A thrilling burst of Limerick scoring just before half-time at Nowlan Park eased the All-Ireland champions to a surprisingly comfortable Allianz NHL Division 1A win.
Kilkenny were neck and neck with John Kiely's men at that stage, tied at 0-07 apiece, when the visitors reeled off 2-03 without reply.
Na Piarsaigh duo Shane Dowling and Conor Boylan struck the majors which both came in the 34th minute, leaving Limerick nine points clear at the break.
They maintained that lead to record a nine-point Round 3 win with Aaron Gillane leading the scoring and helping himself to 0-09.
Limerick beat the Cats in last year's championship but this is their first league win over Brian Cody's men since 2006 and their first over the Cats at Nowlan Park in 22 years.
Richie Leahy scored 0-07 for Kilkenny but was one of the few players to impress as the holders slumped to their second loss from three games played in this year's campaign.
They'd been level five times up to 0-07 apiece in the 32nd minute when the game suddenly turned in Limerick's favour.
Up to that point, Leahy, James Maher, John Donnelly and Kevin Kelly had all kept the scoreboard ticking over with points for Brian Cody's side.
Kelly started at full-forward but was whipped out of the fray after just 26 minutes shortly after missing a scoreable free.
Leahy took over the free-taking duties and tied the game up at 0-07 to 0-07 before things went badly wrong for the hosts in front of 11,283.
Robbie Hanley put Limerick ahead with a point but it was in the 34th minute when the game was effectively decided.
First Dowling found the net after being released by Gillane who gathered possession close to goal after a long ball downfield by Paddy O'Loughlin.
Just 33 seconds later, Limerick netted again when they won the puck-out, allowing Graeme Mulcahy to play in Boylan (below) who still had some work to do but weaved through two defenders before blasting home.
Diarmuid Byrnes then converted a long range free before Gillane took his tally to 0-05 for the half with a neat score.
It was a dramatic scoring burst from the Shannonsiders which left 18-times league champions Kilkenny with a mountain to climb.
Kilkenny finished strong and hit bursts of 0-04 and 0-03 without reply in the closing quarter but by that stage the damage was done.
With 50 minutes on the clock, Limerick led 2-16 to 0-08 and perhaps realised with a 14-point lead that the game was already up.
Cody will be happy with Kilkenny's character at least as they refused to throw in the towel with Leahy converting four points in a row at one stage.
But it amounted to a chastening defeat and leaves unbeaten Limerick in a strong position heading into their Round 4 clash with Cork at the Gaelic Grounds next weekend.
Limerick: Nickie Quaid; Richie English, Sean Finn, Tom Condon (0-01); Diarmaid Byrnes (0-01, 0-01f), Dan Morrissey, Paddy O'Loughlin; Robbie Hanley (0-01), Darragh O'Donovan; Conor Boylan (1-01), Shane Dowling (1-02), Kyle Hayes; Barry Murphy (0-01), Aaron Gillane (0-09, 0-06f), Graeme Mulcahy (0-02).
Subs: Tom Morrissey for Boylan (55), Peter Casey for Murphy (56-f/t), Pat Ryan for Mulcahy (62), Gearoid Hegarty for Hanley (69).
Kilkenny: Eoin Murphy; Enda Morrissey, Conor Delaney, Tommy Walsh; Padraig Walsh, Paddy Deegan, Paul Murphy; Conor Fogarty, Martin Keoghan; Richie Leahy (0-07, 0-04f), Walter Walsh, James Maher (0-01); John Donnelly (0-01), Kevin Kelly (0-02, 0-02f), Billy Ryan (0-02).
Subs: Liam Blanchfield (0-01) for Kelly (26), Conor Browne for Fogarty (h/t), Michael Carey for Morrissey (h/t), Ger Malone (0-01) for Maher (51).
Referee: Fergal Horgan (Tipperary).
