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Six new caps included as Ireland name squad for autumn internationals

Mary Healy is one of the six uncapped players in the Ireland squad. Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile Expand

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Mary Healy is one of the six uncapped players in the Ireland squad. Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

Mary Healy is one of the six uncapped players in the Ireland squad. Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

Mary Healy is one of the six uncapped players in the Ireland squad. Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

Ruaidhri O'Connor Twitter

Although Claire Molloy has retired, the majority of Ireland's senior players have stayed on to play in the November internationals against the United States and Japan.

The matches are Ireland's first since the devastating defeat to Scotland in Parma last month that ended their hopes of qualifying for next year's World Cup in New Zealand.

The games will be head coach Adam Griggs' final series involved in the team and despite widespread speculation about their futures, captain Ciara Griffin, prop Lindsay Peat, centre Sene Naoupu and full-back Emer Considine are all involved in the 33-strong squad named today.

New coach Greg McWilliams takes over after this window and the former US Eagles assistant could spend some time in camp this month as part of the transition as he prepares for next year's Six Nations.

Dorothy Wall is the biggest absentee from the squad through injury, while Brittany Hogan is also injured and misses out.

UL Bohemians prop Chloe Pearse has earned a recall, while her clubmate Alana McInerney is among the six new faces in the squad.

Suttonians' Mary Healy, Wicklow's Ella Roberts, Blackrock's Maeve Óg Leary, Westport's Grace Browne Moran and Galwegians' Shannon Tuohy all come into a squad that features a number of Sevens players, including out-half Stacey Flood and wings Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe and Beibhinn Parsons, who could miss the second game against the Japanese as they turn their attention to the Dubai World Series event.

Ireland's games take place at the RDS, with the USA in town on Friday, November 12 and Japan coming to Ballsbridge on Saturday, November 20.

"We’re looking forward to two Test matches on home soil this November," Griggs said.

"We’re excited about the opportunity to play in front of our supporters again. A Friday Night game under the lights promises to be a special occasion and we hope to see as many of our supporters as possible at the RDS."

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Ireland Autumn Tests Squad

Forwards (18):

Lindsay Peat (Railway Union/Leinster)
Laura Feely (Blackrock College/Connacht)
Katie O’Dwyer (Railway Union/Leinster)
Chloe Pearse (UL Bohemian/Munster)
Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Leah Lyons (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby)
Mary Healy (Suttonians/Leinster)*
Neve Jones (Malone/Ulster)
Cliodhna Moloney (Wasps/IQ Rugby)
Nichola Fryday (Blackrock College/Connacht)
Aoife McDermott (Railway Union/Leinster)
Sam Monaghan (Wasps/IQ Rugby)
Grace Browne Moran (Westport/Connacht)*
Ciara Griffin (UL Bohemians/Munster)(Captain)
Anna Caplice (Gloucester/IQ Rugby)
Hannah O’Connor (Blackrock College/Leinster)
Edel McMahon (Wasps/IQ Rugby)
Maeve Og O’Leary (Blackrock College/Munster)*

Backs (15):

Kathryn Dane (Old Belvedere/Ulster)
Ailsa Hughes (Railway Union/Leinster)
Stacey Flood (Railway Union/Leinster)
Enya Breen (UL Bohemian/ Munster)
Sene Naoupu (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Eve Higgins (Railway Union/Leinster)
Shannon Touhey (Galwegians/Connacht)*
Alana McInerny (UL Bohemians/Munster)*
Eimear Considine (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Aoife Doyle (Railway Union/Munster)
Laura Sheehan (Exeter Chiefs/IQ Rugby)
Lauren Delany (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby)
Ella Roberts (Wicklow RFC/Leinster)*
Beibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College/Connacht)
Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (Railway Union/Munster)

* Denotes uncapped player

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