For the second race of the season the birds were transported to Roscrea in County Tipperary in Ireland. The pigeons were liberated at 9.00am in light north easterly winds getting stronger as he day went on. Harryville fancier Sam Crawford had the best bird in the Mid Antrim Combine timing at 12.31pm for the 146 mile fly to the lofts at Moorfields. Sam's winner a yearling dark chequer hen racing on widowhood was purchased in a kit of 6 from top racers and breeders Paddy & William McManus of Ahoghill. Sire is Van Den Brande and dam Lambrechts. Sam would like to thank Paddy & William McManus for his winning pigeon. Next best in the Combine was in fact Paddy & William McManus of the Young McManus & Sons partnership of Ahoghill. They timed their good 4-year-old self bred Louis Thijs cock at 12.29pm flying 144 miles to the Croft in Ahoghill. This cock topped the Section from Fermoy last season and had just been paired up. Johnston Eagleson & Sons were nest best with a 3-year-old Van Den Bulck x Lambrechts hen. A full sister topped the Combine by 12 minutes from Fermoy last season. Other winners included Alan Darragh 1st & 2nd in Cullybackey on 1195 and 4th Combine, the Kells & Dist winners Surgenor Bros on 1194, John & Mark Milliken 1st in Rasharkin on 1178 and John Miller 1st in Randalstown on 1128. Mervyn Eagleson PO. Despite having a majority of members already in the MAC through Associated membership the Harryville HPS declined the offer put to all clubs that had opt out members, to take part in the seasons Champions League. Every single club locally bar Harryville supplied the names of 4 lofts for representation to compete firstly on a league basis and then moving to knock-out over er the channel events with the final in Penzance.
Mid Antrim Combine Roscrea 62/1715 - Sam Crawford Associate 1231, Young McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1211, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1199, A Darragh Cullybackey 1195, Young McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1194, Surgenor Bros Kells 1194, D Dixon Rasharkin 1193, Sam Crawford 1192, A Darragh Cullybackey 1192, G Gibson Cullybackey 1189, Young McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1189, G Gibson Cullybackey 1189, Mr & Mrs Robinson Ahoghill 1189, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1186, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1186, McFarlane & Agnew Kells 1186, J & J Greer Cullybackey 1181, J & M Milliken Rasharkin 1178, Young McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1176, Young McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1176, A Darragh Cullybackey 1176, Mr & Mrs Robinson Ahoghill 1176, S Murphy Kells 1173, A Darragh Cullybackey 1173, C Moore Ahoghill 1172, A Darragh Cullybackey 1170, J Smyth & Son Ahoghill 1170, D Dixon Rasharkin 1170, G Gibson Cullybackey 1167, F Barkley Rasharkin 1165, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1165, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1165, A Darragh Cullybackey 1165, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1164, A Darragh Cullybackey 1163, Young McManus & Sons Ahoghill 1162, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 1157, G Gibson Cullybackey 1157, Blair & Rankin Ballymena 1155, S Crawford 1154.
Mid Antrim Combine OB Points Fancier of the Year - Week 2 Roscrea
Sam Murphy Kells 59, Young McManus & Sons Ahoghill 48, Alan Darragh Cullybackey 40, J Eagleson & Sons Ballymena 37, Trevor Whyte Rasharkin 35, Sam Crawford Harryville 33.
Champions League 2022
Ahoghill Flying Club – J Smyth & Son, M/M Robinson, A Shiels, C Moore.
Ballymena – J Eagleson & Sons, Blair & Rankin, R Service & Son, R Alexander.
Kells – S Murphy, Surgenor Bros, H Boyd, H Turkington.
Cullybackey – A Darragh, G Gibson, C & R McIntyre, J & J Greer.
Randalstown – Stewart Bros, J Millar, J McNeill & Son, N Percy & Son.
Rasharkin – D Dixon, J & M Milliken, T Whyte, F Barkley.
Broughshane – D Houston & Son, A Purvis, C Kennedy, T & M Morrow.
Mid Antrim Combine Clubs Roscrea
Harryville HPS – S Crawford 1131, K & K Kernohan 1226, 1225, S Crawford 1192, K & K Kernohan 1169, S Crawford 1154.
Ahoghill Flying Club 11/401 – Young McManus & Sons 1211, 1194, 1189, M/M Robinson 1189, Young McManus & Sons 1176, 1176, M/M Robinson 1176, C Moore 1172, J Smyth & Son 1170, Young McManus & Sons 1162. Brooke Supplies 2 Bird Club – J Smyth & Son 1129, C Moore 1119.
Ballymena & District 8/184 – J Eagleson & Sons 1199, 1186, 1186, 1165, 1165, 1164, 1157, Blair & Rankin 1155, 1154, 1152. Johnston Eagleson & Sons had a good day’s racing taking the top seven positions in the club. Their winning 3-year-old chequer w/f hen was timed at 12.35pm. Sire is their good Van Den Bulck stock cock from the P & D Breeding Stud and the dam is Lambrechts. A full sister topped the Combine by 12 minutes from a tough Fermoy last season.
Cullybackey HPS – A Darragh 1195, 1192, G Gibson 1189, 1189, J & J Greer 1181, A Darragh 1176.
Kells & District – Surgenor Bros 1194, McFarlane & Agnew 1186, Sam Murphy 1173, 1152, 1136, 1129, 1120, A Barkley & Son 1117, S Murphy 1112. Sizzlers 2 Bird Club – S Murphy 1152, Gregg Bros 1059, S Murphy 1047, McFarlane & Agnew 1029, B Swann & Son 1020.
Rasharkin & District 10/185 – J & M Milliken 1178, F Barkley 1165, T Whyte 1152, 1151, J & M Milliken 1135, W McFetridge 1132. Danny Dixon – 1193, 1170.
Randalstown HPS 7/197 – J Millar 1128, Houston Bros 1122, J Millar 1121, Stewart Bros 1113, 1082, 1083, J McNeill & Son 1076, Houston Bros 1074. Secretary John Miller had the winner this week with a yearling chequer cock sitting on eggs 13 days. Sire is Lambrechts and the dam Veenestra. Both parents were purchased from sales in England
Broughshane & District – T & M Morrow 1096, 1086, A Purvis 1070, D Houston & Son 1067, A Purvis 1053, 1051.
Sam Crawford from Harryville HPS wins 1st MAC from Roscrea