By Paul Keane at Parnell Park
Dublin 0-26 Galway 0-24
A thrilling second-half performance and 10 points in total from David Treacy ended Dublin's relegation fears and put them back in the race for Allianz Hurling League honours after their win over Galway.
Ger Cunningham's side trailed by two at half-time and looked in real danger of a third Division 1A loss that could have left them battling it out with Kilkenny next weekend to stay up.
But they rose to the occasion in the second-half and outscored Galway by 0-13 to 0-5 to secure their top flight place for 2016.
It was an impressive showing from Dublin who conjured top form just when they needed it and had an inspirational forward in Mark Schutte.
Free-taker Treacy top scored but Schutte nailed five points from play while Danny Sutcliffe hit 0-4.
Both sides head on now to the quarter-finals though Dublin have momentum on their side and will feel they laid down a timely marker ahead of the sides' Leinster championship tie in May.
Dublin made three pre-match alterations to their line up, drafting in Ross O'Carroll at midfield and Sutcliffe and Treacy in attack.
It meant Peter Kelly returning to his more accustomed full-back position having played at centre-back so far this year. The three players to lose out were Shane Barrett, Colm Cronin and Paul Ryan.
David O'Callaghan opened the scoring for Dublin with a second minute point and he doubled his takings shortly after.
But they were rocked by the concession of a fourth minute goal to Cathal Mannion who was equally lively early on for Galway.
Mannion's initial shot after a run in from the left was blocked by 'keeper Alan Nolan but he gathered up the breaking ball and shot it to the net.
Andy Smith registered two points from midfield for Galway in the opening half while Sutcliffe clipped over three for Dublin.
Galway took a three-point lead after 13 minutes but Dublin were quickly back level with three points in a row.
In an entertaining, score for score encounter they were twice level late in the first-half before Joe Canning netted to nudge Galway clear again.
The Portumna man showed poise in the 28th minute to sell his marker a neat dummy despite three earlier wides and blast to the roof of the net. Galway retained a 2-9 to 0-13 lead at the interval.
Dublin had more to fight for given the league placings and upped the ante after the restart, outscoring Galway by 0-6 to 0-1 by the 45th minute.
Subs Ryan O'Dwyer and John McCaffrey were both on the mark with crucial scores as Dublin came powering into the game. The hosts moved four clear with 15 minutes to go as Galway struggled to keep pace with them.
Dublin opened up four-point leads on three separate occasions and Galway were forced to go for goals. Canning blazed one attempt wide from a tight angle and had a free blocked on the line.
In fact, Canning did all their second-half scoring with five points in total and just one of those from open play.
As for Dublin, it wasn't vintage hurling but they were generally in control with free-taker Treacy picking off the points in the run in to secure a hugely important win.
Dublin: A Nolan, C O'Callaghan, P Kelly, P Schutte (0-01), C Keaney, C Crummey, S Durkin, S Lambert, R O'Carroll, D Sutcliffe (0-04), E Dillon, M Schutte (0-05), D O'Callaghan (0-02), L Rushe (0-01), D Treacy (0-10, 0-08f, 1 65).
Subs: J McCaffrey (0-01) for Lambert, N McMorrow for O'Carroll, R O'Dwyer (0-01) for Dillon, P Ryan (0-01, 0-1f) for O'Callaghan.
Galway: A Ryan, J Coen, P Killeen, F Moore, D Collins, G Lally, G McInerney, A Smith (0-02), A Harte (0-01), J Cooney, J Canning (1-07, 0-06f), J Glynn, B Molloy (0-01), N Burke (0-01), C Mannion (1-02).
Subs: J Flynn for Burke, I Tannian for Harte, J Hanbury for Moore, D Higgins for Molloy, C Flynn for J Flynn.
Referee: J Ryan (Tipperary).
