Limerick ignited their Tailteann Cup challenge with a 2-10 to 0-08 victory over Offaly in their round two clash at Mick Neville Park in Rathkeale.
Two second half goals from Emmet Rigter helped Jimmy Lee's side earn a deserved victory in what was a tight contest for large periods.
The win is Limerick’s first in competitive action since the same stage almost a year ago and gives them a chance of making the knockout stages.
Both sides lost by 14 points in their opening fixture and provided a cagey first half that saw the score at 0-05 to 0-05 at the interval.
However, Limerick injected serious pace into the game in the final quarter with Rigter providing the finishing touches to two slick moves.
Offaly made the brighter start with Nigel Dunne and Peter Cunningham hitting the target. Limerick responded with two fine scores from play courtesy of Cathal Downes and Barry Coleman.
Peter Nash then gave Limerick the lead for the first time only for Ruairi McNamee to level the game for a second time soon after.
McNamee then put Offaly ahead once again but a sublime left footed strike from Downes brought Limerick back to parity.
A second Nash free looked to have given Limerick the edge at the break, however, Jack Bryant ensured the sides were squared up heading into the second half.
Dunne and Downes traded scores in the early part of the second half but Limerick then upped the pace with Coleman and James Naughton seeing them into a 0-08 to 0-06 advantage with 49 minutes on the clock.
Dunne was leading the charge for Offaly with a third point of the game but Limerick took the game away from them with a Bob Childs point and Rigter’s first goal.
A quickly taken Downes mark caught Offaly unawares and it was Rigter that provided a low finish beyond the reach of Ian Duffy to put Limerick five clear.
Eoin Carroll gave Offaly hope of a late comeback but those hopes were dashed when Rigter finished off a blistering counter attack that involved Coleman, Bryan Nix and Iain Corbett to seal a confidence building win.
Limerick: Josh Ryan; Tony McCarthy, Sean O’Dea, Paul Maher; Barry Coleman (0-02), Cillian Fahy, Cormac Woulfe; Tommie Childs; Emmet Rigter (2-00); Tommy Griffin, James Naughton (0-01), Cathal Downes (0-03, 1m); Brian Ahern, Bob Childs (0-01), Peter Nash (0-02f).
Subs: Iain Corbett for T Childs (53), Danny Neville for Ahern (55), Bryan Nix for Nash (63), Darren O’Doherty (0-01) for Woulfe (64), Andrew Meade for Naughton (68).
Offaly: Ian Duffy; Lee Pearson, David Dempsey, John Furlong; Cormac Egan, Peter Cunningham (0-01), Jack O’Brien; Eoin Carroll (0-01), Declan Hogan; Dylan Hyland, Ruairi McNamee (0-02), Jordan Hayes; Nigel Dunne (0-03, 2f), Keith O’Neill, Jack Bryant (0-01).
Subs: Anton Sullivan for Hyland (49), Cathal Flynn for Bryant (51), Cian Farrell for Dunne (54), Kevin McDermott for Hayes (64), R Egan for McNamee (68).
Referee: Jerome Henry (Mayo).
