5 Munster Players In Atlanta Sevens Squad

5th February 2014 By Munster Rugby

Tralee’s Siobhan Barrett and Laura O’Mahony, Shannon’s Aoife Doyle and Nicole Cronin and UL Bohemians’ Claire Keohane have been named in the Ireland squad for the Atlanta Rugby Sevens.

Tralee will also be represented by Connacht’s Christine Arthurs in the event that takes place on the 15th and 16th of February and is part of the 2013/14 IRB Women's Sevens World Series.

Barrett, O’Mahony, Keohane and Arthurs featured for Ireland in the World Sevens in Dubai in November 2013 with Doyle and Cronin travelling to the USA to make their international sevens debuts.

The squad includes three new players who have been identified as part of the IRFU's on-going talent identification programme.

The programme, which is open to the wider athletic and team sport community, offers elite athletes the opportunity to join an Olympic programme in what is a new and exciting international female sport.

Ireland have been drawn in a strong group in Pool B alongside New Zealand, England and the Netherlands.

Head Coach, Jon Skurr said: "A lot of hard work has gone in to get us to this point so far. It's a big year for Irish women's rugby, there's a lot going on and one of our jobs is to extend the player base that we've got, so that we've got more people competing, which is why our talent identification process is so important.

"We've got a number of new caps going. It's going to be tough, but I feel we're really going to progress as the season goes on as these players develop their ability to play international rugby at the top level.”

Ireland Women's Sevens Squad (Atlanta Sevens, Kennesaw State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, February 15-16):

Aisling Naughton (Talent ID Programme)
Aoife Doyle (Shannon/Munster)
Christine Arthurs (Tralee/Connacht)
Claire Keohane (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Elaine Ryan (Talent ID Programme)
Laura O'Mahony (Tralee/Munster)
Laura Walsh (Talent ID Programme)
Megan Williams (Saracens/Exiles)
Niamh Ni Dhroma (Buccaneers/Connacht)
Nicole Cronin (Shannon/Munster)
Nikki Caughey (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Shannon Houston (Blackrock/Leinster) (Capt)
Siobhan Barrett (Tralee/Munster)
Susan Vaughan (Railway Union/Leinster)