Galway senior ladies came out on the wrong side of a Donegal outfit that was in devastating form in their final Lidl National League division one group game in Tuam Stadium.
It ensured Donegal, with a 4-21 to 2-11 victory, now advance to the semi-final where they will face Cork.
The Tribeswomen had started well when Olivia Divilly found clubmate Nicola Ward who fisted over, while Kate Slevin scored from the resulting kickout to put Galway 0-2 to 0-0 after 45 seconds.
Donegal, however, replied immediately, and within two minutes had taken a 1-1 to 0-3 lead with Karen Guthrie, who buried to the net.
Andrea Trill and Geraldine McLaughlin traded frees before Donegal keeper Aoife McColgan produced a super stop from Ward’s goal-bound effort, while at the other end Guthrie added her second goal. And with Mairéad Seoighe and Geraldine McLaughlin exchanging scores, Donegal led 2-4 to 0-5 at the first half water break.
Galway's Siobhán Divilly, Trill (free ) and Olivia Divilly closed the gap, but Geraldine McLaughlin kept Galway at bay, exchanging points with Seoighe. The game then turned as McLaughlin struck a brace of goals before half-time to put Donegal into a 4-8 to 0-9 at the interval.
Galway attempted a comeback when Seoighe struck a super goal, but once again Donegal replied with three points on the bounce. A Megan Glynn goal made it 4-14 to 2-10 and that was as good as it got for the home side as Donegal cantered to victory.
Scorers – Galway: M Seoighe 1-3 (1f ), M Glynn 1-0, A Trill 0-2 (2f ), N Ward 0-2, K Slevin 0-1, O Divilly 0-1, S Divilly 0-1, Aoife Molloy 0-1.
Donegal: G McLaughlin 2-7 (3f ), K Guthrie 2-4 (1f ), K Heron 0-4, Niamh McLaughlin 0-3, N Hegarty 0-2, B McLaughlin 0-1.
GALWAY: D Gower; S Healy, S Lynch, S Gormally; L Ahearne, C Cooney, H Noone; S Divilly, O Divilly; E Reaney, M Glynn, N Ward; M Seoighe, A Trill, K Slevin. Subs: M Coyne for Gormally (h-t ), L Coen for Lynch (h-t ), S Conneally for Reaney (h-t ), A Davoren for Glynn (45 ), A Morrissey for Slevin (45 ), A Molloy for Trill (49 ), A Thompson for Noone (51 ), E Power for S Divilly (55 ), D Keane for Davoren (59 ).
DONEGAL : A McColgan; N Carr, E McGinley, E Gallagher; A.M. Logue, Nicole McLaughlin, R Rodgers; K Herron, S Twohig; B McLaughlin, Niamh McLaughlin, N Boyle; N Hegarty, K Guthrie, G McLaughlin. Subs: T Jenkins for Twohig, inj. (7 ), A Boyle for Jenkins (12 ), K Keaney for N Boyle (23 ), T Jenkins for Gallagher (40 ), K McClenaghan for B McLaughlin (53 ), R McCafferty for Guthrie (53 ), S White for Rodgers (55 ).
Referee: Garryowen McMahon (Mayo ).
