Eurovision: Ireland and Portugal out

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Molly Sterling at EurovisionImage source, EPA
Image caption,
Molly Sterling performed her ballad, Playing With Numbers, from behind a piano

Ireland, the most successful country in Eurovision history, has crashed out of this year's competition after failing to make it through the semi-final.

The seven-time winners couldn't muster enough votes for their youngest ever entrant, 17-year-old Molly Sterling.

Iceland, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Malta, Portugal and San Marino also failed to make the cut.

Sweden, the bookmakers' favourite, sailed through to Saturday's grand final in Vienna.

Its act, Mans Zelmerlow, joins automatic qualifiers Austria, the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and special guests Australia.

Media caption,

Ten countries made it through the second semi-final

The full list of 10 acts to qualify from Thursday's semi-final is as follows:

  • Lithuania - Monika Linkyte and Vaidas Baumila: This Time
  • Poland - Monika Kuszynska: In The Name Of Love
  • Slovenia- Maraaya: Here For You
  • Sweden - Mans Zelmerlow: Heroes
  • Norway - Morland: A Monster Like Me
  • Montenegro - Knez: Adio
  • Cyprus - John Karagiannis: One Thing I Should Have Done
  • Azerbaijan - Elnur Huseynov: Hour of the Wolf
  • Latvia - Aminata: Love Injected
  • Israel - Nadav Guedj: Golden Boy

Despite Ireland's historical success at Eurovision, it has struggled in the 21st Century.

It has taken last place twice, in 2007 and 2013, and failed to progress beyond the semi-finals five times since they were introduced in 2004.

However, Ireland has fared better than the Czech Republic, which has never made it to the grand final.

The UK will be represented at Saturday's show by duo Electro Velvet, whose song, Still In Love With You, has been described as an "electro swing" track.

The final will be broadcast on BBC One from 20:00 BST, and there will be live updates and discussion on the BBC News website's dedicated Eurovision live page.

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