O'Reilly to top the poll but FF, FG and SF set to lock horns

Bailieborough Cootehill MD

With the tally finished in Bailieborough Cootehill (save for the postal votes), Aontú's Sarah O'Reilly is the pace setter with 15.5% of the first preference votes - 1,743 votes. Buoyed by a large hometown vote, she looks to repeat her feat of 2019 by topping the poll in this MD.

The tallies are an unofficial count, but indicative that O'Reilly is likely be elected on the first count proper.

She is closely followed by two Fine Gael candidates Carmel Brady on 14% or 1,674 votes, and Cllr Val Smith 11.6 % or 1,391 votes.

Full time councillor Brady claimed the first preferences in Cootehill, where she works closely alongside Minister Heather Humphreys. Her home village of Bunnoe came out strong for her.

The Lavey man has not been a feature in any of the three key battlegrounds of Bailieborough, Cootehill and Kingscourt, but instead picked up a whopping 257 in Stradone (maybe the highest vote for anyone in a single box) and another 225 in Aughadreena and over 100 in each of Billis, Clifferna, Killlyconnan, Larah. The man is a proven vote-getter.

Then follows a trio of Fianna Fáil candidates completing the top six positions with Clifford Kelly on 1,233 votes (10.3%), Cllr Aiden Fitzpatrick on 1,165 (9.7%) and Niall Smith on 1,090 (9.1%).

Kelly was dependent on Kingscourt to secure much of his vote. Without Francie McDermott running for FF, his vote splintered every which way with Fitzpatrick and Smith sharing the modest spoils and Sarah O'Reilly of Aontú doing the best.

There's still plenty for the Fianna Fáil trio to be nervous about as their party achieved the highest share of the vote on 29%, it would be surprising if they all end up in the Cavan chamber.

Sinn Féin will still be confident of getting one councillor elected as they command a combined total of 18% of the first preference votes between running mates Stiofán Conaty 912 (8.6%) Paddy McDonald 723 votes (6.9%) and Marina McEntee 311 votes (2.6%).

Conaty took over 400 votes in his own patch of Ballyhaise and Redhills. While it may be surprising that Conaty is ahead of McDonald; the Bailieborough stalwart could still take a seat with the lion's share of transfers from McEntee likely to come his way.

Independent Garry Cosgrove can be satisfied with his first time outing, amassing a total of 603 preferences. His running mate Fiona McCormack didn't fare as well yet if her 200 votes go his way, she will have made a valuable contribution and keep him in the race a bit longer.

Clifford Kelly's performance in Kingscourt overshadowed Kristofer Shekleton's efforts in the town. Running for Independents Ireland he still appears to have performed well on 648 first preferences, and he will hope that some of Marina McEntee's votes will come his way on her elimination.

Likewise, John (Sean) O'Reilly was seeking votes in the crowded Kingscourt field, and having entered the race late in the day his campaign failed to ignite.