Catherine Connolly on track to become Ireland's 10th president as voting day arrives

The latest poll shows Ms Connolly at 40%, compared to Heather Humphreys on 25%

Catherine Connollyand Heather Humphreys have both said that only votes matter, not polls, and are urging supporters to turn out and use their vote. Picture: Niall Carson/PA

Catherine Connolly is on course to become Ireland’s 10th president as polls put her in a seemingly unassailable lead, but her opponent, Heather Humphreys, is not about to go down without a fight.

Both the Independent and Fine Gael candidates said that only votes matter, not polls, when boxes are opened tomorrow morning — both urging supporters to turn out on Friday, as a campaign that sparked into life with rancour and acrimony in the final days came to a close.