The fifth race of the old bird season was held on Saturday 14th May. Birds were liberated in Corrin in County Cork at 10.00am in light west to southwest winds. Ace racers Paddy & William McManus of Ahoghill had the big winner in the local area timing at 13.34pm for the 205 miles fly to the lofts at the croft in the Ahoghill village to record 1688. Their winning 2-year-old red chequer hen sitting on eggs is a top racer having won both the Combine and Section from Fermoy last season plus 6th Combine from the Skibbereen Inland National and 8th Combine Fermoy. This week she wins 1st Mid Antrim Combine, 1st Section B and an excellent 8th Open NIPA 759/21930. She is a great granddaughter of Gert Heylen's "Jackpot". Another top result for the McManus partnership. Runner up in the Combine on 1681 was Trevor Whyte of Rasharkin who is having a great season having won 1st Open NIPA Tullamore in the opening race of the season and 1st Combine a fortnight ago from Gowran Park. This week’s winner a 2-year-old blue pied Lambrecht hen was bred by clubmate William McFetridge. Next best was Johnston Eagleson & Sons on 1669 who had the best four birds in both Ballymena & Dist and the Town. Their winning 3-year-old hen won 1st Club & 2nd Combine in the opening of the season last year. Sam Murphy had the winner in Kells for the third time this season on 1669 and Alan Darragh was again best in Cullybackey with two birds doing 1668. Roscrea Combine winner Sam Crawford was the best Associate member on 1650 and was winning his club for the third time this season. John Miller had the best two birds in Randalstown on 1643. His winner a yearling chequer Van Loon hen was sitting eggs 10 days and Marcus Morrow was best in Broughshane on 1639. Five wins on the trot for Marcus. Mervyn Eagleson PO.
Mid Antrim Combine Corrin 63/1637 -Young, McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1688, T Whyte Rasharkin 1681, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1669, S Murphy Kells 1669, A Darragh Cullybackey 1668, A Darragh Cullybackey 1668, J & M Milliken Rasharkin 1665, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1662, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1662, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1662, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1660, A Darragh 1653, J & M Milliken Rasharkin 1653, J & M Milliken Rasharkin 1653, T Whyte Rasharkin 1652, S Crawford Associate 1650, D Dixon Rasharkin 1649, Young McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1647, A Darragh Cullybackey 1646, Young McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1646, J Miller Randalstown 1643, J Miller Randalstown 1643, S Crawford Associate 1643, Surgenor Bros Kells 1642, D Dixon Rasharkin 1641, J & M Milliken Rasharkin 1641, A Darragh Cullybackey 1640, S Crawford Associate 1640, T & M Morrow Broughshane 1639, A Darragh Cullybackey 1639, Surgenor Bros Kells 1636, Young McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1636, S Murphy Kells 1636, Surgenor Bros Kells 1636, A Darragh Cullybackey 1635, H Boyd Kells 1635, G Gibson Cullybackey 1635, Young McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1634, S Murphy Kells 1633, H Boyd Kells 1633.
Mid Antrim Combine Clubs Corrin
Ahoghill Flying Club 10/351 – Young McManus & Sons 1688, 1647, 1646, 1636, 1634, 1629, M/M Robonson 1627, 1621, 1614, C Moore 1611. Brooke Supplies 2 Bird Club - Mr & Mrs Robinson 1627, 1621.
Rasharkin & District 9/208 – Trevor Whyte 1681, J & M Milliken 1665, 1653, Trevor Whyte 1652, RJ & WJ Reid 1620, W McFetridge 1616. Extra - J & M Milliken 1653, 1641, 1632, 1631. Danny Dixon 1649, 1641.
Ballymena & District HPS 7/201 – J Eagleson & Sons 1669, 1662, 1662, 1662, Blair & Rankin 1660, J Eagleson & Sons 1631, 1629, 1622, Blair & Rankin 1621, 1620.
Johnston Eagleson & Sons have the top four in the club and their fourth win of the season. Their winning 3-year-old blue chequer hen timed at 13.39pm won 1st club and 2nd Combine in the opening race of the season from Tullamore last year. The dam a double Combine winner from Tullamore and Corrin is the best of Paddy & William McManus of Ahoghill bloodlines and the sire is "The Pest" their best Lambrecht stock cock. A full sister of the winning hen won Ballymena & District three weeks on the trot in 2017 and finished 1st, 3rd & 5th Mid Antrim Combine.
Kells & District HPS 9/224 – Sam Murphy 1669, Surgenor Bros 1642, 1636, Sam Murphy 1636, Surgenor Bros 1635, Harry Boyd 1635, Sam Murphy 1633, Harry Boyd 1633. Sizzlers 2 Bird Club – Surgenor Bros 1642, A Barkley & Son 1568, B Swann & Son 1565, S Murphy 1527, H Turkington 1523.
Cullybackey HPS 11/265 – Alan Darragh 1668, 1668, 1653, 1646, 1640, 1639, 1635, G Gibson 1635, Alan Darragh 1631, G Gibson 1610. Yesterday's race winner Alan Darragh with another great card winning with a velocity of 1668.305 with last week's winner 2nd club with a velocity of 1668.178. Well done Alan.
Harryville HPS – Sam Crawford 1650, 1643, K & K Kernohan 1641, Sam Crawford 1640, L Mullan 1636, K & K Kernohan 1631, R H Clements 1629, Sam Crawford 1628, R H Clements 1623, 1623.
Randalstown HPS 9/189 – John Millar 1643, 1643, Houston Bros 1602, John Millar 1587, Houston Bros 1583, Stewart Bros 1572, 1562, 1563. John Miller has his second win of the season with a yearling blue chequer Van Loon hen sitting eggs 10 days. John's runner up a yearling chequer Veenestra cock is the Sagan bloodlines.
Broughshane & District HPS – T & M Morrow 1639, 1596, D Houston & Son 1568, 1563, J Getty 1557, M Neilly 1544.
Champions’ League Group Stage
Points gathered in the top 20 of the MA Combine in the first six old bird races.
Top 2 in each group go through to last 16 - Corrin week 5 of 6
Group (1) J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 19, D Craig Associate 6, A Purvis Broughshane 0, J McNeill & Son Randalstown 0
Group (2) J Eagleson & Son Ballymena 130, Surgenor Bros Kells 23, C Moore Ahoghill 2, C Kennedy Broughshane 0
Group (3) F Barkley Rasharkin 42, Mr & Mrs Robinson Ahoghill 9, D Houston & Son Broughshane 0, R Service & Son Ballymena 0
Group (4) A Darragh Cullybackey 105, J & M Milliken Rasharkin 93, A Shiels Ahoghill 0, T & M Morrow Broughshane 0
Group (5) T Whyte Rasharkin 105, R H Clements Associate 0, J Miller Randalstown 0, H Turkington Kells 0
Group (6) S Murphy Kells 76, G Gibson Cullybackey 20, J Rock Associate 9, N Percy & Son Randalstown 0
Group (7) Blair & Rankin Ballymena 19, J & J Greer Cullybackey 4, Stewart Bros Randalstown 0, H Boyd Kells 0
Group (8) D Dixon Rasharkin 100, S Crawford Associate 64, C & R McIntyre Cullybackey 14, R Alexander Ballymena 0
Mid Antrim Combine OB Points Fancier Of The Year - Week 5 Corrin Top 10
Young McManus & Sons Ahoghill 178, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 130, T Whyte Rasharkin 105, A Darragh Cullybackey 105, D Dixon Rasharkin 100, J & M Milliken Rasharkin 93, S Murphy Kells 76, S Crawford Associate 64, F Barkley Rasharkin 42, Surgenor Bros Kells 23.
Mid Antrim Combine Old Bird Knock - out (winners in capitals)
T & M MORROW v R Service & Son, A BARKLEY & SON v D Craig, A Purvis v C McDOWELL, R Alexander v W JACKSON, A DARRAGH v D Mairs, J McNaghten & Son v R H CLEMENTS, J Ramsey v N PERCY & SON, J Harris v J & MILLIKEN, A McBride v BLAIR & RANKIN, J EAGLESON & SONS v C Moore, D DIXON v T & G Balmer, A C & T TWEED v Gregg Bros, J & C Letters v STEELE & McNEILL, M Graham v McFARLANE & AGNEW, S MURPHY v J & J Greer, SURGENOR BROS v D Mitchell, J Balmer v BALMER YOUNG & SONS, N & S Anderson v RJ & WJ REID, G & A EAGLESON v Stewart Bros, J Rock v F BARKLEY, S McIlveen v D ROBINSON, C & R McIntyre v G GIBSON, W McFETRIDGE v W & J McLean, S CRAWFORD v C Kennedy, McALONAN BROS v A Shiels, J SMYTH & SON V C Donnelly, Reid Bros & McCloy v HARRY BOYD, J Balmer v D HOUSTON & SON, H CUBITT v D & H Kirkpatrick, H Turkington v Mr & Mrs ROBINSON, J Miller v T WHYTE, J McNEILL & SON v W Livingstone.
Paddy McManus of Ahoghill with grandson Joel, best in Mid Antrim from Corrin.
McManus winner in Ahoghill, 1st Combine & Sect from Corrin and 8th Open NIPA.