FINAL TALLY: FF on track for three seats in Connemara South

The final tally for the Connemara South electoral area has thrown up the prospect of Fianna Fáil winning three seats.

(Three boxes are missing from the final tally figure).

Fine Gael’s Padraic Mac An Iomaire (Ridge) is set to top the poll followed closely by Fianna Fáil’s Noel Thomas in Moycullen.

Fianna Fáil’s Daithí Ó Cualain in Inverin has polled well and is widely tipped to take the second of the five seats in Connemara South.

Their FF colleague Mairtín Ó Laoi from Lettermullen is in with a strong chance of taking a third for the party but it will be a close run thing between himself and Fine Gael’s Ann Flaherty.

Sitting independent councillor Tomás Ó Curraoin in Barna should retain his seat and it is expected that he will get a strong transfer from Fianna Fáil’s MacDara Hosty as well as from Sinn Fein’s Kevin O’Hara.

The surprise package has been the performance of the Greens Alister McKinstry who polled extremely well but is likely to be starved for transfers.

Counting has begun in the Connemara North electoral area and a first count is due shortly. Meanwhile, the tally for the Athenry-Oranmore area has commenced and there should be an indication shortly.