Three Ulster Players in Ireland Squad.

Three Ulster players have made extended Ireland squad for the Six Nations. City of Derry’s Stacey Lea Kennedy and Cooke’s Imogen Porter join Exile Lauren day in the extended 34 player squad announced on Thursday. Cooke’s Eliza Downey is rulled out at this stage due to injury but is expected to join up if she recovers from the ankle injury picked up against Leinster in the recent Inter-Provincials.

Here’s our run down on the Ulster girls.

Lauren Day – Prop

A firm favourite of the FRU Lauren makes a welcome return to the Ireland set up having missed the recent Women’s World Cup with a wrist injury. Lauren is currently working and playing in England but will be returning to Ulster and Cooke for next season.

Now in her third season with Ireland, 25 year old, Lauren added much needed experience to a young and developing Ulster side during the recent Inter-Provincials being an ever present in the front row. Having had limited game time due to injury recently Lauren will be working hard on her match fitness to make the final cut for the Ireland squad.

Stacey Lea Kennedy – Hooker

This is the first call up to the senior Ireland squad for City of Derry’s Stacely Lea Kennedy and the hard running hooker will be hopeful of making a big impact with the national side in only her second season with Ulster.

The versatile 24 year old Stacey was one of Ulster’s stand out players in the Inter-Provincials with her hard tackling and strong ball carrying skills allowing her to switch seamlessly between hooker and wing forward. Definitely one of the “characters” of the Ulster Squad, Stacey has shown great determination and commitment and the Derry girl will be pushing herself hard to make the final cut for the Six Nations.

Imogen Porter – Scrum Half

A hard working and dogged scrum half,  Imogen has done exceptionally well in her first season in her new position, constantly pushing the team on from the base of the scrum. Now in her 5th season with Ulster the Cooke player will be hoping that this is her breakthrough season with the Ireland set-up.

Always one to make her presence felt, 22 year old Imogen brings a real battling edge to any team with her driven commitment and feisty attitude which resulted in some excellent tussles in the Inter-Provincial series. Always smiling, the happy go lucky youngster certainly won’t lose out on selection for the final squad through lack of effort and she’s certainly the sort of player that will thrive in the big match atmosphere.

The squad also features Donegal’s Larissa Muldoon who is currently studying in Cardiff.

Squad in full.

Gillian Bourke (Munster/Bristol), Niamh Briggs (Munster/ UL Bohemians), Lynne Cantwell (Exile/Richmond), Emma Cleary (Connacht/ UL Bohemians), Fiona Coghlan (Leinster/ UL Bohemians), Amy Davis (Leinster/Blackrock), Lauren Day (Ulster/Waterloo), Ailis Egan (Leinster/Old Belvedere), Orla Fitzsimons (Leinster/St Marys), Siobhan Fleming (Munster/ Tralee RFC), Laura Guest (Munster/Highfield RFC), Ashling Hutchings (Munster/ UL Bohemians), Helen Jones (Munster/Highfield RFC), Niamh Kavanagh (Munster/ UL Bohemians), Mairead Kelly (Munster/ UL Bohemians), Stacey Lee Kennedy (Ulster/City of Derry), Emer McManamly (Leinster/Blackrock), Claire Molloy (Connacht /Bristol), Jean Moore (Connacht/Portlaoise), Larissa Muldoon (Exile), Joy Neville (Munster/ UL Bohemians), Gill Nolan (Leinster/St Marys), Deirdre O’Brien (Leinster/Blackrock), Heather O’Brien (Munster/ Highfield RFC), Imogen Porter (Ulster/Cooke), Clare Raftery (Connacht/Galwegians), Geraldine Rea (Munster/ Highfield RFC), Marie Louise Reilly (Leinster/Old Belvedere), Michelle Ross (Leinster/St Marys), Kate Sheehan (Munster/ UL Bohemians), Jackie Shiels (Exile/Richmond), Nora Stapleton (Leinster/Old Belvedere), Carol Staunton (Connacht/Galwegians), Ailish Toner (Munster).

More like this:

• Women’s Inter Pro: Munster 18 Ulster 12
• Women’s Inter Pros: Team for Munster
• Women: Nine Ulster Girls in Ireland Training Squad.
• Women’s Inter Pros: Ulster 15 Connacht 12