PROVINCIAL TOWNS CUP FINAL Boyne 27 Tullamore 21 BOYNE CLAIMED their first Provincial Towns Cup title in Ashbourne yesterday. It proved a ding-dong affair with scores exchanged readily at both ends. But once Boyne fullback Niall Kerbey went over for his second try, to make it a nine-point game with 13 minutes to go, Tullamore were left with too much to do.

The Louth men took just 13 minutes to open their account when Kerbey, having taken a pass off former schools international Brian Collins, spotted a gap to score under the posts. Boyne moved into double figures when Richard Downey accelerated down the right to double Boyne’s lead with Kerbey landing the conversion.

However with lock Brian Geraghty providing Tullamore with a solid platform in the lineouts, the Offaly men were back in business when a chip through by captain Gearóid O’Grady allowed Colin Hughes to win the race to the line.

O’Grady further reduced the arrears with a penalty under the posts before a quick pass out wide provided the overlap for Brian Howell to score in the left corner for Boyne with Kerbey converting.

But Tullamore bounced back once more when Brian Geraghty powered over in the left corner despite Adam Sherrard’s best attempts to put him into touch. O’Grady added the conversion via the far post.

Kerbey landed a difficult kick in injury time to leave it 22-15 and although O’Grady was to respond with a penalty four minutes after the turnaround, Tullamore were to lose Colin Finnerty to a yellow card just short of the hour. And with the extra man Boyne took advantage when, following a drive by number eight Eoin Collins, Kerbey went over off second-phase possession to score in the corner. Although O’Grady landed his third penalty with 15 minutes to go, Tullamore were unable to make any further headway.

Scorers: Boyne Rovers: N Kerbey 2 tries, pen, 2 cons, R Downey try, B Howell try. Tullamore: C Hughes try, B Geraghy try, G O'Grady 3 pens, con.

BOYNE ROVERS: N Kerbey; A Sherrard, B Duffy, R Downey, B Howell; B Collins, C McGrath; C Duffy, B Muldowney, P Cooney, P Muldowney, I O'Reilly, N Vorster, E Collins, H Dryden. Replacements: L McEvoy for Cooney 55 mins, J O' Callaghan for Vorster 71 mins.

TULLAMORE: N Geraghty; M Whelan, I Scully, A Deverell, C Hughes; G O'Grady, R Hughes; R Glennon, C Glennon, A Bracken, D Hanlon, B Geraghty, C Feighery, C Finnerty, D Milne. Replacements: A Melville for Milne 43 mins, R Scally for Bracken 65 mins, D Farrell for Hughes 70 mins, P Gardiner for Hughes 70 mins.

Referee: D Phillips (ARFU).