With just two candidates left in the race, this was the first opportunity for a head-to-head debate between Independent Catherine Connolly and Fine Gael's Heather Humphreys on RTÉ Radio 1's Drivetime programme.
So how has the departure of Jim Gavin changed the dynamic of the contest?
Here are five takeaways from the hour-long debate.
'Smear tactics'
Fine Gael brought in the weight of a cabinet minister this morning to go on the attack against Ms Connolly with Jennifer Carroll McNeill accusing the candidate of not being fit to be president.
The context was a response given by the Galway West TD yesterday to a question about whether she would hire a convicted rapist.
She said she would have to reflect on it.
During the debate, she did her best to remove any equivocation saying she would never hire somebody who is on the sex offenders register.
But this row has blown up outside the radio studio.
Speaking to the media earlier today, Ms Connolly accused Fine Gael of being "absolutely scared" of the momentum behind her campaign.
And there is a broader political skirmish with the minister attempting to drag in the female leaders of Sinn Féin, the Social Democrats and Labour.
In her statement, Ms McNeill said: "How can Mary Lou McDonald, Ivana Bacik and Holly Cairns back a candidate who said she would need to reflect on whether she would hire a convicted rapist to work in Áras an Uachtaráin"?
The Labour leader hit back labelling the attack as "outrageous" amounting to "smear tactics" while the Social Democrats’ Holly Cairns decried it as "desperate distraction".
Foreign policy
An early clash came on the international dimension of the presidency with the Fine Gael candidate suggesting Ms Connolly would have disharmonious relations with our allies.
"Do you want a president who hasn’t fallen out or insulted our allies? Do you want a President who won't let you down whenever they go abroad on trade missions?" asked Ms Humphreys.
The Galway West TD slammed the assertion as "scurrilous".
Ms Humphreys countered with "you’ve insulted Germany, you’ve insulted France, you’ve insulted the UK".
Later, Ms Connolly turned the tables on her rival asking her directly whether she supported the inclusion of both goods and services in the Occupied Territories Bill.
The Fine Gael candidate said the Bill was one of the levers to put pressure on Israel but she would not be drawn on a specific comment on its contents.
Budget bother
Ms Humphreys was pushed by Drivetime presenter Cormac Ó hEadhra on her role in the maligned harshest budgets of the austerity years and whether she regretted that.
She said it was difficult at the time but pointed to the later rebound of the economy.
However, she conceded that maybe they should have begun spending money sooner.
Ms Connolly took the opportunity to criticise the current Budget as having no disability payment or move to abolish the means test for the Carer's Allowance.
Ms Humphreys turned her ire on those who "sat on the sidelines opposing everything" and praised Labour for "stepping up to the plate" adding that her opponent had accused Labour of selling their souls.
Party piece
One final light-hearted question from presenter Sarah McInerney related to the candidates’ party trick.
Catherine Connolly took the ball and ran with it citing her "keepie-uppies" skills as seen this week on social media.
She said she was disappointed to only do ten when she used to be able do 100.
While Ms Humphreys cited her "listening ability" and "love of people".
Two-horse race
So what difference has the withdrawal of Mr Gavin made to the debate?
The back-and-forth between just two candidates is intense and unrelenting – for both the candidates and the viewer.
With two weeks and several more debates to go, the candidates seemed to hold back from all out attack today, but that may change as polling day draws closer.
