The only televised election debate between the Mr Michael Noonan and the Taoiseach last night was often fractious.
Fianna Fáil leader Mr Ahern and Fine Gael leader Mr Noonan regularly interrupted each other and raised their voices.
After a short prepared speech by both party leaders, they got round the table with RTÉ's Prime Timepresenter Ms Miriam O'Callaghan. The debate was billed as Mr Noonan's last chance to rattle the Fianna Fáil campaign and regain ground for his party after he received more bad opinion poll news last night.
Although commentators suggested the Fine Gael leader should dispense with the softer tone he has used during the campaign and badger Mr Ahern, it was the Taoiseach who was the more animated of the two over the 70 minutes.
The first subject discussed was crime, and although the first skirmish was caused by Mr Noonan interrupting, the tone for the debate was set with both men clashed over statistics.
Only when discussing Northern Ireland did each leader allow the other time to speak uninterrupted.
Mr Noonan attacked the "zero tolerance" slogan used by the Government during the past five years and disputed the Taoiseach’s assertion crime had fallen substantially. This kicked off the first of many disputes over statistics.
On health, Mr Noonan attacked over the health service and the Government’s failure to set up cancer treatment centres countrywide. There were again disputes over figures, with Mr Ahern saying 500 major health projects were under way.
"This is more Alice in Bertieland," Mr Noonan said.
When the state of the economy and ethics in public office took centre-stage, the squabbling continued. Mr Ahern said the public finances were "in great shape". But Mr Noonan accused the Government of incompetence and packing the boards of semi-state companies with political cronies.
The debate ended with both leaders making a plea to the electorate for their vote and asking for transfers to go to their preferred coalition partners.