MICHEÁL MARTIN WAS in optimistic form as he arrived at the Nemo Rangers count centre in Cork this evening. Two constituencies are being counted at the sports complex on the southside of the city, and the Fianna Fáil leader is expected to top the poll in Cork South Central when first results are announced later tonight.

Sinn Féin (21.1 per cent), Fine Gael (21 per cent) and Fianna Fáil (19.5 per cent) are virtually neck-and-neck in terms of first-preference votes in the general election, according to an exit poll. The Social Democrats are on 5.8 per cent of first-preference votes, followed by Labour (5 per cent) and the Green Party (4 per cent).

The results of the poll, conducted by Ipsos B&A today for The Irish Times/RTÉ/TG4/TCD, and released just after polls closed, are as follows: Sinn Féin 21.1 per cent, Fianna Fáil 19.5 per cent, Fine Gael 21 per cent,