All-Ireland angling champion from Tipperary will cast a line at European championships

Tipperary anglers were strongly represented on the Munster fly fishing team that won the team event at the All-Ireland Interprovincial River Fly Fishing Competition in Wicklow last August, while a Kilsheelan club angler was the overall individual winner.

Dean Gates of Kilsheelan Anglers Club was crowned overall winner of the All-Ireland contest while Robert Hackett of Fethard and Killusty Angling Club was second, and Sean Maher of Cashel Golden Tipperary Anglers Association was fifth.

The Tipperary trio’s high placing in the top five earned Munster the team prize in the All-Ireland championship that took place on the River Avonmore in county Wicklow.

Dean had qualified for the All-Ireland competition earlier in the summer at the Munster championships on the River Bridge in Rathcormac, county Cork.

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His success meant that he, along with Robert Hackett and Sean Maher, will represent Ireland in various European and World Fly Fishing Championships over the next number of years.

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First up is Bosnia next September, when Dean will fish in the European Championships.

Dean's achievments have earned him an Annerville Award, which he and the other Tipperary amateur sports stars of the year will receive from the Tipperary United Sports Panel at its annual function at the Talbot Hotel Clonmel on Saturday night, January 10.

Tickets for the event are available from Sports Panel treasurer Ken Conway, email conwayken@eircom.net