Limerick 2-18 Kilkenny 0-15
All-Ireland champions Limerick remain the team to beat after reeling off their third straight Allianz NHL Division 1A win with surprising ease at Nowlan Park.
Tied at 0-7 apiece approaching half-time, John Kiely's side reeled off 2-3 without reply to open up a nine-point advantage at the interval.
They built on that to surge 14 points clear with 20 minutes to go and dropped down to fourth gear from there on to win at their leisure.
It was a chastening defeat for holders Kilkenny who have now slumped to their second loss in three outings.
Shane Dowling and Conor Boylan fired the vital goals for Limerick while Aaron Gillane finished with nine points, six from frees, and was a thorn in Kilkenny's side all day.
It's Limerick's first win over Kilkenny in the league at Nowlan Park since the 1997 semi-finals.
The sides were level five times up to 0-7 apiece in the 32nd minute when the game suddenly got away from Kilkenny.
They'd been matching the MacCarthy Cup holders virtually score for score up to that stage with Billy Ryan putting them ahead just seconds into the contest.
Richie Leahy, James Maher, John Donnelly and Kevin Kelly were all on the mark too.
Kelly started at full-forward but was whipped out of the fray after just 26 minutes shortly after missing a scoreable free.
Leahy took over the free-taking duties and tied the game up at 0-7 to 0-7 before things went badly wrong for the hosts in front of 11,283.
Robbie Hanley put Limerick ahead with a point but it was in the 34th minute when the game was effectively decided.
First Dowling found the net after being released by Gillane who gathered possession close to goal after a long ball downfield by Paddy O'Loughlin.
Just 33 seconds later, Limerick netted again when they won the puck-out, allowing Graeme Mulcahy to play in Boylan who still had some work to do but weaved through two defenders before blasting home.
Diarmuid Byrnes then converted a long range free before Gillane took his tally to 0-5 for the half with a neat score.
It was a thrilling burst from the Shannonsiders which left 18-times league champions Kilkenny with a mountain to climb.
It was a hill they ultimately were unable to climb as Limerick surged 2-16 to 0-8 clear with 50 minutes played.
Gillane, Barry Murpy and Graeme Mulcahy all added points for Kilkenny in the third quarter.
Kilkenny at least battled on and fired bursts of 0-4 and then 0-3 without reply to give the home supporters some cheer.
But it was a difficult afternoon on Noreside and Dowling had the last say with the final point of the game in injury-time.
Scorers for Limerick: A Gillane 0-9 (0-6f), S Dowling 1-2, C Boylan 1-1, G Mulcahy 0-2, D Byrnes 0-1 (0-1f), T Condon 0-1, R Hanley 0-1, B Murphy 0-1.
Scorers for Kilkenny: R Leahy 0-7 (0-4f), B Ryan 0-2, K Kelly 0-2 (0-2f), J Maher 0-1, J Donnelly 0-1, L Blanchfield 0-1, G Malone 0-1.
Limerick: N Quaid; R English, S Finn, T Condon; D Byrnes, D Morrissey, P O'Loughlin; R Hanley, D O'Donovan; C Boylan, S Dowling, K Hayes; B Murphy, A Gillane, G Mulcahy.
Subs: T Morrissey for Boylan 55, P Casey for Murphy 56-f/t, P Ryan for Mulcahy 62, G Hegarty for Hanley 69.
Kilkenny: E Murphy; E Morrissey, C Delaney, T Walsh; P Walsh, P Deegan, P Murphy; C Fogarty, M Keoghan; R Leahy, W Walsh, J Maher; J Donnelly, K Kelly, B Ryan.
Subs: L Blanchfield for Kelly 26, C Browne for Fogarty h/t, M Carey for Morrissey h/t, G Malone for Maher 51,
Referee: F Horgan (Tipperary).
