Sinn Fein hope for a gain in Donegal North East

Sinn Fein were grasping on to hope late into the night that a gain in Donegal North East might lessen the pain of the collapse of their ambitious plans for a major breakthrough.

But after the almost certain election of the shock Fine Gael poll-topper Joe McHugh the contest was so tight even the most veteran of observers refused to call it.

Sinn Fein’s Padraig MacLochlainn out polled all three sitting Fianna Fail TDs - James McDaid, Niall Blaney, Cecilia Keaveney, on first preferences but unpredictable transfers have left the final result in the three-seater constituency anybody’s guess.

Caoimhghin O Caolain, Martin Ferris and Arthur Morgan are all secure but Aengus O’Snodaigh was left with a fight for his seat.

Sinn Fein’s Chief Negotiator Martin McGuinness turned up at Donegal hoping O’Snodaigh would pull through and MacLochlainn could save some blushes by keeping their Dail representation at five.

The shock loss of Sean Crowe’s seat in Dublin South West and widely-tipped MEP Mary Lou McDonald’s defeat in Dublin Central poured ice cold water on the party’s already dampened spirits.

Party strategists went home from count centres with a strange feeling in their bellies that they had got it wrong on a day when several other targeted gains failed to materialise.

The normally stoic and resilient party leadership struck an unusually resignatory note having earlier insisted their anticipated gains would be a major story in the 2007 general election.

Pat Doherty, Sinn Fein vice-president and national director of elections, said: "The vote just didn’t come through for us and it’s going to take a bit of analysis after the election".