'All to play for'- Tully TD

Sinn Fein candidates polling well in some areas.

Sinn Féin TD Pauline Tully believes its too early to make a call on which of the party candidates will take seats- with 58% of boxes opened in Cavan-Belturbet, 33% in Bailieborough-Cootehill, and 29% in Ballyjamesduff.

In Cavan-Belturbet the majority of boxes opened were in the west of the Municipal District, in Bailieborough-Cootehill it was Bailieborough Town with count staff starting on Kingscourt, and in Ballyjamesduff it started with Finea before moving into Ballyjamesduff, Virginia and Mullagh.

In Cavan-Belturbet Sinn Féin have one former councillor in Damien Brady looking to reclaim the seat he lost in 2019, campaigning alongside newcomer Michael 'Bricker Wall'. Two candidates in Ballyjamesduff in Noel Connel, who also lost the seat he held in 2019, and Angela Gaffney; and in Bailieborough-Cootehill they stood three candidates in their only sitting councillor, Paddy McDonald, and new faces Marina McEntee and Stiofan Conaty.

The party lost three seats five years ago and are confident of improving on that number.

Connell in Ballyjamesduff and Brady in Belturbet look the best positioned from the group.

“Its hard to tell. Early indications are that some of our candidates are doing quite well, and others, maybe boxes in their own area haven't been opened yet, so its all to play for really.”

She says that the official vote is one thing, but transfers can change an election race quickly.

“Its hard to tell, early days yet. I think everyone is a little bit worried, all parties, but we'll get a better picture soon enough.”