Underdogs Tir Chonaill Gaels produced a gritty performance to push the visiting Nemo Rangers all the way in yesterday's AIB All-Ireland club football championship quarter-final at Ruislip.

Two fortuitous goals, one in each half, and both against the run of play, decided the game for the visitors. The first came in the 16th minute when a 40-metre free by full forward Niall Corkery was finished to the net by Joe Kavanagh after full back Dermot Gordon, who otherwise had a superb game, dropped the slippery ball.

The all-important second goal 15 minutes from the end left Alan Cronin with a clear run after his marker, Michael Carr, misjudged the flight of the ball on a quagmire of a pitch.

Tir Chonaill Gaels were clearly determined to make their presence felt early on but intense pressure yielded scant reward mainly because of over-use of the ball and some desperate defending. Indeed, Rangers owed much to the calming influence of Cork county player Stephen O'Brien at centre half-back. In arrears by 1-4 to 0-3 at the interval, Gaels, aided by a stiffish breeze, dominated the early stages of the second-half, with Damien Gillespie hitting a well-struck point a minute after the restart. A further score by substitute Bosco Lyons left only two points separating the teams. But Rangers rallied their forces and prolonged pressure was rewarded with a long-range point by substitute Gary Murphy. Although Gaels continued to press, they were rocked by Cronin's goal.

This score gave the visitors the fillip they needed and although Gaels refused to throw in the towel, the end was inevitable.

NEMO RANGERS: D Heaphy; L Kavanagh, N Geary, I Gibbons; K Connolly, S O'Brien, D Creedon; M Cronin, K Cahill; S O'Brien, J Kavanagh (1-2), D Niblock (0-1); D Kavanagh, N Corkery (0-2), A Cronin (1-1). Subs: K Cowie for L Kavanagh, J P O'Neill (0-1) for N Corkery, A Morgan for A Cronin, G Murphy (0-1) for D Creedon.

TIRCONAILL GAELS: D Kelly; M Carr, D Gordon, M Donoghue; C McGovern, P Dooher, B Delargey; B McDonagh (0-1), T Connolly; M Somers, T McGivern (0-1), T Maguire (0- 2); D Gillespie (0-1), J Grimes, P Coggins. Subs: B Lyons (0- 1) for J Grimes, S McLaughlin for M Somers.

Referee: G Lynch (Fermanagh).