Fine Gael toasts new king in Royal County coronation

“GAME over,” he declared at 2.15pm on Saturday. The Irish rugby team was losing 18-9 to France and watching its grand slam hopes evaporate.

But the Fianna Fáil tallyman was talking about somebody else’s fortunes - namely Shane Cassells, the party’s candidate in the Meath by-election. But the game was up before the first count was declared.

Fine Gael TD Tom Hayes however, had made his predictions even earlier, from midday telling anyone who would listen to him that it was a done deal. His party’s candidate, Shane McEntee, had it in the bag.