A strong last quarter of an hour from Limerick saw them pick up their first win of the season as they won by eight points in London.
After a draw against Longford and a defeat to Wexford, Limerick were able to dig deep in Ruislip as they finally shook off the hosts to claim a hard-fought win in which all but one point came from open play.
In the first minute, London were caught ball-watching and punished to the full when a searching ball picked out Andrew Meade, who fired home with ease.
Despite going a goal down so early on, London were level by the fifth minute. Ciaran Diver pointed from play before Patrick Dolan kicked a lovely two-pointer to tie things up.
That would be London's last score for 12 minutes though as efforts from Tony McCarthy, Paul Maher and Iain Corbett gave the Treaty a lead of three before Diver halted their run of points with a free.
As the first-half progressed, Limerick were given space to increase their lead and by the 26th minute they had a five-point advantage; James Naughton joined in on the scoring as Corbett and Tony McCarthy adding to their tallies.
Just as it looked like Jimmy Lee’s side were starting to run away with the game, Diver picked up another couple and by half-time, points from Sean Tucker and Dolan ensured London were just a point behind - 1-06 to 0-08 lead.
Emmet Rigter scored a two-pointer from play to increase his side’s lead as Limerick came out looking determined not to let this one slip.
Dolan, Aidan McLoughlin and Diver were the men providing answers in front of goal for London in between a Naughton score for Limerick and it was a one-point game again.
However, the aforementioned Diver score, which came in the 54th minute, would be London’s last of the game.
The Exiles began to lose shape in front of the Limerick posts, and despite moving the ball well patiently outside the 40-metre arc and the 20-metre line, they either lost possession from trying a pass that simply wasn’t on, a poor attempt on goal, or had the ball turned over by the hard-working Limerick defence.
With chances being passed up at one end, Limerick killed the game off with seven scores including three that came off the bench.
Robbie Childs, Tadgh Ó Siochrú and Peter Nash all had an instant impact as they took home maximum points for the first time in 2025.
KEY: tp - two-point score; tpf - two-point free; tpm - two-point mark
London: Andrew Walsh; Eoin Walsh (captain), Sean Taylor, Nathan McElwaine; Ciaran McKeon, Matt Moynihan, Kristian Healy; Aidan McLoughlin (0-01), Liam Gallagher; Joshua Obahor, Daniel Clarke, Ciaran Diver (0-05, 2f); Paddy Dolan (0-04, tp), Thomas Lenihan, Sean Tucker (0-01).
Substitutes: Shay Rafter for Thomas Lenihan (50’), Conor Redican for Ciaran McKeon (57’), Josh Crowley-Holland for Joshua Obahor (58’), Tighe Barry for Aidan McLoughlin (61’), Conal Gallagher for Kristian Healy (65’).
Limerick: Josh Ryan; Colm McSweeney, Cormac Woulfe, Mark McCarthy; Barry Coleman (0-01), Killian Ryan, Iain Corbett (0-02); Darragh O’Hagan, Emmet Rigter (0-02, tp); Paul Maher (0-01), James Naughton (0-04, 1f), Cillian Fahy (0-01) (captain); Darragh O’ Siochrú, Tony McCarthy (0-02), Andrew Meade (1-00).
Substitutes: Robbie Childs (0-01) for Paul Maher (40’), Tadgh Ó Siochrú (0-01) for Andrew Meade (47’), Tommy Childs for Killian Ryan (62’), Peter Nash (0-01) for Darragh Ó' Siochrú (66’), Diarmuid Buckley for Barry Coleman (71’).
Referee: Pat Clarke (Cavan)
Meanwhile, in a Division 4 refixture, Tipperary beat Waterford 1-14 to 0-09 at Walsh Park.
The match was switched from Saturday after Fraher Field was unplayable.
The visitors were just a point up at half-time, 1-05 to 0-07, the goal coming in the eighth minute from Sean O'Connor as James Walsh (0-03) top-scored for the Déise.
O'Connor finished with 1-10 (4f) as the Waterford challenge wilted in the second half and they finished with 14 men when Joe Booth was sent off in injury-time for a high tackle.
