row.

Saturday's match kicks off at 3.30pm.