Dog-fight 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 shoo-in and is unbackable at odds of 1/25.

Transport Minister Paschal Donohoe is also 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, less likely, Christy Burke (11/8), have the best chance of the final seat, while Joe Costello (Lab) at 9/2 could lose out and Social Democrat Gary Gannon is an outsider at 11/2.

Fianna Fáil supporters will reckon their candidate, Mary Fitzpatrick, has a better than a 6/1 chance and Cieran Perry (Ind) at 20/1 could be a dark horse. Other runners in Dublin Central include Eillis Ryan (WP) at 50/1, Ian Noel Smyth at 66/1, Diana O’Dwyer at 80/1 and Cormac McKay (DDI) and Andrew Kelly, both at 100/1