Ahern leads O’Keeffe home

FIANNA FÁIL brought off a spectacular triumph at the Cork East count in Mallow where Minister of State Michael Ahern headed the poll just ahead of his party colleague Ned O’Keeffe.

Both men were poised for re-election in the four seat constituency after Ahern topped the poll with 10,350 votes, followed by O’Keeffe on 10,081 votes.

A tense battle was fought out for the remaining two seats with Senator Paul Bradford, a former deputy, and outgoing TD David Stanton, both of Fine Gael, as well as Labour’s Councillor Sean Sherlock, having polled well.

No candidate was elected in the first and second counts in the constituency, which had a 64.35% turnout and a quota of 10,762.

Tally persons said transfers from Sinn Féin’s Sandra McEllan and Labour’s John Mulvihill, both in the eastern side of the constituency, would be crucial in deciding the outcome of the final two seats.