North Queensland's NRL finals prospects took another hit while Cronulla remain focused on the top four after the Sharks enjoyed a comfortable 26-18 win in Townsville.
Defending premiers Cronulla were too good for an undermanned Cowboys side that slipped to a third straight loss and added outside back Kalyn Ponga and forward John Asiata to their already lengthy injured list.
Ponga and Asiata (both arm injuries) were taken off early in the second half, reducing the Cowboys to 15 men for the third straight game and cruelling any hopes of what would've been an unlikely comeback.
Cronulla's win was built on an impressive first half effort where they piled on 24 points.
"We'll get better in the weeks to come but today was certainly a step in the right direction and we are getting back to where we need to be," coach Shane Flanagan said.
"I thought we were pretty good in the first half, we had aggression in everything we did and I was pretty happy at halftime.
"It was forty minutes of pretty good footy and when you're playing against a team like that, that won't give in, you just have to do your best."
Jayden Brailey put the Sharks in front after just six minutes when evergreen forward Luke Lewis found the hooker close to the line.
The lead was doubled soon after with James Maloney putting Cronulla captain Paul Gallen over untouched under the posts.
When Te Maire Martin pounced on a Michael Morgan grubber the Cowboys were back in the game.
But just when things were looking up for the hosts Morgan was taken from field for his second head injury assessment (HIA) in as many weeks.
A knock on from Cowboy debutant Enari Tuala then led to a close-range try to Sharks halfback Chad Townsend in the next set and when Holmes crossed again three minutes later the match looked done.
A HIA to Jason Taumalolo made for further Cowboys misery but the home side hung tough and picked up late consolation tries to Ethan Lowe and Morgan.
Notoriously coy Cowboys coach Paul Green offered no insight on the extent of the injuries to Ponga and Asiata but was pleased with his side's effort.
"I think this team has proved time and time again they will keep competing and they did that again but to put ourselves in that situation at halftime made it really difficult," he said.
"I didn't think our contact (in tackles) at the start of the game was where it needed to be so I was a bit disappointed with that, we made life hard for ourselves."
The Cowboys (28 points) are still in eighth but have St George Illawarra (26) and Canberra (24 with a game in hand) close enough to strike. Meanwhile Cronulla (32 points) go to fourth on for and against.
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