Celtic Challenge 2025/26 semi-finals: All-Ireland final confirmed

Wolfhounds and Clovers have secured their place at the first-ever Celtic Challenge final this weekend in Edinburgh.

Two-time champions Wolfhounds will face-off with the fellow Irish side at Hive Stadium in a match that promises to showcase the best talent that Ireland has to offer.

The weekend also concluded the efforts of both Gwalia Lightning and Brython Thunder’s time in the competition after strong domestic seasons.

Here is how things played out in the 2025/26 Celtic Challenge semi-finals…

Clovers 35-20 Gwalia Lightning

Clovers produced a perfect display against Gwalia Lightning at Dexcom Stadium to secure their place in next weekend’s Celtic Challenge final at Hive Stadium.

On the week of her call-up to the senior Ireland team Alana McInerney dotted down twice.

Denis Fogarty’s team had a 21-10 lead at the break as tries for Beth Buttimer, Béibhinn Parsons and McInerney wiped out Alaw Pyrs’ converted score and Carys Hughes’ penalty.

After half-time Clovers skipper Ruth Campbell saw a score wiped out by efforts from Gwalia’s Caitlin Lewis and Pyrs’ second of the afternoon.

To wrap up the win, along with a place in Edinburgh, McInerney crossed for her second of the game and allowed Enya Breen to slot her fifth conversion of the game in a Player of the Match performance from the 26-year-old.

Wolfhounds 36-10 Brython Thunder

To give themselves a chance of claiming their third Celtic Challenge title in a row Wolfhounds blew Brython Thunder out of the water in Galway.

It ended a five-match winning run for the Welsh team, who saw Branwen Metcalfe and Jorja Aiono cross the whitewash to register their 10 points on Saturday.

Neill Alcorn’s team started quickly at Dexcom Stadium. This included an early brace for Stacey Flood to double down on Naoise Smyth’s third-minute try.

At the 30-minute mark Eve Higgins cut through the defensive line and Vicky Elmes Kinlan benefitted from a Flood charge-down.

Robyn O’Connor was the Wolfhounds’ fifth and final try-scorer of the afternoon before Brython secured their consolation efforts.

“Very happy with the performance,” Neill Alcorn, Wolfhounds head coach, said. “We just wanted to get back to how we wanted to play.

“When we went away to the Thunder we didn’t have the glorious Galway sun, but I thought in training, these last weeks, we really showed what we’re about.

“I think today was another step in the right direction. We could see some threats that they kind of get after, especially around the contact area.

“So you see that they were trying to choke tackle us and keep us up, but we really identified that this week and really went after that.

“The big thing is when we’ve got talent like Eve, and the rest of the guys out in the backs, give them the ball and we’ll hopefully see some tries.”