THE growing strength of women’s rugby in West Cork is highlighted by the representation in the Munster senior women’s squad for this year’s Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship.

Four members of head coach Matt Brown’s 30-player squad hail from West Cork, while four Clonakilty RFC rising stars feature in an 18-player development squad. Also, Bantry Bay Rugby Club’s Grace Kingston and Kilbrittain’s Niamh O’Mahony, who plays with Ballincollig RFC, have been named on the development panel, boosting West Cork numbers ever more.

Irish international Enya Breen brings star quality to the Munster set-up. She is joined by Abbie Salter-Townshend, a scrumhalf who started three of the province’s four games and played a key role in last season’s Interpros success.

Rossmore woman Caoimhe Murphy (Clonakilty RFC) swells the local interest even more, selected in the panel for the second season in a row. Murphy has enjoyed a rapid rise in rugby, having only started playing in the autumn of 2023. Earlier this year, she started on the UL Bohemians team that won the All-Ireland League title. Salter-Townshend was also on that team.

An exciting addition to the Munster women’s squad is Lani O’Donovan, who has turned heads in recent years with her performances for Clonakilty RFC and Sacred Heart Secondary School. O’Donovan was one of four Clonakilty players selected on the Ireland U18 team for the 2026 U18 Women’s Six Nations Festival in England.

Julie Finn, Clodagh McCarthy, Jo McCaughey, who all lined out for Ireland alongside O’Donovan, are included in the development squad – further proof of the strong pool of talent within the club. Rachel Twomey, another off the Clonakilty RFC conveyor belt, has also received the call-up.

Also included in the development squad are Grace Kingston (Bantry Bay RFC), Ballincollig RFC’s Niamh O’Mahony, Niamh Crotty, Orlaith Morrissey and Siobhán O’Callaghan, as well as Erin Ridgway (Kinsale RFC/Dolphin RFC).

Defending champions Munster will start their title defence at home to Leinster in Virgin Media Park this Saturday, August 8th. The following week, Munster are home to Ulster on August 15th. Matt Brown’s team then head to Galway to take on Connacht in the third round on Saturday, August 22nd.

Meanwhile, there is strong West Cork representation on a number of Munster’s age-grade squads for this summer’s interprovincial series.

Cillian O’Flynn (Bandon RFC), Jack Deasy (Bandon Grammar School) and Louis Lenihan (Bandon Grammar School) have been named on the Munster U19 men’s side that start their interpros against Connacht on August 15th.

There are five Bandon Grammar School players on the Munster U18 Boys Schools squad – Alex Bramoulle, Dylan L’Estrange, Jacob Sweetman, Jos Keating and Mark Whelton.

Also, the Clonakilty RFC trio of Cillian Sturdy, Ewan Knowles and Fionn O’Donovan are named on the Munster U18 Boys Clubs along with Conor Cawley (Skibbereen RFC), Nikolas Przewozniak (Bandon RFC), and Kinsale RFC’s Eoin John Harrington, Ivor O’Riordan and Sean O’Sullivan.