To the duelling lovers in Ireland’s general election it feels like a “badly written romcom” but Hollywood is not involved … not yet anyway.

Holly Cairns, a Social Democrats candidate, is running against her partner, Christopher O’Sullivan, a candidate for Fianna Fáil, for the Cork South-West constituency.

“Obviously, we get on like a house on fire personally, not so much politically,” Cairns told the Irish newspaper the Echo. “All’s fair in love and war. Bring it on.”

Cairns was elected as a Cork county councillor last year with the Social Democrats, a small leftwing party. O’Sullivan topped the poll in the same election for Fianna Fáil, a centrist party, and became mayor of the council.

Despite their relationship their parties selected them to compete for seats in the Dáil seats in the 8 February general election.

“Even though I knew him being added to the ticket was a possibility, now that it’s happened, I feel a bit like I’m in a badly written rom-com,” Cairns told the Echo this month.

O’Sullivan did not respond to interview requests on Monday. Cairns declined to speak about the face-off but did discuss the need for healthcare reform and leftwing alternatives. “There is a whole swath of people in West Cork who want a progressive option.”

There is scope for a feel-good ending: the constituency has three seats so both could win.