Béibhinn Parsons says the ireland vs italy clash in Galway will bring familiar faces, not added strain, as Ireland return home for their next Women’s Six Nations test on Saturday. The wing, born and raised in Ballinasloe, will play in her native county for Ireland for the first time when Galway hosts its first Women’s Six Nations match at Dexcom Stadium. Kick-off is set for 5: 40 PM ET, with the game also marking a key moment for Ireland after last weekend’s opening defeat to England.
Parsons welcomes the home setting
Parsons said she will feel “really well supported” in Galway because friends and family will be in the stands, and she added that she wants to “do them proud. ” Her remarks set the tone for an ireland vs italy week built around familiarity, recovery, and a sharper response after Ireland’s start to the championship. She also said the squad has felt “the green wave growing, ” describing Saturday as a chance to see how much support has built up since the World Cup with a game back on Irish soil.
The 32-times capped wing has already spent plenty of time at Dexcom Stadium, including appearances there as recently as February with the Clovers in the Celtic Challenge. But this is different: it is Ireland, in Galway, in a Women’s Six Nations fixture that the venue has never before staged.
Bemand changes the side for Round 2
Head coach Scott Bemand has named his Ireland match-day squad for the clash with Italy, with Erin King set to captain the side again. Robyn O’Connor is set for her debut appearance in green on the right wing, while Stacey Flood starts at full-back and Parsons is named in the back three. Nancy McGillivray and Aoife Dalton form the midfield, with Emily Lane and Dannah O’Brien continuing as the half-back pairing.
In the pack, Ellena Perry, Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald and Linda Djougang form the front row, while Ruth Campbell comes into the side alongside Fiona Tuite in the engine room. Brittany Hogan, King and Aoife Wafer remain unchanged in the back row. Bemand also has experienced options on the bench, with Neve Jones, Niamh O’Dowd, Sadhbh McGrath, Dorothy Wall and Sam Monaghan among the forward replacements.
What Ireland want from this response
Parsons said one of the main themes in camp this week has been “dominance, ” after Ireland found “a lot to be desired” in the 33-12 defeat by England. She added that the team’s next step is to avoid being “in awe” of top opponents and to play with belief. King had raised the same point before the match, and Parsons said the squad felt they could beat England, but still need “a few tweaks” to fix up on.
That makes ireland vs italy more than just Ireland’s first home outing of the campaign. It is also the first chance to show whether the lessons from London are taking hold, with Dexcom Stadium sold out in the new Clan Stand and ticket sales passing the 8, 000 mark. Saturday’s match is set to be shown live on Virgin Media One and iPlayer, with radio commentary on RTÉ Radio 1.
Immediate reaction and what comes next
Parsons was clear that the homecoming should lift, not burden, the squad. “I’ll feel really well supported going into Galway and I feel like all my friends and family are there so I’ll just want to do them proud, ” she said. She also pointed to the importance of the crowd and the setting, saying the group wants to see how much the support has grown.
For Ireland, the focus now shifts to whether that backing can help turn a difficult opening into a stronger second-round performance. With ireland vs italy set against the first Women’s Six Nations match ever hosted at Dexcom Stadium, Galway has become the center of a crucial early moment in Ireland’s championship campaign.
