Flying into the NW - Clonmel 16/08/13

[willie reynolds]

This week saw the birds at Clonmel, a distance of around 180 miles to most fanciers in the North West. With the apparent threat of bad weather to come later in the day, the NIPA decided to release the Section H birds on their own at ten thirty. A good decision?, I’ll leave that up to yourselves to debate, although looking at returns and velocities, it turned out to be a very hard and slow affair, with many empty perches come strike off time. There will always be those who would like to see more area liberations, myself included, and there will be those who see safety in numbers with the mass liberations, it seems however, in the great big scheme of things, to be another one of those debates that has no right or wrong answer. As the saying goes, you can please some of the people some of the time, and you can please some of the people all of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time.

Anyway, let’s get on with the results, and it’s up to Omagh first, where we have our Section winner for this week, Alan Kelly. Alan has been a bit quiet recently, but has come back with a bang this week. Alan Hall is there again in second, with Kenny Armstrong taking the next three, and Ronnie Harkness making up the top six. The full result then looks like this, 1st A Kelly 1351, 2nd A Hall 1235, 3rd, 4th and 5th K Armstrong 1228, 1224, 1213, and 6th R Harkness 1172.

Next, we go up to Limavady, where Ronnie Witherow is back on form, taking another red card and also has two more in the top five. John Mc Cool is close this week also, taking second and third. The full result for the Limavady club was 1st, 4th, 5th and 7th R Witherow 1311, 1291, 1291, 2nd and 3rd J Mc Cool 1292, 1291, 6th and 8th W Mc Ilmoyle, 9th R Mc Ilmoyle, 10th D Mc Cool.

Up in the Strabane club this week, Tommy Mc Bride gets back to winning ways again. Tommy has a super race, taking third and fifth spots as well. The full result for the Strabane club then looked like this, 1st, 3rd and 5th T Mc Bride 1201, 1069, 1004, 2nd and 8th G Quinn 1168, 4th and 7th I Deasley 1007, 6th T Ferguson. (7 members sent 121)

Down then to the Derry clubs, and we must start with the Derry and District, where we have our Fed winner Paul Hegarty. Paul has been out of the sport for a number of years, and will be a very popular winner this week. Jim and Gary Ramsey get back in the frame this week in second, with Sean Duffy taking third. The full result for the Derry and District for this week looks like this, 1st and 8th P Hegarty 1249, 2nd J+G Ramsey 1237, 3rd S Duffy 1237, 4th and 5th D Canning 1228, 1223, 6th S Barker, 7th, 9th and 10th A Mc Crudden. (13 members sent 190)

Down in the Amelia Earhart this week, Cathal Fox picks up another red card for the season, and is just in front of Andy Mitchell, whose young birds are going really well this year. Jimmy Quigley is there or there abouts this week again in third and fourth. The full result for the Amelia looks like this, 1st C Fox 1248, 2nd and 9th A Mitchell 1241, 3rd and 4th J Quigley 1229,1149, 5th, 6th and 10th G Ferguson 1093, 7th K Mc Cafferty.

Over in the Londonderry club this week, Leo Flanagan continues to dominate, taking the first three positions again this week. Billy Houston continues his good form, taking fourth and fifth. The full result for the Londonderry club was as follows, 1st, 2nd and 3rd L Flanagan 1238, 1215 and 1171, 4th and 5th B Houston 1135, 1116, 6th, 7th 9th and 10th J+D Kelly, 8th D Kelly.

Last but not least this week, we go to the Maiden City club, where Martin Healy makes a welcome return to winning ways. Martin is well ahead of Pat Mc Laughlin, with Concannon Bros, and Tony Morrison making up the top six. The full result for the Maiden City then looked like this, 1st P+M Healy 1218, 2nd P Mc Laughlin 1151, 3rd, 4th and 6th Concannon Bros 980, 962 and 915, 5th T Morrison 944.

In the City of Derry Fed this week, the top five looked like this, 1st P Hegarty 1249, 2nd C Fox 1248, 3rd B Hart 1247, 4th A Mitchell 1241, 5th L Flanagan 1238.

Well done to all our winners this week, and especially our Section winner Alan Kelly. Well done also to all those who managed to get a position.

billyknox@btinternet.com


Martin Healy 1st Maiden City.


Cathal Fox 1st Amelia Earhart.


Leo Flanagan, 1st, 2nd and 3rd Londonderry.