Fianna Fáil leader Micheal Martin may have put in a poll topping performance and his running mate Seamus McGrath may have held the seat previously held by his brother, Michael but the story here was that of Pádraig Rice of the Social Democrats.

Elected to Cork City Council in his first bid for public office in June, Rice followed it up with an impressive performance across the entire constituency, polling over 5,000 first preferences and picking up almost 2,000 from Labour’s Laura Harmon to take the fifth seat.

Sinn Fein’s Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire came home as predicted while in the internal battle within Fine Gael to succeed Simon Coveney, Senator Jerry Buttimer held off the challenge of running mates Shane O’Callaghan and Una McCarthy.

For Labour, Cork South Central proved a disappointment as hopes had been high of regaining the seat once held by Ciaran Lynch, but Cllr Laura Harmon was unable to build on the success of her local election win and become the first woman returned since Deirdre Clune in 2007

Elsewhere popular former Lord Mayor of Cork, Mick Finn (Independent) had also hoped to be in contention and although he stayed in the race, he ultimately lost to Kerry born native, Rice in the battle for the last seat.