In the day's other clash, Canberra scuppered St George Illawarra's top-four hopes with a sea-sawing 38-34 win.
In Townsville, the Tigers were aiming to break a 13-game losing streak.
But the Cowboys, with a -37 points differential, moved to eight competition points with victory and equal-second with Brisbane, the Sydney Roosters and Newcastle - who all have a game in hand.
The boot North Queensland half Kirra Dibb, who landed four from four, proved the difference with the Tigers scoring five tries to four.
Goalkicker Pauline Piliae-Rasabale had a poor afternoon with the boot and landed just one from five for the Tigers, including a relatively easy kick in the 66th minute that would have tied the scores after playmaker Losana Lutu crashed over for a late try.
The Tigers trailed 18-4 in the 44th minute but played razzle dazzle football to score three tries in nine minutes.
Debutant No.6 Evie McGrath got the ball rolling when she grubber kicked for herself before Rikeya Horne and Rebecca Pollard finished sweeping movements.
Evie McGrath on Debut 🥳 — NRLW (@NRLWomens) #NRLWCowboysTigers pic.twitter.com/lElCmV2dS5September 7, 2024
McGrath had another try disallowed which would have put the Tigers ahead.
The Cowboys regained the lead with a try to Jetaya Faifua after winger Lavinia Tauhalaliku made a 70m burst.
The Tigers were camped on North Queensland's line for the final minute and went within a whisker of pulling off a stunning upset.
The hosts opened the scoring from a scrum play with halves Dibb and Tahlulah Tillett combining to send Tauhalaliku over in the corner.
Dibb, who has been in sensational form, threw a silky short ball to put centre Jakiya Whitfeld into a hole and give her side a 12-0 lead.
The visitors were the better side from that point onwards but their lack of goals kept the Cowboys in it.
In Sydney, Raiders prop Grace Kemp bulldozed over the Dragons to lead her side to just their second win of 2024.
Canberra almost contrived to lose their fourth match from in front this season.
An Alexis Tauaneai double took the game away from the visitors, who lost Kere Matua to the sin bin for an awkward hip-drop tackle on Madison Mulhall.
But a rousing display from the immense Kemp sparked a late comeback to silence the 5579-strong Jubilee Stadium crowd.
Trailing 28-16 and with momentum against them, the NSW State of Origin star stormed through the centre of the Dragons' defence.
Halfback Ash Quinlan scored soon after, the first of a six-minute three-try blitz - which included four-pointers to Kemp and winger Madison Bartlett - to put the Raiders in front for the second time in the match.
Ashleigh Quinlan celebrates after scoring for Canberra against the Dragons. (Mark Evans/AAP PHOTOS)
Kemp and Bartlett had earlier scored in the first half, along with Shakiah Tungai, to give Canberra a 16-4 lead.
Bartlett's brace put her on the top of the try-scoring ladder with seven tries.
Hulking forward Amelia Pasikala wrapped up the result after a Kemp offload, before Teagan Berry brought up her brace with a late consolation try.
The loss all-but ends the Dragons' finals hopes, who slipped below the Raiders into ninth on points differential, with both sides on four points.
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