Galway Ladies survived a wake-up call from Cavan to maintain their 100 per cent record in division two of the Tesco Home Grown NFL.
Extending their unbeaten run to seven victories to complete the league campaign with a 2-10 to 2-08 victory over Cavan, Galway will now face fourth placed team Meath in the semi-finals on April 27, while Westmeath, who finished six points adrift of the Tribeswomen, take on Down.
Sunday’s fixture in Tuam Stadium was played in difficult conditions, and although Cavan enjoyed wind advantage in the opening half, the sides were level 1-3 to 0-6 at half time.
Bronagh Sheridan was the only pointscorer for her team, posting two early points, but Galway got off the mark in the 13th minute when Roisin Leonard pointed and she followed this in the 18th minute with a goal. Another fine Sheridan point, this one from her left boot, kept Cavan in the game, but Gillian O’Connor replied. Sheridan and Charlotte Cooney exchanged points to keep Galway ahead, but another two from Sheridan brought Cavan level at the break.
An Eilish Gannon point put Galway ahead within a minute of the restart, but another Sheridan free had the sides level, as Cavan started to cause Galway problems at the back, and the visitors were rewarded when Geraldine Sheridan punched the ball to the net to give her side a three-point lead.
Galway clawed themselves level with two points from Leonard and one from Annette Clarke, but the game hung in the balance when Galway lost Ger Conneally with a yellow card.
However a brillant piece of skill in the 26th minute by Roisin Leonard set up Eilish Gannon, who fisted the ball to the back of the net, and when Leonard pointed a free in the 29th minute, followed by a Barbara Hannon point, Galway had sufficient momentum going into the closing stages.
Roisin Leonard pointed another free for Galway in injury time, but Cavan finished with a flourish, adding a point and a penalty to close the gap at the end.
GALWAY: T Hughes, N Connolly,M Coyne, O Dixon, R McPhilbin, M Maloney, S Burke, A Clarke (0-1 ), G Conneally, A Daly, R Leonard (1-5 ), O Divilly, B Hannon (0-1 ),Gillian O’Connor (0-1 ), E Gannon (1-1 ). Subs, S Conneally for Maloney, C Cooney (0-1 ) for O Connor, C Cormican for Daly, S Egan for C Cormican.
