Limerick, following their win over Kerry in the McGrath Cup and their defeat by Westmeath, finally bounced back to beat a hapless Kilkenny at Fenagh yesterday. The game did not start until an hour behind schedule because the referee was under the impression that the game was to be played at Limerick Gaelic Grounds. He arrived to find it empty and then had to make the 50-mile trip to Fenagh.

By half-time Limerick led by 2-5 to 0-1 with the Kilkenny point being scored after seven minutes by Michael Gordon. It was all one-way traffic, with Limerick scores coming from Michael Doherty and Fergal Finnan, whose goal after 20 minutes put the game outside of Kilkenny's reach. Michael Dunne had Kilkenny's second point 12 minutes into the second half but by that stage Limerick were so far in front that two points by Noel Mulvihill and others by Ger O'Connor, and Mulvihill simply added to Limerick's total.

Limerick: R Bowles; D Reidy, D Scully, G O'Connor; M Regan, G Quane, T McGarry; N Mulvihill (0-2), M Reidy (1-0); J Murphy (0-1), T Quaid (0-2), D Ryan (0-3); M O'Shea (0-3), F Finnan (1-0), B O'Brien (0-1).

Kilkenny: E Maloney; E Roche, N Mannion, S Campion; J Lonergan, P Mulready, P Fewer; L Kenny, J Murray; M Dunne (0-1), R Mulcahy, M Gordon (0-1); J Corcoran, G Daly, L Coyne.

Referee: P Sheehy (Kerry).