Mary Lou strong favourite in Dublin Central

THERE’S going to be a dog-fight in Dublin Central for the third seat if the latest analysis from Paddy Power is anything to go by.

The bookmakers expect Sinn Fein’s Mary Lou McDonald to be a shoe-in and is unbackable at odds of 1/25.

Transport Minister, Paschal Donohoe, is expected to hold his seat at 4/9 but it looks like being a real scrap for the third seat with five or six candidates all in with a realistic chance.

According to Paddy Power, Independents Maureen O’Sullivan (8/15) and, Christy Burke, 11/8 are the most likely to fill the final seat while Joe Costello (Lab) at 9/2 could lose out and Social Democrat Gary Gannon is the outsider at 11/2.

Fianna Fail supporters will reckon their candidate, Mary Fitzpartrick, has a better than a 6/1 chance and Cieran Perry (Ind) at 20/1 could be a dark horse.