OB & YB Knock-out 2020 -

[willie reynolds]

Mid Antrim Combine Old Bird K/O Diploma - At long last the members names were gathered up and listed for the seasons Old Bird Knock-Out competition. I sorted out the names into a list and PO Mervyn Eagleson supplied the numbers as matched pairs for the competition. It was the best arrangement available in the season’s unusual circumstances. I hope to shortly publish the details used for the Champions League. As far as the OB Knock-Out goes we used four inland races, Tullamore, Gowran Park, Corrin (1) and Corrin (2). With the Penzance birds brought back we used Talbenny for the semi-final and then Bude for the final.

Just short of 64 lofts competed and after two rounds we had the following for the Lat 16 at Corrin (1). Gary Gibson v Danny Dixon, Houston Bros v Blair & Rankin, Young McManus & Sons v J Millar & Son, R Service & Son v Harold Cubitt, Allen McBride v Jimmy Rock, F & J & G Dickey v Stewart Bros, J Smyth & Son v R H Clements, John Millar v W & J Smyth. For Corrin (2) quarter final the matches were Gary Gibson v Blair & Rankin, J Millar & Son v R Service & Son, Allen McBride v Stewart Bros and R H Clements v W & J Smyth. The semi-final was flown from Talbenny Blair & Rankin v R Service & Son and Allen McBride v W & J Smyth. The final from Bude turned out a hard race and not much between the finalists, Blair & Rankin vel 923 v Allen McBride vel 978. The winner for 2020 was Associate Member Allen McBride, well done and a great competition.

The draw has been made for the Young Bird Knock-Out competition on the same basis as was used for the Old Birds. The race programme to be used will be decided when the NIPA meet to consider the remainder of the young bird season, it would be hoped that the final would either be flown from Talbenny or if that is not available Skibbereen National. Some of the opening matches include Danny Dixon v Chris Young, J Millar & Son v G & A Eagleson, Adrian Shields v Tom Young & Son, Harold Cubitt v R H Clements, Jimmy Rock v Stewart Bros, W & J Smyth v Hugh Boyd, Harry Boyd v A Barkley & Son, Martin Graham v F & G & J Dickey, A C & T Tweed v Gary Gibson, C & D Jackson v Blair & Rankin, Denis Craig v Freddie Barkley, MDC Magill v Young McManus & Sons, in all we have 32 matches and I will give more details later. I had hoped to start after the first week when a lot of lofts don’t send, but to finish at Talbenny I had to start at Area Lib (1) Mullingar. Winners in the matched listed above included D Dixon, J Millar & Son, Tom Young, Harold Cubitt, Stewart Bros, W & J Smyth, Harry Boyd, Dickey Team, Tweed Team, Blair, D Craig and Paddy McManus.

Area Lib (2) was also flown from Mullingar and result of matches here included, the winners listed first. D Dixon v J Millar & Son, T Whyte v M/M Robinson, H Turkington v J Eagleson & Sons, Tom Young v D Craig, George Bell v Houston Bros, J Smyth & Son v Bye, H Cubitt v Surgenor Bros, T & G Balmer v T & M Morrow, W & J Smyth v Bye, Dickey Team v Harry Boyd, Tweed Team v Bye, Blair & Rankin v Young McManus & Sons, C Moore v W Jackson, N Bradley v Bye, and R Service & Son v W J McLean the closest result, again a lot of lofts not sending.

At Roscrea last weekend the bad weather conditions favoured the shorter flyers, Result was as follows – D Dixon 1541 v Trevor Whyte 1389, H Turkington 1671 v T Young & Son 1515, George Bell 1537.1 v J Smyth & Son 1537.2, H Cubitt 1441 v Stewart Bros 1618, T & G Balmer 1540 v W & J Smyth 1649, Dickey team 1667 v Tweed team 1381, Blair & Rankin 1678 v C Moore 1497, N Bradley 1518 v R Service & Son 1695.

The Quarted Final matches for Gowran Park this weekend are as follows. Danny Dixon (Rasharkin) v Henry Turkington (Kells), J Smyth & Son (Ahoghill) v Stewart Bros (Randalstown), W & J Smyth (Ballymena) v F & J & G Dickey (Randalstown), Blair & Rankin (Ballymena) v R Service & Son (Ballymena),

Latest Update -

The Mid Antrim Combine Quarter Final matches for YB Knock-out at Gowran Park this weekend with results as follows. Danny Dixon (Rasharkin) 1201 v Henry Turkington (Kells) 1145, J Smyth & Son (Ahoghill) 1145 v Stewart Bros (Randalstown), W & J Smyth (Ballymena) 1104 v F & J & G Dickey (Randalstown) 1158, Blair & Rankin (Ballymena) 1155 v R Service & Son (Ballymena) 1185, From Fermoy this weekend the semi-finals are D Dixon v J Smyth & Son and F & J & G Dickey v R Service & Son, with final at Talbenny on 12th September.

Young Bird Knock-out – Danny Dixon (Rasharkin) 1360 v F & G & J Dickey (Randalstown) 1304. Great final with both lofts 1st Club winners, congratulations to winner Danny Dixon who is having an outstanding young bird season.