Marie Louise Reilly in action.

Meath players set to increase caps haul

Marie-Louise Reilly will once more start as lock forward for Ireland in the Women's Six Nations game against Italy at Stadio Tommaso Fattori in L'Aquila on Sunday while Jennie Finlay stays on the bench for the noon showdown. 

The two Meath players featured in last Friday night's 22-15 victory away to Scotland with Reilly starting and Finlay coming on as a second-half substitute to earn her first senior cap. 

There are two changes from the 15 that started against Scotland with Elaine Anthony moving from the replacements list to partner Reilly in the second row while Hannah Tyrrell, who was involved with the Ireland Women's Sevens side last weekend at the Sydney Sevens tournament starts on the right wing. 

There are also two changes on the list of replacements with Ciara Cooney and Sophie Spence added to the subs list but Finlay retains her spot on the bench and she will be hopeful of picking up her second cap. 

'We've reviewed the performance against Scotland and the players are aware of the areas they need to improve on against Italy,' said Ireland coach Tom Tierney.

'The nature of the Six Nations means there are no easy games so we'll have to be really focused going into the game on Sunday.'

Ireland - Mairead Coyne (Galwegians / Connacht). Jenny Murphy (Old Belvedere / Leinster), Sene Naoupu (Aylesford Bulls), Alison Miller (Old Belvedere / Connacht), Nora Stapleton (Old Belvedere / Leinster), Ailsa Hughes - (Railway Union / Leinster); Lindsay Peat (Railway Union / Leinster), Leah Lyons (Highfield / Munster), Ailis Egan (Old Belvedere / Leinster), Elaine Anthony (Highfield / Munster), Marie-Louise Reilly (Old Belvedere / Leinster), Ciara Griffin (UL Bohemians / Munster), Claire Molloy (Bristol / Connacht), Paula Fitzpatrick (St. Mary's College / Leinster). 

Replacements - Jennie Finlay (Old Belvedere / Leinster),  Ilse Van Staden (Cooke / Ulster), Ciara O'Connor (Galwegians / Connacht), Ciara Cooney (Railway Union / Leinster), Sophie Spence (Old Belvedere / Leinster), Mary Healy (Galwegians / Connacht), Claire Mc Laughlin (Cooke / Ulster), Eimear Considine (UL Bohemians / Munster).