SF to rerun Cork South Central convention after tie

Two Sinn Féin councillors who want to contest next year’s general election in Cork South Central will have to go head-to-head again after a selection convention ended in a draw.

Cork city councillor Chris O’Leary, who is based in Mahon, and Togher-based Cork county councillor Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire, were tied after almost 100 party members voted at the weekend.

The process will be re-run after the party’s ard fheis in Derry in March.

SF convention for Cork Sth Central between @chrisjoleary and @Donnchadhol to be reconvened mid March.Thank 2all who turned up & supported Us

— Cristóir O'Laoire (@chrisjoleary) February 21, 2015

Cork South Central is set to be one of the country’s most keenly-contested battlegrounds after going from five to four seats.

Sitting TDs include Fine Gael Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney, party colleague and chairman of the Oireachtas health committee, Jerry Buttimer, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, his party’s finance spokesman, Michael McGrath, and Labour’s Ciaran Lynch, chair of the banking inquiry.

Sinn Féin selection convention in Cork South Central ends in draw http://t.co/MnjMC01Elu

— Sinn Féin (@sinnfeinireland) February 21, 2015

Cllr O’Leary, a former Green Party and Independent councillor, ran for Sinn Féin in the last general election, narrowly missing out on the fifth seat.

Cllr Ó Laoghaire ran in his first local election last year and took the second seat in the Ballincollig-Carrigaline area with almost 11% of the vote.

Meanwhile, Bandon-based Sinn Féin councillor Rachel McCarthy — who topped the poll in the Bandon Kinsale area last year — was the party’s sole nominee to contest the three-seat Cork South West constituency.

Cllr Rachel McCarthy selected as the Sinn Féin General Election candidate for Cork South West http://t.co/CkfQ3v8aSO

— Sinn Féin (@sinnfeinireland) February 21, 2015

Congratulations to Cllr @rachelmmccarthy selected as the SF candidate for Cork South West this evening. A superb candidate, go nEirí leat!

— Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (@Donnchadhol) February 20, 2015

She will be up against sitting Fine Gael TDs Jim Daly and Noel Harrington, and Labour’s Michael McCarthy.