A snap shot of vote management in Monaghan
Corcaghan is an interesting snapshot of how may or may not work.
It's not far south from Monaghan town but still mostly rural farming community. Strategically for Sinn Féin it was Matt Carthy's area, but Cathy Bennett has topped the tally with 88 with over five times Carthy's vote (16).
Sinn Féin insiders were surprised by the vote here, but at the same time Corcaghan is close to Monaghan Town which is nominally Bennett's area, and she has family living in the parish.
Of course it is much easier for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael strategists to manage the vote in Monaghan areas with one candidate each from the county to draw on Farney loyalty. Robbie Gallagher (FF) polled well in Corcaghan with 63 as opposed to his party colleagues Brendan Smith (1) and Niamh Smyth (0).
David Maxwell (FG) has also done well in Corcaghan with 56 votes as opposed to Carmel Brady (1) and TP O'Reilly (4).
Aontú's Sarah O'Reilly would have hoped for more than the 10 votes she has got from this area, but she performed better than Shane P O'Reilly of Independent Ireland (2).
Of the other runners it really doesn't look good for Eddie O'Gara of the Green Party from Monaghan Town having only secured three votes in his hinterland.
The independents to the right none of them have made much of an impression in Corcaghan.