It’s James the first in Roscrea race

Liberation had been delayed to give time for mist and fog to clear over the route.

Best bird locally was timed in the big Ballymena & Dist where over 400 birds were competing for the second week James Harris timed his Blue hen at 13.56hrs recording velocity 1371 for the 148 miles. He wins 1st Club, a different winner of each race to date and the club lift 1st Combine for the second time, over 2,500 birds competing here.

George Connolly is next best with 1st & 2nd in Broughshane (1369) followed by Mr & Mrs Sempey having a best ever season and J & N Simpson.

Other club winners well placed included Stewart Bros 1st Randalstown (1356), McFall & McManus 1st New Antrim Amal (1348), A McBride 1st Harryville (1345), G McDowell 1st Kells & Dist (1344) and Reid Bros & McCloy 1st Cullybackey (1340).

Mid Antrim Combine Roscrea 97/2,545 - J Harris Ballymena 1371, G Connolly Broughshane 1369, G Connolly 1369, M/M M Sempey Ballymena 1366, J & N Simpson Broughshane 1365, Milliken & Barkley Rasharkin 1365, D Dixon Rasharkin 1362, Stewart Bros Randalstown 1356, A Purvis Broughshane 1355, Steele & McNeill Rasharkin 1353, Houston Bros Randalstown 1353, McFall & McManus New Antrim 1348, McFall & McManus 1347, A McBride Harryville 1345, D Dixon 1344, G McDowell Kells 1344, Steele & McNeill 1343, Steele & McNeill 1342, D Craig Ballymena 1342, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1341, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1341, W & J Smyth Ballymena 1340, Reid Bros & McCloy Cullybackey 1340, M/M M Sempey 1340, Scott & Clements Kells 1340, H Cubitt Rasharkin 1340, H Cubitt 1340, G McDowell 1339, Steele & McNeill 1338, Steele & McNeill 1338.

Mid Antrim Combine Clubs Roscrea -

Ahoghill Flying Club 11/355 – J Smyth & Son 1341, 1314, D Stevenson 1310, J Smyth & Son 1308, 1304, Young McManus & Sons 1300, 1300, D Stevenson 1294.

Ballymena & Dist 18/404 – J Harris 1371, M/M M Sempey 1366, D Craig 1342, Blair & Rankin 1341, W & J Smyth 1340, M/M M Sempey 1340, D Craig 1334, Blair & Rankin 1333, M/M M Sempey 1330, Blair & Rankin 1328.

Ballykeel Inv – M/M M Sempey 1366, 1340, 1330, J W Reynolds 1319.

Broughshane 9/187 – G Connolly 1369, 1369, J & N Simpson 1365, A Purvis 1355, J & N Simpson 1336, A Purvis 1295, D Houston & Son 1287, T & E Service 1280. J & N Simpson win the Dickson Nom Cup with their first bird.

Cullybackey 13/489 – Reid Bros & McCloy 1340, 1337, Russell Bros 1330, A Darragh 1330, 1329, W Scott 1329, 1327, H & R McCloy 1319, J & J Greer 1306, Russell Bros 1303, H & R McCloy 1297, N & S Anderson 1274.

Harryville 10/285 – A McBride 1345, R H Clements 1325, 1325, L Mullan 1317, 1316, R H Clements 1310, L Mullan 1309, A McBride 1303, J Rock 1302, J Ramsey 1301.

Kells & District 11/217 – G McDowell 1344, Scott & Clements 1340, G McDowell 1339, B Swann & Son 1326, Surgenor Bros 1325, 1325, B Swann & Son 1324, G McDowell 1317. Sizzlers 2 Bird Club – Surgenor Bros 1325, G McDowell 1284.

New Antrim Amal 6/156 – McFall & McManus 1348, 1347, 1322, R McFall & Son 1315, MDC Magill 1309, McFall & McManus 1306.

Randalstown 11/243 – Stewart Bros 1356, Houston Bros 1353, S Millar 1334, 1328, Stewart Bros 1316, J Millar 1299, F & G Dickey 1295, S Millar 1292.

YOUNG BIRD RACE

The young bird race three was most interesting, race marking for Roscrea was delayed until Saturday hoping for a Sunday liberation.

The weather conditions were impossible on Sunday, and after failing to release, the convoy was moved back to Tullamore some 20 odd miles nearer home.

Best in Mid Antrim was Surgenor Bros of Kelly & Dist who timed at 10.44am recording velocity 1359 for the 126 miles. Chairman of the club Brian Swann was next best doing velocity 1355 and he had three early birds. Blair & Rankin had 1st Ballymena & Dist who had over 400 birds competing, the largest entry for 10 seasons, followed by the previous week winners Mr & Mrs Martin Sempey. These two lofts shared the top seven places. McFall & McManus had 1st New Antrim Amal and R H Clements was 1st Harryville.

Mid Antrim Combine Tullamore 83/2155 – Surgenor Bros Kells 1359, B Swann & Son Kells 1355, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1347, B Swann & Son 1345, M/M M Sempey Ballymena 1345, B Swann & Son 1344, M/M M Sempey 1342, McFall & McManus New Antrim 1340, Blair & Rankin 1339, H Turkington Kells 1339, Blair & Rankin 1336, M/M M Sempey 1332, Blair & Rankin 1323, R H Clements Harryville 1321, D Craig Ballymena 1314, McFall & McManus 1313, McFarlane & Agnew Kells 1311, Surgenor Bros 1309, J & N Simpson Broughshane 1307, J & N Simpson 1307, Scott & Clements Kells 1307, J & N Simpson 1306, W & J Smyth Ballymena 1304, Scott & Clements 1302, Surgenor Bros 1299, S Murphy Randalstown 1298, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1298, M D C Magill New Antrim 1298, D Houston & Son Broughshane 1297, W & J Smyth 1296.

Mid Antrim Combine Clubs Tullamore -

Ahoghill Flying Club 10/344 – J Smyth & Son 1298, J Orr & Son 1271, D Stevenson 1270, 1260, Young McManus & sons 1259, J Smyth & son 1246, 1246, D Stevenson 1243.

Ballymena & Dist 16/404 – Blair & Rankin 1347, M/M M Sempey 1345, 1342, Blair & Rankin 1339, 1336, M/M M Sempey 1332, Blair & Rankin 1323, D Craig 1314, W & J Smyth 1304, 1296.

Ballykeel Inv – M/M M Sempey & Son 1345, 1342, 1332, 1296, Magowan & Maternaghan 1260.

Broughshane 9/174 – J & N Simpson 1307, 1307, D Houston & Son 1297, 1294, C Kennedy 1291, T & E Service 1288, 1267, Mrs M Smyth 1260. D Houston & Son win the Club Golden Ring Race.

Cullybackey 10/329 – Reid Bros & McCloy 1265, Russell Bros 1260, W Scott 1255, Reid Bros & McCloy 1254, Russell Bros 1249, H & R McCloy 1248, 1229, W Scott 1211, D Robinson 1201, 1199.

Harryville 8/172 – R H Clements 1321, 1288, 1275, J Millar & Son 1261, R H Clements 1254, L Mullan 1254, 1252, J Rock 1248, R H Clements 1243, W Jackson 1238.

Kells & District 8/146 – Surgenor Bros 1359, B Swann & Son 1355, 1345, 1344, H Turkington 1339, McFarlane & Agnew 1311, Surgenor Bros 1309, Scott & Clements 1307, 1302, Surgenor Bros 1299. Sizzlers 2 Bird Club – B Swann & Son 1344, Scott & Clements 1307.

New Antrim Amal 6/168 – McFall & McManus 1340, 1313, M D C Magill 1298, McFall & McManus 1269, R McFall & Son 1267, C Moore 1267, M D C Magill 1260, Magowan & Maternaghan 1260, M D C Magill 1257, McFall & McManus 1252.