DESPITE failing to top the poll in the first three wards to be announced, the DUP will be relaxed with their performance in Mid and East Antrim.
Its candidates had to play second fiddle to the Alliance Party, first in Carrick Castle and then in Coast Road.
Indeed Carrickfergus will welcome a new councillor in Lauren Gray, who polled a strong 1,210 to put the disappointment of her failed by-election run behind her.
She joined party veteran Geraldine Mulvenna who was the most popular candidate further up the Coast Road.
That's a wrap! Here's your new look Mid & East Antrim Borough Council for 2019#LE19 #LocalElection2019#MEAelection @eoni_official pic.twitter.com/PkjKqgX5sI
— Mid & East Antrim BC (@mea_bc) May 4, 2019
Meanwhile in Bannside, TUV running mates Stewart McDonald and Timothy Gaston were celebrating after they both smashed the quota by 350 and 279 vote respectively.
The prospect of such a victory for the two popular councillors was a strong enough likelihood to secure the attendance at the count of party leader Jim Allister from an early stage.
[ Council elections 2019: full resultsOpens in new window ]
However, ruthless vote management could actually see the low key DUP contingent seize an additional seat from the TUV in Coast Road.
Despite this, they will regret giving their bete noir Mr Allister the opportunity to declare that their erstwhile Bannside stronghold now firmly in his party's hands.
Regret it not least because of the TUV is something of a cul de sac when it comes to transfers, with little harvested from the McDonald and Gaston surpluses.
A TUV totem poll in Ballymena #le19 pic.twitter.com/8QsgmXTQNq
— Sara Girvin (@SaraGirvin) May 4, 2019
With three DUP candidates returned in the first round – Billy Ashe and Cheryl Johnston in Carrick Castle and Andrew Clarke in Coast Road – it was a tedious trickle for the rest of the gains to come in.
For the UUP it was a sweaty wait for its first return, with sitting councillor Robin Stewart not secure in Carrick Castle DEA until the second stage of the fourth count.
He was joined a short time later by William McNeilly on Bannside’s fourth count, and Maureen Morrow on Coast Road’s fourth attempt.
Sinn Féin had earlier returned James McKeown to Coast Road to muted celebration in the counting hall, following the elimination of independent nationalist Martin Wilson.
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Mid and East Antrim Borough Council
40 seats
Change since 2014:
DUP 15 (-1), UUP 7 (-2), All 7 (+4), TUV 5 (-), SF 2 (-1), SDLP 1 (-), Ind 3 (+1), Ukip 0 (-1)
Turnout: 48 per cent
Ballymena (7 seats, Quota 870)
James Henry (Ind) 872
Eugene Reid (SDLP) 848
Matthew Armstrong (TUV) 765
Patricia O'Lynn (All) 578
John Carson (DUP) 527
Patrice Hardy (SF) 521
Reuben Glover (DUP) 498
Audrey Wales (DUP) 491
Stephen Nicholl (UUP) 485
Rodney Quigley (Ind) 433
William Logan (DUP) 402
Philip Gordon (TUV) 286
Rab Picken (Ukip) 143
Conal Stewart (Ind) 107
Elected
James Henry (Ind) 1st count
Eugene Reid (SDLP) 2nd count
Matthew Armstrong (TUV) 3rd count
Patricia O'Lynn (All) 6th count
John Carson (DUP) 8th count
Audrey Wales (DUP) 8th count
Rodney Quigley (Ind) 8th count
Bannside (6 seats)
BANNSIDE (Quota: 1,154)
Stewart McDonald (TUV) 1,504
Timothy Gaston (TUV) 1,433
Ian Friary (SF) 971
William Robert McNeilly (UUP) 784
Philip Burnside (All) 750
Andrew Hugh Wright (DUP) 749
Thomas Gordon (DUP) 744
Tommy Nicholl (DUP) 690
Jackson Bolton Minford (UUP) 449
Elected
Stewart McDonald (TUV) 1st count
Timothy Gaston (TUV) 1st count
William McNeilly (UUP) 4th count
Thomas Gordon (DUP) 6th count
Tommy Nicholl (DUP) 6th count
Ian Friary (SF) 8th count
BRAID (Quota: 1,106)
Robin Cherry (UUP) 1,084
Beth Adger (DUP) 975
Julie Frew (DUP) 926
Christopher Jamieson (TUV) 902
Brian Collins (TUV) 872
William McCaughey (DUP) 825
Keith Turner (UUP) 800
Murial Burnside (All) 703
Collette McAllister (SF) 631
Sam Hanna (DUP) 605
Marian Maguire (Ind) 371
Roni Browne (Ind) 146
Elected
Robin Cherry (UUP) 2nd count
Beth Adger (DUP) 3rd count
Julie Frew (DUP) 6th count
Muriel Burnside (All) 6th count
Christopher Jamieson (TUV) 7th count
Brian Collins (TUV) 7th count
William McCaughey (DUP) 7th count
Carrick Castle (5 seats, Quota 943)
Lauren Gray (All) 1,210
Billy Ashe (DUP) 1,069
Cheryl Johnston (DUP) 953
Robin Stewart (UUP) 813
John McDermott (UUP) 445
Noel Jordan (Ind) 431
Si Harvey (Democrats and Veterans) 265
Nicholas Wady (Ind) 244
John McCaw (PUP) 119
John Kennedy (Ukip) 104
Elected
Lauren Gray (All) 1st count
Billy Ashe (DUP) 1st count
Cheryl Johnston (DUP) 1st count
Robin Stewart (UUP) 5th count
John McDermott (UUP) 7th count
Coast Road (5 seats, Quota 937)
Geraldine Mulvenna (All) 1,214
Andrew Clarke (DUP) 973
James McKeown (SF) 873
Angela Smyth (DUP) 764
Maureen Morrow (UUP) 728
Ruth Wilson (TUV) 601
Martin Wilson (Independent) 460
Elected
Geraldine Mulvenna (Alliance) 1st count
Andrew Clarke (DUP) 1st count
James McKeown (SF) 4th count
Maureen Morrow (UUP) 4th count
Angela Smyth (DUP) 5th count
Knockagh (5 seats, Quota 951)
Noel Williams (All) 1,173
Peter Johnston (DUP) 967
Marc Collins (DUP) 846
Bobby Hadden (Ind) 798
Andrew Wilson (UUP) 782
Lindsay Millar (UUP) 624
May Beattie (TUV) 328
David Barnett (DUP) 185
Elected
Noel Williams (All) 1st count
Peter Johnston (DUP) 1st count
Marc Collins (DUP) 3rd count
Bobby Hadden (Ind) 3rd count
Andrew Wilson (UUP) 4th count
Larne Lough (5 seats, Quota 998)
Gregg McKeen (DUP) 1,166
Danny Donnelly (All) 1,057
Mark McKinty (UUP) 983
Paul Reid (DUP) 806
Robert Logan (All) 719
Andy Wilson (UUP) 564
James Strange (TUV) 435
Robert Robinson (Green) 256
Elected
Gregg McKeen (DUP) 1st count
Danny Donnelly (All) 1st count
Mark McKinty (UUP) 3rd count
Paul Reid (DUP) 4th count
Robert Logan (All) 6th count
Mid Ulster District Council
40 seats
Change since 2014:
SF 17 (-1), DUP 9 (+1), UUP (-1), SDLP 6 (-), Ind 2 (+1)
Turnout: 60 per cent
Clogher Valley (6 seats, Quota 1,300)
Frances Burton (DUP) 1,891
Sharon McAleer (SDLP) 1,635
Sean McGuigan (SF) 1,494
Phelim Gildernew (SF) 1,352
Wilis Robinson (DUP) 1,083
Meta Graham (UUP) 990
Robert Mulligan (UUP) 650
Elected
Frances Burton (DUP) 1st count
Sharon McAleer (SDLP) 1st count
Sean McGuigan (SF) 1st count
Phelim Gildernew (SF) 1st count
Wilis Robinson (DUP) 2nd count
Meta Graham (UUP) 4th count
Magherafelt (5 seats, Quota 1,216)
Darren Totten (SF) 1,665
Wesley Brown (DUP) 1,218
Paul McLean (DUP) 1,213
Christine McFlynn (SDLP) 1,206
Sean Clarke (SF) 1,058
George Shiels (UUP) 996
Kevin Donnelly (Aontú) 214
Elected
Darren Totten (SF) 1st count
Christine McFlynn (SDLP) 2nd count
Sean Clarke (SF) 3rd count
Wesley Brown (DUP) 5th count
Paul McLean (DUP) 5th count
Dungannon (6 seats, Quota 1,185)
Clement Cuthbertson (DUP) 1,833
Barry Monteith (Ind) 1,414
Dominic Molloy (SF) 995
Kim Ashton (DUP) 807
Deirdre Varsani (SF) 718
Denise Mullen (SDLP) 710
Walter Cuddy (UUP) 607
Kim McNeill (UUP) 434
Mel Boyle (All) 431
Niall Bowen (Ind) 345
Elected
Clement Cuthbertson (DUP) 1st count
Barry Monteith (Ind) 1st count
Kim Ashton (DUP) 2nd count
Dominic Molloy (SF) 6th count
Walter Cuddy (UUP) 7th count
Denise Mullen (SDLP) 8th count
Cookstown (7 seats, Quota 1,156)
Cathal Mallaghan (SF) 1,710
John McNamee (SF) 1,369
Kerri Hughes (SDLP) 1,339
Wilbert Buchanan (DUP) 1,225
Trevor Wilson (UUP) 1,041
Gavin Bell (SF) 840
Mark Glasgow (UUP) 793
Grace Neville (DUP) 694
Alan Day (TUV) 230
Elected
Cathal Mallaghan (SF) 1st count
John McNamee (SF) 1st count
Kerri Hughes (DUP) 1st count
Wilbert Buchanan (DUP) 1st count
Gavin Bell (SF) 2nd count
Trevor Wilson (UUP) 5th count
Mark Glasgow (UUP) 6th count
Moyola (5 seats, Quota 1,313)
Ian Milne (SF) 1,710
Anne Forde (DUP) 1,619
Catherine Elattar (SF) 1,388
Denise Johnston (SDLP) 920
Derek McKinney (UUP) 906
Donal McPeake (SF) 906
Aidan Bradley (All) 298
Hugh Scullion (Workers Party) 95
Elected
Ian Milne (SF) 1st count
Anne Forde (DUP) 1st count
Catherine Elattar (SF) 1st count
Donal McPeake (SF) 3rd count
Derek McKinney (UUP) 4th count
Carntogher (5 seats, Quota 1,325)
Brian McGuigan (SF) 1,406
Kyle Black (DUP) 1,228
Sean McPeake (SF) 1,164
Martin Kearney (SDLP) 1,071
Cora Groogan (SF) 990
Paul Henry (SF) 763
Pádraigin Ui Raifeartaigh (Aontú) 632
Christopher Reid (UUP) 555
James Armour (Ind) 138
Elected
Brian McGuigan (SF) 1st count
Kyle Black (DUP) 4th count
Martin Kearney (SDLP) 5th count
Sean McPeake (SF) 6th count
Cora Groogan (SF) 6th count
Torrent (6 seats, Quota 1,300)
Malachy Quinn (SDLP) 1,631
Dan Kerr (Ind) 1,525
Ronan McGinley (SF) 1,173
Robert Colvin (UUP) 1,018
Niamh Doris (SF) 1,002
Joe O’Neill (SF) 994
Ian McCrea (DUP) 899
Mickey Gillespie (SF) 856
Elected
Malachy Quinn (SDLP) 1st count
Dan Kerr (Ind) 1st count
Robert Colvin (UUP) 4th count
Niamh Doris (SF) 6th count
Joe O’Neill (SF) 6th count
Ronan McGinley (SF) 6th count
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council
41 seats
Change since 2014:
SF 16 (+2), SDLP 11 (-3), UUP 4 (+1), DUP 3 (-1), All 2 (-), Ind 5 (+2), Ukip 0 (-1)
Crotlieve (6 seats, Quota 1,641)
Jarlath Tinnelly (Ind)1,412
Gerry O'Hare (SF) 1,286
Mark Gibbons (Ind) 1,189
Declan McAteer (SDLP) 1,175
Karen McKevitt (SDLP) 1,116
Mickey Ruane (SF) 812
Oksana McMahon (SF) 809
Michael Carr (SDLP) 808
Jim Boylan (Ind) 788
Joshua Lowry (UUP) 712
Mary Tinnelly (Ind) 519
Lorcan McGreevy (All) 483
Wilma McCullough (DUP) 371
Elected
Jarlath Tinnelly (Ind) 5th count
Gerry O’Hare (SF) 6th count
Mark Gibbons (Ind) 9th count
Declan McAteer (SDLP) 9th count
Karen McKevitt (SDLP) 9th count
Mickey Ruane (SF) 9th count
Downpatrick (5 seats, Quota 1,232)
Gareth Sharvin (SDLP) 1,395
Cadogan Enright (Ind) 1,052
Oonagh Hanlon (SF) 1,032
Dermot Curran (SDLP) 940
Jordan Madden (SF) 833
John Trainor (SDLP) 664
Macartan Digney (Aontú) 475
Tiernan Laird (All) 375
Alex Burgess (UUP) 345
James Savage (DUP) 149
Jamie Kennedy (Green) 128
Elected
Gareth Sharvin (SDLP) 1st count
Cadogan Enright (Ind) 5th count
Dermot Curran (SDLP) 6th count
Oonagh Hanlon (SF) 7th count
John Trainor (SDLP) 7th count
Newry (6 seats, Quota 1,415)
Gavin Malone (Ind) 2,296
Liz Kimmins (SF) 1,374
Michael Savage (SDLP) 1,231
Charlie Casey (SF) 1,230
Valerie Harte (SF) 1,045
Gary John Strokes (SDLP) 878
Sarah Jane McAllister (SF) 784
Helena Young (All) 721
Ricky McGaffin (UUP) 341
Elected
Gavin Malone (Ind) 1st count
Liz Kimmins (SF) 2nd count
Michael Savage (SDLP) 2nd count
Charlie Casey (SF) 2nd count
Valerie Harte (SF) 5th count
Gary John Stokes (SDLP) 6th count
Rowallane (5 seats, Quota 1,295)
Patrick Brown (All) 1,416
Harry Harvey (DUP) 1,265
Terry Andrews (SDLP) 1,211
William Walker (DUP) 985
Robert Burgess (UUP) 842
Walter Lyons (UUP) 667
Marianne Cleary (SF) 622
Martyn Todd (Ind) 477
Emma Cairns (Green) 182
Liam Mulhern (Aontú) 99
Elected
Patrick Brown (All) 1st count
Terry Andrews (SDLP) 2nd count
Harry Harvey (DUP) 4th count
William Walker (DUP) 6th count
Robert Burgess (UUP) 6th count
Slieve Croob (5 seats, Quota 1,364)
Alan Lewis (UUP) 1,303
Cathy Mason (SF) 1,069
Roisin Howell (SF) 1,035
John Rice (SF) 884
Hugh Gallagher (SDLP) 880
Maynard Hanna (DUP) 868
Gregory Bain (All) 863
Mark Murnin (SDLP) 796
Tracy Harkin (Aontú) 481
Elected
Alan Lewis (UUP) 3rd count
Cathy Mason (SF) 5th count
Roisin Howell (SF) 5th count
Hugh Gallagher (SDLP) 6th count
Gregory Bain (All) 6th count
Slieve Gullion (7 seats, Quota 1,566)
Terry Hearty (SF) 1,876
Mickey Larkin (SF) 1,646
Pete Byrne (SDLP) 1,643
Oonagh Magennis (SF) 1,622
Roisin Mulgrew (SF) 1,362
Barra O Muiri (SF) 1,351
David Taylor (UUP) 1,287
Kate Loughran (SDLP) 1,059
Balazs Gazdag (All) 361
Linda Henry (DUP) 315
Elected
Terry Hearty (SF) 1st count
Mickey Larkin (SF) 1st count
Pete Byrne (SDLP) 1st count
Oonagh Magennis (SF) 1st count
Barra O Muiri (SF) 2nd count
David Samuel Taylor (UUP) 3rd count
Roisin Mulgrew (SF) 4th count
The Mournes (7 seats, Quota 1,514)
Glyn Hanna (DUP) 1,944
Sean Doran (SF) 1,885
Laura Devlin (SDLP) 1,572
Harold McKee (UUP) 1,455
Henry Reilly (Ind) 1,447
Willie Clarke (SF) 1,154
Leanne McEvoy (SF) 1,097
Andrew McMurray (All) 943
Brian Quinn (SDLP) 607
Elected
Glyn Hanna (DUP) 1st count
Sean Doran (SF) 1st count
Laura Devlin (SDLP) 1st count
Harold McKee (UUP) 2nd count
Henry Reilly (Ind) 2nd count
Willie Clarke (SF) 7th count
Leeanne McEvoy (SF) 7th count
