A comeback race from Tullamore proved something of a disaster with a late liberation compounding the problems for this year’s young birds.

Topping the Fed for the first time this season was the Foyle partnership of Louis & Mickey Moran who took 1st & 2nd Fed and also took the top spots in Section H of the NIPA. A great result on a day when many fanciers failed to record an arrival.

Maiden City fanciers Damien Dunne & Kieran Quigley also had two birds time taking 3rd & 12th while Liam Hegarty & Son finished 4th & 14th. The Maguire & McDevitt partnerhip, completed the top five.

Other results were - 6th, J Campbell; 7th, Cooley Bros; 8th, T McDaid ; 9th, Mr & Mrs Maxwell; 10th, J Diamond; 11th, P McLaughlin; 13th, P Hegarty & Son; 15th, J & D Kelly; 16th, S McGrotty; 17th, J & G Ramsey; 18th, S Barker; 19th, Quigley & Dunne; 20th, L Flanagan & Son.

Meanwhile, fanciers who sent to the NIPA cross-Channel race from Wales had to settle for liberation from Mullingar when bad weather forced the convoy to return to Ireland.

Claiming his sixth Fed victory was Foyle member Anthony McCrudden who timed four birds to take 1st, 13th, 14th & 16th positions. In addition to this, Anthony also tops Section H of the NIPA.

Mr. & Mrs. Paul Maxwell also had three birds involved when taking 2nd, 8th & 17th spots while Maiden City fancier, Michael Concannon, took 3rd.

The Waterside partnership of Joe & Donal Kelly had three in the frame - 4th,11th & 12th positions with Rock members Willie & Darren Hamilton taking 5th.

Other results were - 6th, Hegarty & Killen; 7th & 18th, E Quigley; 9th & 20th, J. McDaid & Son; 10th & 15th, McGettigan Bros; 19th, Cooley Bros.

Maiden City

Once again North-West pigeon fanciers experienced another disastrous weekend with birds in one race being brought back from Talbenny and released late on Sunday from Mullingar.

And the race on Friday, from Tullamore, saw birds released at 2.00 p.m. which resulted in many good young birds being lost. Results from Tullamore saw Kieran Quigley and Damien Dunne take thier second red card of the young bird season and, just for good measure, the same partnership took 2nd, 7th, & 8th positions.

In 3rd spot was Sean McGrotty whose birds are in excellent form. Quigley & Dunne took 4th while in 5th was G. McLaughlin; 6th, Hegarty & Killen; 9th, G McLaughlin; 10th, M Concannon.

In the race from Mullingar was Michael Concannon who is having an excellent season while in 2nd spot were the two young lads from Garden City, Robbie Hegarty & Johnny Killen and 3rd & 6th was the Inch loft of Eamon Quigley; 4th & 5th was the McGettigan Bros. from Burndenett.