ST VINCENTS held the guile required to edge out Kiskeam in a disappointing Co. Premier Intermediate Football Championship quarterfinal played in Kilmurry on Tuesday evening.

When the need was greatest, St Vincents rose to the occasion and their rearguard action in the closing stages blotted out the advances of a Kiskeam side that looked to be in with a chance of landing the spoils.

Favoured by the breeze in the second half, the Duhallow boys twice cut the leeway to the minimum before St Vincents weathered the storm and importantly, they discovered accuracy which had eluded them in the opening half to shoot all important points from placed balls from John Paul Murphy and Paddy O'Shea.

From a game that wheezed and spluttered for the most part, both sides showed obvious signs of a 14-week lay off since their previous assignment. St Vincents had raced out of the starting blocks, showing a team of good intentions, David Duggan pointing inside 15 seconds with Gerry Kelleher adding a second.

A wind assisted St Vincents owed much to their dominance to the efforts of Walter McCarthy, Shane Buckley, Pat O'Sullivan and Duggan. However, St Vincents missed out on a plethora of chances, chalking up ten wides in the opening half.

Kiskeam came close to a goal but St Vincent's ' keeper Paddy O'Shea produced a marvellous one hand save to deny Billy Dennehy. With wides being chalked up at either end, scores became a scarce commodity.

Indeed, twenty three minutes elapsed before a flag rose, Kelleher adding a St. Vincents point. Kiskeam waited to the 28th min to open their account, wing back A J O'Connor stepping forward to oblige.

However St Vincents hit a purple patch, John Paul Murphy finding the range to allow his side lead 0-6 to 0-1 at the break. Kiskeam's game improved immeasurably upon the resumption once Rob Carroll pointed a free.

Taking a hold of the proceedings, Kiskeam took encouragement from the lauadable endeavours of Mike Casey, Sean Linehan, O'Connor, Eamon O'Mahony and Padraig O'Leary. In attack, substitute Donal Linehan, Billy Dennehy and Daniel Fitzgerald made inroads.

Points to Seán Linehan and David O'Leary offered Kiskeam an incentive. Vincents replied with a difficult Murphy pointed free. Back came Kiskeam and points to Dennehy and Mike Herlihy had the deficit down to the minimum.

St Vincents were grittily determined not to fold, indiscipline within the Kiskeam defence allowed Murphy point on the double. Kiskeam hung in and just a solidarity score remained between the sides after Carroll and Fitzgerald registered points.

A resilient St Vincents hung in and ensured the ball remained away from the danger zone. In doing so, Murphy pointed a free as did netminder O'Shea from a ' 45' to rubberstamp St Vincents a semi-final date against Clyda Rovers or Grenagh.

ST VINCENTS: P O'Shea, T O'Connell, D O'Regan, W Murphy, J Canniffe, W McCarthy, P Aherne, C Kenneally, S Buckley, J Buckley, D Duggan 0-1, G Kelleher 0-2, P O'Sullivan 0-1, J P Murphy 0-5( 0-4f), C Barry. Subs. T Hornibrook for Barry, I O'Sullivan for S Buckley, T O'Sullivan for J Buckley.

KISKEAM: D Cronin, P Cronin, J Dennehy, J Angland, M Casey, S Linehan 0-1, A J O'Connor 0-1, E O'Mahony, P O'Leary, M Herlihy 0-1, D Scannell, D Fitzgerald 0-1, D O'Leary 0-1f, B Dennehy 0-1, R Carroll 0-2( 0-1f). Subs. D Linehan for Scannell, J Angland for D O'Leary.

REFEREE: P O'Leary ( Kilmurry)

- John Tarrant at Kilmurry