It’s set to be one of the closest fought All Ireland football clashes in recent years — but Donegal’s die-hard fans may have already shaded it in the battle of the flags.

Fine Gael's John Paul Phelan tops the poll in Carlow Kilkenny with 10,929 votes but has not reached the quota of 12,291.

AS the ‘Gilmore Gale’ swept across counties on the first real day of campaigning, the Labour leader ruled out the election being a contest of personalities, and vowed that it would be issue-led with a lot of the electorate still to make up their minds on voting.

RALLYING party workers last night at party election headquarters, Eamon Gilmore was greeted with claps and cheers by supporters as he declared that the country was hungry for political change.

ENERGY group Topaz has sold Statoil’s 50% interest in East Cork Oil to its Midleton-based founder, Des Hurley.