The hosts impressed for long periods against Italy a fortnight ago but ultimately came away with just a losing bonus point from a 27-21 defeat while Wales were beaten 46-10 by England.
It means both sides will be relishing a return to action with a first victory on the line before heading into the final two weeks of competition.
Wales were 31-5 winners in the same fixture last year but Ireland come into the contest with renewed confidence after two narrow defeats so far this campaign.
TEAM NEWS
Ireland co-captain Edel McMahon returns to the starting line-up as Scott Bemand makes just one change to the side that lost to Italy a fortnight ago.
McMahon rejoins the back row after sitting out of the 27-21 defeat entirely, with Grace Moore the one to drop out.
It is as you were otherwise for the hosts as they welcome Wales to Cork, with Sam Monaghan and Aoife Wafer once again the driving forces up front while Eve Higgins and Béibhinn Parsons will hope to build on positive performances in the first two matches with points in Round 3.
There are new faces on the bench, as uncapped Shannon Ikahihifo is included in the matchday 23 while Clíodhna Moloney makes her long-awaited return and could be in line for her first international appearance since November 2021.
Visitors Wales make four changes from their 46-10 defeat to England, with wing Jasmine Joyce returning to the back three.
Joyce was ruled out of the trip across the Severn Bridge but will now look to put her electric pace to use against Ireland, where she lines up alongside Jenny Hesketh and Carys Cox.
There is also a starting jersey for Keira Bevan who replaces Sian Jones at scrum half, while Sisilia Tuipulotu and Alisha Butchers come into the pack in place of Donna Rose and Kate Williams.
The bench also sees uncapped Gwennan Hopkins named among the replacements.
WHAT THEY SAID
Ireland head coach Scott Bemand said: “This game is another opportunity for us to perform in front of our home support. We want to get the tide of support and noise behind us. The hard work has gone in and now we’re ready to go after that winning performance.
"There was a lot of good stuff that went on against Italy, so we reminded the girls of that, and they've got to tap into that.
"Perhaps, rather than making it harder for ourselves to win games, we're going to give ourselves permission to go and convert some of that pressure into points.
"We've always said, we want to be a group that is honest. We looked pretty hard at it and we saw some areas of the game that we need to go after. We’ve done plenty of reflecting on it.
We obviously had that fallow week, which lets us roll our sleeves up and put some stuff right.”
Wales head coach Ioan Cunningham said: “We have put the fallow week to good use and had a thorough debrief of where we are after the first two games in this Six Nations campaign.
“The focus has been on putting the hard work in and looking at the good things we have done and what we need to tighten up on against Ireland in Cork. We produced an impressive performance against England, and we just need to be more clinical and finish off what we are creating in games.
“Having a player of the quality of Jaz [Joyce] back is a real boost.
“She has that x-factor, and we will need all her experience against Ireland. Sisilia gets a chance and the competition between her and Donna is driving them both and helping the team.
“We know Ireland at home will be a real challenge, but it is one we are looking forward to and we are determined to produce a performance to make everyone proud.”
KEY BATTLE - Sam Monaghan v Georgia Evans
Ireland may have come away defeated last time out against Italy, but their notably improved performance was in no small part thanks to the return of Sam Monaghan.
The second row missed the opener against France but returned with a bang in Round 2, with her presence in the pack a major threat on both sides of the ball.
Monaghan registered 137 metres carried in Dublin, the most of any player in Round 2, with her 28 carries also a Championship best across the weekend.
It was a key weapon for Ireland who will hope to do the same against Wales, meaning opposite number Georgia Evans will be key for Ioan Cunningham’s side.
Evans also impressed with ball in hand in her side’s defeat to England but it will be her work in defence that will be just as important to halt Monaghan and deny Ireland space out wide; her 17 defensive rucks is the joint-second most of any player in the Championship.
STAT ATTACK
Wales have won each of their last two Guinness Women’s Six Nations matches against Ireland, as many wins as in their previous 12 meetings since 2010 combined (L10) - Wales’ most recent win against Ireland in the Championship came by a margin of 26 points (31-5 last year), their largest win against Ireland this century.
Ireland have lost each of their last seven Guinness Women’s Six Nations matches, their longest losing run in the Championship since 2006-2007 (also 7), however, their most recent defeat came by a margin of just six points (21-27 v Italy), their narrowest loss in that period.
Wales have alternated between wins and losses across their last seven Guinness Women’s Six Nations away games, winning three and losing four during that period - each of Wales’ last three away games in the Championship have been decided by margins of 25+ points.
Wales have stolen or otherwise won possession from 28% of their opponents’ lineouts in the 2024 Guinness Women’s Six Nations, the second-highest such rate of any team in the Championship (France, 31%), while Ireland have won a lesser percentage of their own lineouts than any other side (63%).
Ireland have completed 68% of their attacking rucks in under three seconds during this year’s Guinness Women’s Six Nations, the highest such rate of any team, while Wales have retained possession from a greater share of their attacking rucks than any other side (96.6%).
Ireland are the only team to have been successful from 100% of their place-kicks in this year’s Guinness Women’s Six Nations (5/5), while Wales have the second-highest success rate from the tee of any side in the Championship (83%,5/6).
FANTASY WATCH
Ireland hooker Neve Jones is her country’s most expensive asset at 16.7 stars but it comes with good reason, with no player in the Championship making more than her 35 tackles so far.
Jones is also yet to miss a tackle and has chipped in up front with a try against Italy, making her an asset on both sides of the ball.
Front-row colleague Linda Djougang could also be of interest at 15.3 stars - no player has made more than her 10 dominant tackles - while Sam Monaghan is a potential steal at 12.9 stars.
In the backs, Béibhinn Parsons (14 stars) and Eve Higgins (15.3 stars) are the obvious choices but flyer Katie Corrigan could be worth a look at 12.5 stars following her first international try against Italy.
Wales also boast some impressive options up front, with the returning Sisilia Tuipulotu their second-most expensive option at 15.8 stars behind only Alex Callender (18.3), who has shone in the back row.
A more budget-friendly option may be fellow prop Gwenllian Pyrs, who was impressive against England, has 85 metres carried to her name and will set you back just 11.9 stars.
The return of Jasmine Joyce from injury makes her a superb option in the back three at 15.2 stars while Keira Bevan (15.3 stars) impressed with a quick-thinking try off the bench last time out and has earned back the starting number nine jersey.
TEAMS
Ireland: 15 Lauren Delany; 14 Katie Corrigan, 13 Eve Higgins, 12 Enya Breen, 11 Béibhinn Parsons, 10 Dannah O'Brien, 9 Aoibheann Reilly; 1 Linda Djougang, 2 Neve Jones, 3 Christy Haney, 4 Dorothy Wall, 5 Sam Monaghan, 6 Aoife Wafer, 7 Edel McMahon, 8 Brittany Hogan.
Replacements: 16 Clíodhna Moloney, 17 Niamh O'Dowd, 18 Sadhbh McGrath, 19 Fiona Tuite, 20 Shannon Ikahihifo, 21 Molly Scuffil-McCabe, 22 Nicole Fowley, 23 Aoife Dalton.
Wales: 15 Jenny Hesketh, 14 Jasmine Joyce, 13 Hannah Jones, 12 Kerin Lake, 11 Carys Cox, 10 Lleucu George, 9 Keira Bevan; 1 Gwenllian Pyrs, 2 Carys Phillips, 3 Sisilia Tuipulotu, 4 Abbie Fleming, 5 Georgia Evans, 6 Alisha Butchers, 7 Alex Callender, 8 Bethan Lewis
Replacements: 16 Molly Reardon, 17 Abbey Constable, 18 Donna Rose, 19 Natalia John, 20 Gwennan Hopkins, 21 Sian Jones, 22 Kayleigh Powell, 23 Courtney Keight
