Galway's quest for promotion back to the top flight of the Allianz Hurling League remains bang on track after a hard-fought Division 1B win over Dublin at Parnell Park.
The All-Ireland and league title holders rarely hit top gear, though dug deep in the second-half to burn off battling Dublin and make it four wins from four.
Jason Flynn top scored for Galway with an impressive 1-09 - 1-03 of which came from open play - to leave promotion resting on their final round clash with Limerick.
As for Dublin, their third defeat in four leaves them in a sticky situation and they must beat Laois in the final round to avoid a relegation play-off.
Pat Gilroy's side had fought back to within two of the league title holders with 53 minutes on the clock, thanks mainly to Paul Winters' free-taking.
But 1-1 from Flynn, including a 57th minute goal, put the Tribesmen in the clear again and they closed out with four points in a row to win with some to spare.
Both sides came into the contest with contrasting records; Galway unsurprisingly defeating Antrim, Laois and Offaly and Dublin just about claiming a solitary win in Antrim.
The hosts enjoyed a good record at home against Galway in previous seasons and beat the Tribesmen when they last visited in the league, almost exactly two years ago.
But Dublin have struggled so far under Gilroy and, without the Cuala contingent who are preparing for next month's AIB All-Ireland club final, have lacked a vital cut and thrust.
Bookmakers tipped Galway - sporting their new camouflage away jerseys despite no colour clash - to win by at least seven points and even without key duo David Burke and Joe Canning they'd covered that spread by the 24th minute when they led 0-09 to 0-02.
Flynn, one of three late additions to the lineup with Aidan Harte, Joseph Cooney and Davey Glennon making way, scored four of those early points.
Winters converted a couple of frees for Dublin but a four-in-a-row of Galway points left the holders 0-13 to 0-04 clear.
Dublin were in real trouble but grabbed a vital lifeline when they struck 1-01 in first-half injury-time to cut the gap to just 0-13 to 1-05 at the break.
Their goal came from Danny Sutcliffe who fetched superbly in the air and, after a solo run through the middle, shot low to the right corner of Galway's net.
The hosts were better in the second-half and drew a succession of frees that Winters converted though never got closer to Galway than two points.
They were three back with 66 minutes on the clock but Galway finally put the result beyond doubt with points from Flynn, Brian Concannon, Cathal Mannion and Niall Burke.
Galway: James Skehill; Adrian Tuohy, John Hanbury, Jack Grealish; Shane Cooney, Gearoid McInerney, Padraig Mannion (0-2); Johnny Coen, Sean Loftus (0-02); Conor Cooney, Cathal Mannion (0-04), Niall Burke (0-02); Conor Whelan, Jason Flynn (1-09, 0-06f), Brian Concannon (0-01).
Subs: D Glennon for Concannon (12-15), E Burke for Loftus (45), Glennon for Cooney (59).
Dublin: Alan Nolan; Paddy Smyth, Bill O'Carroll, Eoghan O'Donnell; Darren Kelly, Chris Crummey, Shane Barrett; Tomas Connolly (0-1), Fiontan MacGib (0-01); Paul Crummey, Conal Keaney, Danny Sutcliffe (1-01); Paul Winters (0-09, 0-08f, 0-01 65), Ryan O'Dwyer, Ronan Hayes (0-01).
Subs: L Rushe for O'Dwyer (42), F O Riain Broin for P Crummey (47), C Boland (0-01) for Keaney (60), J Madden for Kelly (63), P Ryan for Rushe (68).
Referee: John Keenan (Wicklow).
