Bitesize ballot: Thrilling finishes still to come as the Sinn Féin storm hits Election 2020

Numerous constituencies are still in line for thrilling finishes, right to the line.

The tallies have followed the pattern of the exit poll.

Several high-profile figures are still fighting for their lives, but Fine Gael's Regina Doherty, Noel Rock and Mary Mitchell O'Connor, Labour's Joan Burton, Independent minister Shane Ross and Solidarity-People Before Profit's Ruth Coppinger were among the notable casualties.

Dublin Bay South, Mayo and Cavan-Monaghan are throwing up absolute cliffhangers.

Galway West, Dublin West and Wicklow are the predicted melees, while Tipperary, Dublin North-West and Limerick have been thrown wide open.

Sinn Féin is heading for at least 36 seats, and possibly hitting 38. Fianna Fáil will be above 40 seats and Fine Gael under 40.

The Green Party might break the 10 mark, the Social Democrats will make gains, possibly going as high as five seats. Labour will be lucky to come back with six seats.

Solidarity-People Before Profit is still in contention to hold most of its six seats.

DUBLIN

DUBLIN BAY SOUTH - 4 seats

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan, Sinn Féin's Chris Andrews and the first Fine Gael candidate take seats. Ryan topped the poll. Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy looks like holding on. The last seat is between Fine Gael's high-profile backbencher Kate O'Connell and Fianna Fáil's Jim O'Callaghan. Labour's Kevin Humphreys will be the kingmaker as his transfers determine the outcome.

DUBLIN SOUTH-CENTRAL - 4 seats

Sinn Féin's Aengus Ó Snodaigh won with almost two quotas, and People Before Profit's Bríd Smith benefited from his transfers. Independents 4 Change's Joan Collins is in the hunt. Fine Gael's Catherine Byrne remains in deep danger but a question mark over whether Fianna Fáil's Catherine Ardagh would replace her. It's impossible to see both of them coming back. Green Patrick Costello hovering around with intent. Sinn Féin has left a seat behind.

DÚN LAOGHAIRE - 4 seats

Green Ossian Smyth was elected along with People Before Profit's Richard Boyd Barrett. Fine Gael took only one seat with Jennifer Carroll MacNeill ahead of Mary Mitchell O'Connor. Mitchell O'Connor lost out to Fianna Fáil's Cormac Devlin for the last seat.

DUBLIN RATHDOWN - 3 seats

Fine Gael managed to take two seats after Green Catherine Martin topped the poll. Fine Gael's Josepha Madigan and Neale Richmond still faced an almighty battle with Fianna Fáil's Shay Brennan, Sinn Féin's Sorcha Nic Cormaic and Independent Shane Ross. The former Transport, Tourism and Sport Minster was a high-profile casualty.

DUBLIN CENTRAL - 4 seats, increase from 3

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald overwhelmingly topped the poll but without a running mate to transfer, where her surplus goes will be vital. Fine Gael Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe should have enough to hold on, but is by no means guaranteed, and Green Neasa Hourigan is also looking good. The last seat is between Fianna Fáil's Mary Fitzpatrick, Social Democrat Gary Gannon and Independent former Sinn Féin councillor Christy Burke.

DUBLIN BAY NORTH - 5 seats

Now it gets interesting. Sinn Féin's Denise Mitchell topped the poll overwhelmingly. Fine Gael's Richard Bruton is also solid. Labour's Aodhán Ó Ríordáin is doing well and Fianna Fáil's Seán Haughey should also get there. Ó Ríordáin looks like taking the seat held by the retiring Independent Finian McGrath. Social Democrats Cian O'Callaghan is up against Green David Healy for the final seat, previously held by the retiring Independent Tommy Broughan. Independent John Lyons looks like coming up short but don't write him off yet.

DUBLIN NORTH-WEST - 3 seats

Sinn Féin's Dessie Ellis and Social Democrats Róisín Shortall are safe. The last seat is set for Fianna Fáil's Paul McAuliffe as Fine Gael's Noel Rock conceded he was not likely to keep his seat. Green Caroline Conroy is a long way off and would need a massive transfer from Ellis's surplus to be in the frame. McAuliffe should have the edge as Lord Mayor, but he is hampered by his party's standing in the capital.

DUBLIN FINGAL - 5 seats

Sinn Féin's Louise O'Reilly topped the poll handily, with her surplus being important. Green Joe O'Brien is also looking good, and so is Fianna Fáil's Darragh O'Brien and Fine Gael's Alan Farrell ought to have enough. Then it's down to Labour's Duncan Smyth fending off Independents Dean Mulligan and Tony Murphy as well as Fianna Fáil's Lorraine Clifford-Lee.

DUBLIN WEST - 4 seats

After numerous attempts, Sinn Féin's Paul Donnelly finally took a seat with a massive surplus from 12,000 first preferences. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was initially just short of a quota but was comfortably elected. Fianna Fáil's Jack Chambers took the third seat, with the last seat claimed by the Green's Roderic O'Gorman. Labour veteran Joan Burton was eliminated on the fifth count and Solidarity-People Before Profit's Ruth Coppinger also lost her seat.

DUBLIN MID-WEST - 4 seats

Sinn Féin's Eoin Ó Broin topped the poll comfortably and had enough to bring in his running mate and fellow TD, Mark Ward. Fine Gael's Emer Higgins ought to have enough to cling on but Vicki Casserly was falling behind. Fianna Fáil's John Curran was fending off People Before Profit's Gino Kenny and Independent former Green Paul Gogarty.

DUBLIN SOUTH-WEST - 5 seats

Sinn Féin's Seán Crowe tops the poll overwhelmingly with 30pc of the vote but no running mate to transfer to. Fine Gael's Colm Brophy will be fine, as will Rise's Paul Murphy. Fianna Fáil's John Lahart, Green Francis Noel Duffy are in the mix but Independent Katherine Zappone was in trouble last night.

LEINSTER

LOUTH - 5 seats

Sinn Féin held its two seats through Imelda Munster in Drogheda and Ruairí Ó Murchú in Dundalk. Munster topped the poll. Fine Gael's Fergus O'Dowd and Fianna Fáil's Declan Breathnach will come in too, with transfers to come from their running mates John McGahon and James Byrne. Labour's Ged Nash in Drogheda has to poach from up the road in Dundalk from Independent Peter Fitzpatrick, where Green Mark Dearey is also lingering.

MEATH EAST - 3 seats

Sinn Féin's Darren O'Rourke topped the poll. Fine Gael's Helen McEntee and Fianna Fáil's Thomas Byrne will also win. Fine Gael minister Regina Doherty lost out, creating a high-profile casualty. It's a big scalp for Sinn Féin.

MEATH WEST - 3 seats

Sinn Féin’s Johnny Guirke topped the poll, while the other two seats went to Aontú’s Peadar Tóibín and Fine Gael’s Damien English as Fianna Fáil’s Shane Cassells lost out.

LONGFORD-WESTMEATH - 4 seats

Sinn Féin’s Sorca Clarke will top the poll. After that, Fianna Fáil’s Robert Troy takes a seat. Independent Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran is in major difficulty from Fianna Fáil’s Joe Flaherty. Flaherty looks to have the edge. Fine Gael’s Peter Burke has transfers to come from running mate Michael Carrigy.

LAOIS-OFFALY - 5 seats, down 1 from previous Laois and Offaly (3 each)

Sinn Féin’s Brian Stanley topped the poll, but had no running mate to transfer to. He’ll be followed by Fianna Fáil’s Barry Cowen and Sean Fleming, and Fine Gael’s Charlie Flanagan. The final seat is between Fine Gael’s Marcella Corcoran-Kennedy, Independent former Sinn Féin TD Carol Nolan, Fianna Fáil’s Peter Ormond, Green Pippa Hackett and Independent John Leahy.

KILDARE NORTH - 4 seats

Social Democrats Catherine Murphy and Sinn Féin’s Réada Cronin look like getting elected. There will be a Fianna Fáil seat from Frank O’Rourke and James Lawless. Then the second Fianna Fáil candidate will be fighting it out with Fine Gael’s Bernard Durkan and Green Vincent P Martin for the last two seats. Fianna Fáil looks like coming up short, so it’s Durkan versus Martin for the final seat.

KILDARE SOUTH - 4 seats, increased from 3, but Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl automatically elected, so 3 contested

Sinn Féin’s Patricia Ryan, away on holidays last week, is the surprise package. Fianna Fáil’s Fiona O’Loughlin is fine with votes to come from running mate Suzanne Doyle. Fine Gael’s Martin Heydon is also looking fine, but Labour’s Mark Wall is coming up short as a result of the Sinn Féin surge.

WICKLOW - 5 seats

Sinn Féin’s John Brady, Fine Gael’s Simon Harris and the first of the Fianna Fáil candidates will hold on. Fianna Fáil’s Stephen Donnelly appears to be ahead of running mate Pat Casey, but geography might yet come into play yet. Donnelly is in a crowded field in the north and Casey in the south. Social Democrat Jennifer Whitmore is looking good. The last seat will see Green Steven Matthews heading for a face-off with the second Fianna Fáil candidate and Fine Gael’s duo of Andrew Doyle and Billy Timmins. Remember the geography here. Brady, Harris, Donnelly, Whitmore and Matthews are all up the north of the county in Bray and Greystones. There has to be a south

Wicklow seat. Come back in 48 hours as with 20 candidates on the ballot paper, it’ll be Wednesday before it’s all sorted out.

CARLOW-KILKENNY - 5 seats

Sinn Féin’s Kathleen Funchion topped the poll after being written off before the Shinner surge. She got a quota-and-a-half with no running mate. Fianna Fáil’s John McGuinness and Fine Gael John Paul Phelan look solid. Fianna Fáil’s Jennifer Murnane O’Connor is also performing well and will be ahead of both Fine Gael’s Pat Deering in the battle for Carlow and Fianna Fáil’s Bobby Aylward within her own camp. Thereafter, Green Malcolm Noonan and People Before Profit’s Adrienne Wallace have a long way to go to come into contention.

WEXFORD - 5 seats

Sinn Féin’s Johnny Mythen took a seat, after coming just short last time out. Labour leader Brendan Howlin is dependable as ever. Fianna Fáil’s James Browne looks to be solid too. Fine Gael’s Michael D’Arcy was ahead of his party colleague Paul Kehoe and there’s only one seat for the party there. The last seat comes down between Fianna Fáil’s Malcolm Byrne and Independent Verona Murphy. Byrne in the north has transfers to come from running mates Michael Sheehan and Lisa McDonald, but both are in the south of the country.

Murphy has geography on her side with Independents Ger Carthy and Seánie O’Shea going out.

MUNSTER

CORK SOUTH-CENTRAL - 4 seats

Sinn Féin’s Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire topped the poll after doubling his vote. As expected Fianna Fáil’s Micheál Martin and Michael McGrath were both elected, as was Fine Gael Tánaiste Simon Coveney.

CORK NORTH-CENTRAL - 4 seats

Sinn Féin’s Thomas Gould topped the poll. Fianna Fáil’s Padraig O’Sullivan is through. Fine Gael’s Colm Burke is looking healthier now in the absence of a party meltdown. Solidarity’s Mick Barry will have to stay ahead of Fianna Fáil’s Tony Fitzgerald and Independent Kenneth O’Flynn.

CORK EAST - 4 seats

Sinn Féin’s Pat Buckley was thought dead in the water – but yesterday topped the poll handily. Fianna Fáil’s Kevin O’Keeffe’s is also fine. Labour’s Sean Sherlock looks strong enough to hold on. Fine Gael’s David Stanton fights it out in Midleton with Fianna Fáil’s James O’Connor. Stanton is the favourite to win and the four sitting TDs being returned.

CORK NORTH-WEST - 3 seats

The Civil War shoot-out went Fianna Fáil’s way. Fine Gael’s Michael Creed won a seat, but his running mate John Paul O’Shea did not.

Fianna Fáil’s Aindrias Moynihan and Michael Moynihan reigned supreme again. But next time there’ll be a Sinn Féin candidate in the field.

CORK SOUTH-WEST - 3 seats

Independent Michael Collins topped the poll and was elected on the first count. Fianna Fáil’s sitting TD Margaret Murphy-O’Mahony will be taken out by running mate Christopher O’Sullivan. Fine Gael’s Tim Lombard is up against Social Democrat Holly Cairns for the last seat. Cairns is also O’Sullivan’s partner, but a double in that household is unlikely in Fine Gael heartland.

KERRY - 5 seats

Sinn Féin’s Pa Daly won Martin Ferris’s seat. Fianna Fáil’s John Brassil is in severe danger of losing to running mate Norma Foley. Independent brothers Michael and Danny Healy-Rae will manage their vote. Fine Gael’s Brendan Griffin is in good form too. The Fianna Fáil running mates will fight it out for the last seat.

LIMERICK COUNTY - 3 seats

Niall Collins of Fianna Fáil elected. One of Fine Gael’s two seats was jettisoned, with Patrick O’Donovan on top and Fine Gael’s Tom Neville losing out. Independent Richard O’Donoghue and Sinn Féin’s Séighin Ó Ceallaigh fighting for the third seat.

LIMERICK CITY - 4 seats

Sinn Féin’s Maurice Quinlivan was elected and even pipped Fianna Fáil’s Willie O’Dea to top the poll. Fine Gael’s Kieran O’Donnell has enough with the help of running mate Maria Byrne. Labour’s Jan O’Sullivan is in awful trouble from Green Brian Leddin and Independent Frankie Daly.

CLARE - 4 seats

Sinn Féin’s Violet Ann Wynne is on course to win a seat for the party in Clare after securing 15pc of the first preference votes.

Fianna Fáil’s vote is holding up but it is not clear if the party will have enough to take two seats. Independent Michael McNamara is expected to come in safely. The Green Róisín Garvey in a battle with Fine Gael’s Pat Breen and Joe Carey.

TIPPERARY - 5 seats

Sinn Féin’s Martin Browne wasn’t given a ghost of a chance. Now the brother of the late Sinn Féin councillor who welcomed the Queen to Cashel will win a seat. Independents Michael Lowry and Mattie McGrath are solid, so is Fianna Fáil’s Jackie Cahill once he gets transfers from his running mates. Labour’s

Alan Kelly is struggling but it’s hard to see who poses a threat to him. Independent Seamus Healy loses out to Sinn Féin and Fine Gael flops again.

WATERFORD - 4 seats

Sinn Féin’s David Cullinane tops the poll with almost two quotas, so his surplus will be hugely influential. Fianna Fáil’s Mary Butler and Independent Matt Shanahan are then the favourites to win seats. The last seat is between Fine Gael’s Damien Geoghegan and Green Marc Ó Cathasaigh.

CONNACHT

MAYO - 4 seats

Sinn Féin’s Rose Conway-Walsh and Fine Gael’s Michael Ring take the first two seats, followed by Fianna Fáil’s Dara Calleary. Fine Gael’s Alan Dillon defeated Fianna Fáil’s Lisa Chambers for the final seat in a shock development.

GALWAY WEST - 5 seats

Sinn Féin’s Mairéad Farrell is the big winner. Independents Noel Grealish and Catherine Connolly are looking good. Fine Gael’s Hildegrade Naughten is favourite to take her party’s seat ahead of minister Seán Kyne. Fianna Fáil’s Éamon Ó Cuiv will be fine too. The contenders threatening that batch are Social Democrat Niall Ó Tuathail and Green Pauline O’Reilly, but Sinn Féin seems to have taken the wind from their sails.

GALWAY EAST - 3 seats

Independent Sean Canney, Fianna Fáil’s Anne Rabbitte and Fine Gael’s Ciaran Cannon all won seats. Sinn Féin’s Louis O’Hara came into the equation strongly but narrowly missed out.

ROSCOMMON-GALWAY - 3 seats

Independents Denis Naughten and Michael Fitzmaurice are safe. Sinn Féin’s Claire Kerrane is primed to pull off a shock by taking the Fianna Fáil seat. Fianna Fáil’s Eugene Murphy versus Orla Leyden have split the vote, leaving both stranded.

SLIGO-LEITRIM - 4 seats

Sinn Féin’s Martin Kenny topped the poll and was elected on the first count. Fianna Fáil’s Marc MacSharry also takes a seat and good vote management sees his colleague Eamon Scanlon also across the line. Independent Marian Harkin is then up against Fine Gael’s Frank Feighan and Thomas Walsh for the last seat. The winds favour Harkin.

ULSTER

DONEGAL - 5 seats

Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty and Pádraig MacLochlainn romped home, making this a gain for the party. Fine Gael’s Joe McHugh is alright.

Fianna Fáil’s Charlie McConologue is grand too but party colleague Pat ‘The Cope’ Gallagher is weak and expected to be under a lot of pressure from Independent Thomas Pringle.

CAVAN-MONAGHAN - 4 seats up to 5

Sinn Féin will take two seats with MEP Matt Carthy and Pauline Tully. Fine Gael’s Heather Humphreys was elected too but doesn’t have enough to bring her running mate TP O’Reilly into contention. Fianna Fáil is defending the last two seats with sitting TDs Brendan Smith and Niamh Smyth now under threat from their third candidate

Robbie Gallagher and Aontú’s Sarah O’Reilly.