Reilly and shiels to start for ireland

New Ireland women’s coach Tom Tierney has announced his first RBS Six Nations team for the 2015 Championship opener against Italy in Florence on Friday night and there are two Meath players included with Maire Louise Reilly and Jackie Shiels set to start.

Tierney has handed a number of new players their first opportunity at International level, but he has retained a familiar look in the second row with Reilly pairing up with Sophie Spence in the lock positions.

Shiels comes in for a start at inside centre alongside Jenny Murphy, but captain Niamh Briggs will probably retain kicking duties despite Shiels impressive contributions from the boot during last year’s World Cup in France.

Leinster’s Hannah Tyrrell is handed a debut on the wing, while fellow newcomers Sarah Mimnagh, Fiona O’Brien, Katie Norris, Katie Fitzhenry and Sene Naoupu have been named on the bench.

Larissa Muldoon is named at scrum-half and will be partnered at 10 by Nora Stapleton.

Ireland - N Briggs, H Tyrrell, J Murphy, J Shiels, A Miller, N Stapleton, L Muldoon, R O’Reilly, G Bourke, A Egan, M Louise Reilly, S Spence, P Fitzpatrick, C Molloy, H O’Brien. Subs - S Mimnagh, F Hayes, F O’Brien, O Fitzsimons, K Norris, T Rosser, K Fitzhenry, S Naoupu.