Fianna Fáil made a significant gain in winning a second seat in this three-seater constituency, with Dr Martin Mansergh edging out sitting TD Séamus Healy. The other seats were filled by outgoing Fine Gael TD Tom Hayes and Fianna Fáil's Mattie McGrath.
The eighth count on Friday night put Mansergh a mere 59 votes ahead of Healy, who at that point requested a recount.
A re-examination of the votes began at lunchtime on Saturday after legal issues had been resolved, but the initial result was confirmed at 10pm that night, when returning officer Mary Delehanty confirmed that Healy had withdrawn his request for a complete re-examination and recount.
The election was a personal and political triumph for Hayes and McGrath. The Fine Gael TD consolidated his popularity in the area by topping the poll for the second successive election, securing 8,200 first preferences. He was elected on the fifth count.
The largest cheer was reserved for Fianna Fáil councillor McGrath, who was elected on the sixth count, having polled 7,608 first preferences. Controversy had raged within Fianna Fáil over McGrath's selection and his ratification was delayed because he has been charged with public-order offences arising from an incident in his home village of Newcastle, near Clonmel, last August. He says he is innocent of the charges.
There was a much smaller than expected increase in support for Labour, whose candidate, the mayor of Clonmel, Phil Prendergast, had been tipped to take a seat. She received just 3,400 first-preference votes and was eliminated on the fourth count.
Overall change: Independent loss, FF gain
Outgoing TDs
Noel Davern FF
Tom Hayes FG
Séamus Healy Ind