Kilkenny closed their National Hurling League campaign with a nine-point triumph over Limerick, as they finished with the last five points to take a third win of the campaign.
Having lost out to both Galway and Tipperary, Derek Lyng's charges were looking to restore some pride on home soil, as well as copper-fasten their place in the top flight for 2026.
With this result, Wexford and 2024 double champions Clare are both relegated to Division 1B for next season ahead of the final round of games.
It also rules Limerick out of reaching a league final, regardless of their result against Wexford next weekend. Tipperary are now assured of a league final berth, against Cork or Galway.
While the home side held an 11-point half-time advantage - 0-18 to 0-07 - that was whittled back to just four late on – before TJ Reid, John Donnelly and the highly accurate Martin Keoghan (0-07 from play) all hit points to secure the win.
The winners looked far hungrier, sharper and altogether more cohesive than in their heavy defeat to Tipperary six days earlier – though John Kiely’s men found a better formula in the second half.
After tipping a Billy Ryan bullet over via the cross bar after four minutes, Shane Dowling gave another exhibition in goalkeeping when going low to deny a TJ Reid bullet after just six minutes.
Though hunting a goal appeared an early pursuit for the black and amber, they were happy to start tapping over points once they found the space out the field.
David Reidy and Reid exchanged frees to leave it four apiece after ten minutes. However, a run of six scores unanswered from the Cats quickly put them in control. Martin Keoghan, Cian Kenny and a monster Fionán Mackessy free all notable efforts.
The Treaty were struggling and two Tom Morrissey points were a paltry return against their ravenous opponents.
By half-time, Kilkenny had nine different players on the scoresheet, with Tommy Walsh closing a dominant period with their fifth in a row.
Limerick’s challenge was not helped by the loss of Cathal O’Neill through injury, after both Gearóid Hegarty and Barry Murphy both missed out, having originally been named in the starting team.
Points from Reid, Mackessy and then Keoghan continued the strong Kilkenny shooting, early in the second half, with Colin Coughlan and Patrick O’Donovan in reply.
The gap was however, reduced to seven with just 15 minutes to go. Limerick were much improved as points from Aidan O’Connor and sub Donnacha Ó Dálaigh helped to reduce the arrears.
They gap was back to just four after a point from Barry Nash and Reidy’s seventh free but Limerick failed to score down the stretch and fell to a second defeat in three.
Paddy Deegan was sent off with a second yellow card, four minutes into stoppage time.
Kilkenny: Eoin Murphy; Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor, Tommy Walsh (0-01); Shane Murphy, Richie Reid, Paddy Deegan (0-01); Cian Kenny (0-02), Jordan Molloy (0-01); John Donnelly (capt) (0-02), Billy Ryan (0-02), Fionan Mackessy (0-03; 1f); Luke Hogan, TJ Reid (0-10; 8f), Martin Keoghan (0-07)
Subs: Killian Doyle for Molloy (blood – 47 – 49); Killian Doyle for Kenny (inj – 57); Harry Shine for Hogan (59); Eoghan Lyng for Mackessy (67); Peter McDonald for Molloy, Gearóid Dunne for Reid (both 73).
Limerick: Shane Dowling; Seán Finn, Mike Casey, Barry Nash (0-1); Colin Coughlan (0-02), William O’Donoghue, Ethan Hurley (0-01); Adam English (0-01), Cian Lynch (capt); Tom Morrissey (0-02), David Reidy (0-08; 7f, Cathal O’Neill; Shane O’Brien, Seamus Flanagan (0-01), Aidan O’Connor (0-02).
Subs: Patrick O’Donovan for O’Neill (inj - 33); Donnacha Ó Dálaigh (0-1) for Flanagan (53); Michael Houlihan for English, Eddie Stokes for Morrissey, Oisin O’Farrell for O’Brien (70).
Referee: Colm Lyons (Cork)
