Race for final seat in Athlone (Roscommon)

Whilst the poll-topping performance of Independent Cllr Emer Kelly was the main story of the Athlone Electoral Area of Roscommon County Council, there are still a lot of questions to answer as the count ticked on into Sunday tea time.

The main issue to be resolved is the destination of the sixth and final seat, with Sinn Féin's Sam Brooks, Fianna Fáil's James Murray and Fine Gael Domnick Connolly the contenders. Most commentators here are not willing to call it, with probably the identity of the first of the three to be eliminated being the ultimate deciding factor.

Already, Kelly, fellow independent Tony Ward and Fine Gael's John Naughten have been elected.

Independent Laurence Fallon is likely to be elected in the third count, the results of which are due very shortly.

Fianna Fáil's John Keogh has seen his first preference vote drop from 1,010 last time to 931 on this occasion, but is set to be elected.

The final seat is up for grabs, with the distribution of the surplus of Naughten and of Fallon, and the likely elimination of non-party candidate Dominic Naughton and Sinn Féin's Joe Harney being the expected next steps.

It could be count seven or eight before we know the destination of that last seat. A long night in the Hyde awaits.

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