Punters plunge on outsiders as race for Dáil seats hots up

THERE has been heavy betting on two General Election candidates in Cork North Central, one of whom entered the race at the last minute, according to Celtic Bookmakers.

The company said yesterday that more than €20,000 had been laid on Dave McCarthy, a former FF councillor, who decided to run as an independent after he failed to get on the party’s ticket. He is being quoted at 8/1 to grab one of the four seats on offer. Meanwhile, another €20,000 has been staked on FG’s Gerry Kelly who is farther back the field at 14/1.

Both Celtic Bookmakers and Paddy Power make Bernard Allen, Noel O’Flynn, Billy Kelleher and Kathleen Lynch firm favourites to retain their seats in that constituency.

Celtic Bookmakers have received €14,000 on FG’s Jerry Buttimer and €10,000 on Labour’s Ciarán Lynch, who are both running in Cork South Central. Mr Buttimer is quoted at 10/1, while Mr Lynch’s odds have shortened to 6/1.

Many believe the latter is capable of causing an upset in the five-seater constituency.

Paddy Power is quoting Micheál Martin at 200/1 on, whereas Celtic Bookmakers is refusing to take any bets on him. His running mates, Michael McGrath (5/1 on) and John Dennehy (10/11 on), are fighting it out to follow him into the next Dáil, while Simon Coveney is being quoted by both bookies as being ahead of his FG running mate, Deirdre Clune.

The Greens’ Dan Boyle is a hot favourite too, with Celtic Bookmakers giving him odds of 20/1 on. The same bookmakers are offering ‘a special’ of 6/4 on FF retaining its three seats there.

Celtic’s spokesman, John Shields, said that €8,000 had been laid on Sandra McLellan, the Sinn Féin candidate contesting the Cork East four-seater constituency. Her odds have shortened to 20/1 with Celtic and 6/1 with Paddy Power, but still a long way behind FF’s Ned O’Keeffe (12/1 on) and his running mate Michael Ahern (6/1 on).

Meanwhile, FG’s David Stanton is ahead (12/1 on) of his running mate, Paul Bradford (2/1 on), who is tied with Labour’s Sean Sherlock. The other Labour candidate, John Mulvihill, is a long way back at 16/1.

Mr Shields said a single €6,000 bet had been laid on FG’s Michael Creed who is running in the so-called constituency of death in Cork North-West. They make him favourite at 10/1 on to grab a seat, with Batt O’Keeffe just behind at 9/1 on. FF’s Michael Moynihan and FG’s Gerard Murphy are tied at 2/1 on, while FF’s Donal Moynihan is an outsider at 10/1 to retain his seat.

In Cork South-West Celtic won’t take any bets on FF’s Denis O’Donovan, while Paddy Power is making him 12/1 on.

Celtic quote FG’s Jim O’Keeffe at 10/1 on, followed by his running mate, Paddy Sheehan (7/1 on).