Clontarf - 34 Terenure - 31Metropolitan and Provincial Towns Cup finals: A game of hard cup rugby ended with Clontarf edging out Terenure in the Metropolitan Cup final at Donnybrook yesterday in a game which yielded seven tries - four for Clontarf.

Clontarf captain Kevin Nowlan starred at full back and helped to set up at least one try. But their mobile front row of Foulcher, Lambe and Wickham confounded the opposing pack.

Clontarf got off to a brilliant start and went 10-0 ahead after just six minutes. Their first score came from a penalty by outhalf Paul Ryan after good possession work from their pack. The forwards again had a say when centre Darragh McElligott crossed for an easy try just two minutes later.

Terenure's composed rucking and mauling kept them in the game, however, and surprisingly they went into the second half three points ahead. But their offside indiscipline in the second half allowed Clontarf to build a lead and McElligott's second try with 10 minutes left sealed the win.

SCORING SEQUENCE: 4 mins: P Ryan penalts 3-0; 6: D McGelligott try, Ryan conversion, 10-0; 7: O Malone try 10-5; 18: M O'Kelly try, M Clifford conversion 10-12; 24: Clifford penalty 10-15; 29: T Kiernan try 15-15; 32: Clifford penalty 15-18; 34: Clifford penalty 15-21; 47: Ryan penalty; 18-21; 49: Ryan penalty 21-21; 54: T Kiernan try 26-21; 56: Ryan penalty 29-21; 62: Clifford penalty 29-24; 72: McGelligott try 34-24; 78: M Coffey try, D McAllister conversion 34-31.

CLONTARF: K Nowlan; T Kiernan, D McElligott; M Woods, D O'Shea, P Ryan, R O'Reilly; T Foulcher, S Lambe, J Wickham, G Flynn, C Murphy, P Lynn, A Cullen, D Moore. Replacements: E Burn for McElligott; D Lambert for Cullen.

TERENURE COLLEGE: J Tracey; O Malone, M O'Kelly; K Coleman, J English, M Clifford, D Mahony; G Deans, D Guiry, K Coleman, N Allica, M Kelly, E Devlin, P O'Malley, R Jardine. Replacements: D McAllister for Clifford; M Sharpe for English; R Murphy for Coleman.

Referee: A Baird (Leinster Branch).