A GAME won by the inferior side with two goals in the last five minutes. The plot is familiar enough to Limerick, except that this time they were the beneficiaries, punishing Kilkenny for some wayward shooting and taking their first points of the new League in Nowlan Park yesterday.

Limerick manager, Tom Ryan conceded they were lucky, but was in no mood to apologise. "We were often robbed ourselves!" he declared. "They squandered a lot of chances and it cost them," he added. "They should have put us away."

Kilkenny had had the edge in both halves, leading by six points early in the second and playing like the team in command. Shots were drifting, wide during that second half, however, and the wides began to accumulate. Kilkenny finished the period with eight - not exactly woeful, but enough to leave the door open for Limerick, who were keeping in touch with sporadic points.

Limerick trailed by four points with just three minutes left when they got the breakthrough goal. Again they were grateful for some Kilkenny largesse, this time in defence instead of attack.

Mark Foley, now at wing back, sent in a ball that carried all the way to Joe Dermody in the Kilkenny goal. It seemed like a standard one handed take, but Dermody, distracted by the presence of Owen O'Neill, fatally took his eye off the sliotar - David Hennessy poked it home.

Kilkenny's reply was instant, suggesting that they still had a grip on the game, substitute Ken O'Shea putting them two points in front again.

But Limerick corner forward TJ Ryan wangled a free in the 48th minute, and, with time on their side for another score, a Gary Kirby tap over looked likely - he buried it to the net instead.

Suddenly, Limerick led for the first time and, suddenly the game was over. The large home support were somewhat bemused by this turn of events. "It was a terrible way to lose a match," said the Kilkenny manager, Nicky Brennan. "We left it behind us."

He had watched his team give a solid display as opposed to Limerick's more patchy performance, in what was otherwise a low key game played in good hurling conditions. The long hiatus which had preceded the new league was evident in the tentative ball control of several combatants. The two number 2s, DJ Carey and Mike Galligan - for as long as he lasted - showed good first touch control on occasions, but most of the rest needed a second bite all too often.

Carey was outshone on this occasion, however, by corner forward Niall Moloney, who showed a natural instinct for the net - he finished with 2-2 from play. Charlie Carter and Brian McEvoy, a pro match replacement for the injured Denis Byrne, also buzzed to good effect. It was the spine of Kilkenny's attack that looked somewhat unconvincing.

Centre forward Andy Comerford had some chances, while Pat O'Neill, at full-forward, threatened to do damage early on, but ultimately looked unsuited to his new role.

Limerick full back Mike Nash looked more comfortable as the game progressed and set up a score of pleasing simplicity in the 37th minute: A spectacular catch and an enormous clearance that went all the way to Owen O'Neill at full forward. Over the bar, two pucks, one point.

Kirby was in subdued form on the 40, while only Galligan looked like he could really hurt the home side. O'Neill was useful, scoring two points in the second half, but it was a Galligan goal in the 27th minute that salvaged something for Limerick from a ragged first half display.

Kilkenny had 1-3 on the board after seven minutes, Moloney popping up on the edge of the square to grab Carter's driven cross and smack it home. Limerick had yet to score and trailed by four points when Galligan intervened, gathering a loose ball and sprinting away from his marker before finishing to the net. It was a costly score: he pulled his hamstring in the spring and retired immediately.

Limerick were now in the game but Moloney struck for his second goal two minutes later. It came courtesy of a beautiful double by Carey in midfield, the ball arrowing straight to Pat O'Neill inside. It popped off the full forward and into the path of Moloney, who had timed his run perfectly. He whipped it first time past goalkeeper Joe Quaid. Within a minute Moloney had the ball over the bar and Kilkenny's half-time lead of 2-6 to 1-4 looked a good one.