Flying into the NW - Mallow 11/05/14

[willie reynolds]

A bit of a shortened report this week, as a lot of fanciers, myself included, didn’t send, indeed two of the local clubs didn’t send at all. This being the case, the birdage for the race not surprisingly was well down. The birds were in Mallow in Co. Cork this week, which to most in the North West is just a little over the 200 mile mark. Given the weather forecast this week, the NIPA took the decision to go for a Sunday race, which turned out not to be as bad as many had feared, although watching the weather they had during the Giro D’talaia on Sunday, I thought it would turn out to be a bit of a smash again.

Anyway, on with the race itself, and we will start up in Omagh this week, where Kenny Armstrong continues to dominate the club. Kenny’s bird not only wins the club, but tops the Section as well. Kenny’s winner this week incidentally is a Mc Gimpsey Brothers Sootjen. Alan Hall gets close again in second, while the ever present Alan Kelly is third. The full result for the Omagh club looked like this, 1st, 4th and 5th K Armstrong 1347, 1320 and 1315, 2nd A Hall 1339, 3rd, 6th and 7th A Kelly 1332, 1250 and 1176, 8th and 9th Aaron Hennery 1133 and 1065.

Next up, to the Foyle club, where Paul Maxwell Junior cleans up this week. Paul takes six of the top eight positions, with old hands Raymond O Reilly and Teddy Millar taking second and third spots. The full result then was, 1st,4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Paul Maxwell Junior, 1311, 1131, 1087, 1084, 1028 and 1017, 2nd R O Reilly 1237, 3rd T Millar 1157.

In the Limavady club this week, Ronnie Witherow is proving to be the man to beat, as he notches up yet another win, with Willie Mc Ilmoyle in second and third. The result then for Limavady was, 1st, 5th and 6th R Witherow 1281, 1230 and 1215, 2nd and 3rd W Mc Ilmoyle 1276 and 1263, 4th R Mc Ilmoyle 1233, 7th H Crawford 1120, 8th J Crawford 1097.

Down in the Amelia Earhart this week, the father and son partnership of Willie and Darren Hamilton, pick up their first red card of the year, and take second position as well. Canning and Gill get closer with third and fifth, while Tommy White fills out the top six with fourth and sixth positions. The full result was 1st and 2nd W & D Hamilton 1197 and 1135, 3rd and 5th Canning and Gill 1086 and 1022, 4th and 6th T White 1052 and 1012.
Over in the Derry and District this week, Michael Moran gets a well deserved win, and has four birds in the top ten, good going in a hard race. The full result looked like this, 1st, 3rd, 8th and 10th L & M Moran 1094, 1047, 905 and 895, 2nd and 7th A Mc Crudden 1065 and 943, 4th, 5th, 6th and 9th D Canning 992, 992, 957 and 905.

Finally this week, to my own club the Maiden City, where Pat Mc Laughlin gets his second win of the year, and is sure to be gearing up for the longer races. Frankie Ramsey gets another second position this week, with Coyle Brothers in third. The full result then for the Maiden City looked like this, 1st and 6th P Mc Laughlin 1178 and 1053, 2nd F Ramsey 1136, 3rd Coyle Bros 1133, 4th, 7th and 9th S Quigley, Son and Grandson 1115, 1051 and 1017, 5th Concannon Bros 1113, 8th A Lyle 1048.

Well done to all who sent this week. A special well done to all our winners, and to our Section winner Kenny Armstrong. Two races to cover next week, with the Inland Derby from Roscarberry, and a comeback race from Roscrea.

billyknox@btinternet.com