Limerick’s hurlers got their first win of the 2015 Allianz League Division 1B campaign with a hard-fought 0-23 to 1-12 win over Antrim at Ballycastle.

The heavy conditions didn’t make for attractive hurling and referee John Keenan had to throw-in the sliotar on a number of occasions after it became buried in the soft playing surface.

Points from Paul Brown, Shane Dowling and Séamus Hickey helped Limerick lead 0-6 to 0-4 after 20 minutes. Antrim battled back, restoring parity through Ciarán Johnston and Neal McAuley. There was a moment of controversy when umpires waved Donal O’Grady’s 25th-minute effort wide, but referee John Keenan overruled his officials.

Paul Brown’s score on the stroke of half-time gave Limerick a 0-10 to 0-9 lead. Within a minute of the restart, Antrim were back in the lead. Ciarán Clarke pulled the ball back to Eoghan Campbell after a mazy run to the end-line and the Cushendall clubman finished superbly past Nicky Quaid for a 1-9 to 0-10 lead. But Tom Condon, Brown and O’Grady pointed to level matters and Wayne McNamara completed an unanswered run of four points for the visitors.

Campbell and Shiels brought Antrim to within a point on the 54th minute, but that was as good as it got for the Ulstermen, who failed to raise another flag for the remainder of the game as Limerick took control.