Kilkenny back in contention

Kilkenny 2-17 Limerick 0-12

Kilkenny returned to their hungry best at Nowlan Park this afternoon as they turned in their best display of the season to get back in contention in NHL Division 1B.

Brian Cody's Cats, who drew with Dublin and lost to Tipperary in their most recent outings, showed glimpses of the form that saw them finish as Walsh Cup, National League, Leinster and All-Ireland champions last year.

Limerick were totally outclassed as the hosts' forwards bossed this Bank Holiday tie - goals from Martin Comerford (17 minutes) and Derek Lyng (33) helped Kilkenny to a 2-10 to 0-4 half-time lead.

Free-taker Andrew O'Shaughnessy (0-5 (5f)) and Niall Moran (0-4) were the only Limerick forwards to make any dent in that Kilkenny advantage. Richie Power (0-6 (3f)) and Comerford (1-2) led the defending champions' scoring.

Backed by a blustery wind, Kilkenny menacingly moved into a 0-3 to 0-0 lead within ten minutes of the throw-in - Eoin McCormack and Power, with a sweet left-sided strike and a free, set the Cats on their way to their first win of the league campaign.

It took Limerick 14 minutes to score - O'Shaughnessy belted over a free - and a further seven to score from play. Mike O'Brien ended a 21st-minute run with a morale-boosting point.

Kilkenny were 0-4 to 0-1 to the good when a defensive lapse saw the hosts' attack string together a couple of quick hand passes and the move ended with centre-forward Comerford lashing the sliotar past Brian Murray and into the Limerick net.

In truth, the Kilkenny lead should have been more. Cody's charges hit eight wides in the opening half, a total matches by the Shannonsiders. Comerford, Peter Cleere, whose crisp passing was key to the ease with which Kilkenny were beating their markers, and Power all added points before Peter Lawlor lost possession, two minutes from the interval, and Lyng cantered through to raise Kilkenny's second green flag with a measured finish.

Two Niall Moran points had just about kept Limerick in touch at half-time as they trailed by 2-10 to 0-4.

The deficit grew even greater after the opening minutes of the second half. Power (0-2 (2f)), Michael Rice, McCormack and substitute Eoin Larkin all pointed to make the score line 2-15 to 0-5, with only O'Shaughnessy replying.

Limerick did dominate the scoring thereafter with O'Shaughnessy, who added three frees, Moran, who slotted over two more points from play, Kevin Tobin and substitute Mike Fitzgerald boosted their side's tally to 0-12.

Goals were what Richie Bennis' men craved and they missed out on their best opportunity when Donie Ryan had a shot cleared off the Kilkenny line.

Eddie Brennan and impressive midfielder Rice completed Kilkenny's enviable haul before Power almost got in for an injury-time goal - only the woodwork and the superb reactions of net minder Murray prevented the Carrickshock clubman from rippling the net.

The win moves Kilkenny up to third in the standings, just a point behind the pace setters Galway and Tipperary. The Cats should chalk up their second success next weekend away to Antrim, while Limerick will have to regroup quickly before tackling an on-form Dublin side.