Both play their club rugby in Tullamore.
There's representatives from Laois and Offaly in the first ever Emerging Talent Women's Rugby Squad named today.
It's aim is to accelerate the progression of the thirteen selected players and give them exposure to both senior XV's and Sevens rugby.
18 year-old pair Leah Tarpey and Aoife Dalton of Tullamore Rugby Club are included.
Initially 13 players have been enrolled in the programme which supports the Ireland U18 XV squad and is aligned with the National Women’s XV and 7s programmes to enable WNTS talent to be exposed to the senior women’s environment.
WNTS players Aoife Dalton, Leah Tarpey and Emma Tilly were recently included in the 41 player training squad assembled by Ireland Women’s head coach Greg McWilliams. The next WNTS camp is scheduled for 19-20th March.
IRFU Women’s Performance Pathway Coach Katie Fitzhenry, commented:
"It was great to get the programme up and running and to give these young athletes their first taste of a high performance environment. These players have been identified through a mixture of the U18 Interpros last year and from feedback from provincial and club coaches. Developing a strong talent ID network will be a big focus of the programme as it grows year on year catering for more young female talent."
"The aim of this programme is to advance players to a level where they can pull on a green jersey whether that is in XVs or Olympic 7s or be integrated into the senior women’s programmes. There is great alignment and support for the WNTS so it is an exciting time to be getting this programme up and running."
2022 WNTS Players
Sophie Barrett (18yrs) – Enniskillen RFC/Ulster, Integrated College, Enniskillen
Molly Boote (17yrs) – Connemara RFC/Connacht, Clifden Community School
Hannah Clarke (16yrs) – Ougherard RFC/Connacht, St Pauls Secondary School
Aoife Dalton (18yrs) – Tullamore RFC/Leinster, UCD
Alanna Fitzpatrick (17yrs) – Portarlington RFC/Leinster, Colaiste Iosagain, Portarlington
Kate Flannery (18yrs) – Fethard RFC/Munster, Rockwell College
Brianna Heylmann (18yrs) – Tipperary Women’s Rugby/Munster, Waterpark College
Aisling McEnroe (17yrs) – Virginia RFC/Ulster, Cavan Institute
Éabha Nic Dhonnacha (17yrs) – Corinthians RFC/Connacht, Scoil Chumsitheach Chiarain
Dannah O’Brien (18yrs) – Tullow RFC/Leinster, Tullow Community School
Eva Sterritt (17yrs) – Greystones RFC/Leinster, Temple Carrig School, Greystones
Leah Tarpey (18yrs) – Tullamore RFC/Leinster, Mountmellick CS
Emma Tilly (18yrs) – MU Barnhall RFC/Leinster, Maynooth Post Primary
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