Enniskillen’s James O’Doherty has been named in the Ireland team that will compete at the FIPS-ed Feeder World Championships in Italy this July - and it has been proposed that the same team will stay together for the World Games in South Africa in February 2019.
Indeed, it has been a busy last 12 months for James who was the youngest ever angler, at 18 years old, to fish at the World Coarse Fishing Championships which were held at Belgium while he claimed sixth spot at the World U20 Coarse Fishing Championships in Cork.
The focus now though will be on Italy in July with James one of two new additions to the team that was announced by the National Coarse Fishing Federation of Ireland. O’Doherty is highly rated as an up and coming all-rounder and a keen feeder angler and he will join Michael Buchwalder, Cathal Jones, Julian Kendrick, Johnny McKinley and Rimantas Kondrackas in the team which is managed by Brenton Sweeney and will be coached by Paul Heaney.
Manager Sweeney commented: “I’m delighted to welcome two new members to the squad this year. James supports my ambition to introduce new members to the team and Julian with his wealth of knowledge in this discipline. 
“Paul Heaney whose support was invaluable last year in Portugal will join the squad as Coach.
“ I look forward to presenting the squad in Italy this year and would like to thank the NCFFI and our sponsors for their invaluable support as we look to the championships ahead.”
O’Doherty already has gained experience at senior World Championships having represented Ireland in Belgium at the World Coarse Fishing Championships. 
The first match day proved disappointing for James and the team with James finishing 15th place out of 19 while the team didn’t fare too well either.
However, they learnt from their mistakes for the second day and James claimed a very respectable third place in his section, beating four former world champions which was a great achievement and indeed, he was the best individually out of the Ireland team.
“It was an achievement finishing in 75th place out of 204 world class anglers which I am very proud of for my first ever Senior World Championships,” said James. “Team wise we also fished a lot better on day two with a 7th, 10th, 15th which was good considering the disappointment on day one which left us in 28th place which could be improved on next year!”
A very successful 2017 also saw James become Ulster and Irish champion in the U25 age group while he had great success at the World U20 Coarse Fishing Championships on Innishcarra, Co. Cork where he finished sixth individually.
“It was a great result but very close to a medal finish which was a bit gutting,” he concluded.