Dingle Bay to host 2012 interprovincials

THE 2012 All-Ireland Juniors/Youths Interprovincial Shore Angling Championships 2012 will be held next February in Kerry from February 17 to 19 on Inch and Rossbeigh Beaches in Dingle Bay.

In the Under 16 section, Munster will be represented by anglers from five clubs. The top five young anglers fought a very close contest over four qualifying events held at Cheekpoint, Co Waterford (2), Inch and Rossbeigh, with the top four anglers finishing on 55 points each.

The five anglers who will represent Munster are joint first Curtis Connolly, (Tramore/Waterford SAC), 55 points; Ruairi Granley, (West Cork & District SAC), 55 points; Luke M. O’Sullivan, (Tralee Bay SAC); 55 points; Jordan Muire, (BASS SAC), 51 points; Daniel Connolly, (Rinnashark SAC), 45 points. The unluckiest young angler was Ciarán O’Neill, (Tramore/Waterford SAC), who finished in joint first on 55 points, but due to being just 13 years old, was ineligible to compete.

In the Under 21 section Munster will be represented by young anglers from four clubs.

The five anglers who will represent Munster are Luke Forde, (West Cork & District SAC), 59 points; Rory O’Connor, (Bishopstown & District SAC), 57 points; Anthony Dunphy, (Rinnashark SAC), 56 points; Joseph Birney, (Lisdoonvarna/Fanore SAC), 54 points; Paul Norton, (Lisdoonvarna/Fanore SAC), 54 points.

For the first time next year there will be a Ladies section in the All-Ireland championship. Munster will be represented by anglers in this section from two clubs: Deirdre Murphy, (Tralee Bay SAC); 60 points; Tracey Whelan, (Tralee Bay SAC), 57 points; 3rd Martina McGrath, (Tramore/Waterford SAC), 56 points; 4th Fiona Geraghty, Tramore/Waterford SAC, 37 points.

Elsewhere with the winter weather arriving over the past week, sport was limited accordingly. However, coarse anglers reported some good catches of small roach at Corstown Lake near Drumconrath.

Forty four anglers fished the latest qualifier of the Kingspan National Pike Championships at Lakan Lake near Ballyjamesduff. The five qualifiers all took catches of 11lb upwards to go forward to the final next May. Glenn Brennan caught some nice pike on Lough Gowna with a double figure pike hooked.

Cobh SAC will be running their popular light lines competitions again this winter.

As usual there was some nice rainbow trout reported by visitors to the popular Curragh Springs Fishery in Kildare, where many different flies produced some good sport.