A recount has been ordered into the vote of both Independent Dessie Shiels and Sinn Fein’s Gary Doherty’s votes at the Donegal constituency vote.
It comes after an official request by the Sinn fein party to returning officer Geraldine O’Connor which has been granted.
There was originally seven votes between the pair but after a recheck that has dropped to just four votes.
Gary Doherty had originally been eliminated last night on the seventh count where he was just seven votes behind Dessie Shiels.
After a discussion between Sinn Fein and count officials at the Aura Leisure Centre, it was agreed to the recheck at 10am today.
That recheck has now taken place leaving what is understood to be just four votes.
Sinn Fein believes keeping Gary Doherty in the race would be more beneficial to Padraig Mac Lochlainn and could help close the gap on Thomas Pringle who is almost 1,500 votes ahead of the Sinn Fein justice spokesman.