Political Expert Shane Coleman Joins BoyleSports For Upcoming General Election

Newstalk Breakfast presenter and former political editor Shane Coleman has signed up with BoyleSports to provide general election coverage ahead of polling day on February 8th.

The political expert teamed up with Ireland’s largest independent bookmaker following the first TV debate of the campaign, which saw Leo Varadkar and Micheál Martin trade blows in front of the Virgin Media cameras on Wednesday night.

Coleman claimed that the advantage remains with Fianna Fáil and Micheál Martin despite a noticeable change in approach from the Taoiseach in the opening TV debate:

“The Taoiseach was humility personified, which he hasn’t always been in previous exchanges with Martin. And that didn’t happen by accident or occur to him on the spur of the moment. This was a carefully executed plan.”

“But the Fianna Fáil leader won the exchanges on health. The Taoiseach also resembled a rabbit in the headlights during the question on past drug use – it might not be the last we hear on that one.”

“Martin certainly didn’t drop the ball and, given his party’s current ascendency, that was probably all that was required. Fianna Fáil has the momentum and there wasn’t near enough in the debate to shift that momentum in Fine Gael’s favour.”

Micheál Martin is now the hot 1/5 favourite to be the Taoiseach when the votes are counted with Fianna Fáil 1/4 shots to win most seats.