Limerick put Dubs to sword to keep unbeaten start alive

All-Ireland title holders Limerick streaked to a huge Croke Park win, maintaining their 100% start to the National League campaign.

Donnacha Ó Dalaigh's goal after just 13 seconds set John Kiely's crew on the road to the 18-point win and the Monaleen man added a second major in the second-half.

The more experienced Tom Morrissey netted too and finished with 1-04 while Adam English finished up as the top scorer with eight points.

Kiely was delighted to hand six players their first starts at Croke Park while Kyle Hayes, who is before the courts and awaiting sentencing following a violent disorder conviction, made his seasonal return to the team and contributed a point too.

The result leaves Limerick sitting pretty at the head of their group ahead of ties against Tipperary and Galway though Dublin are in real danger now of a bottom three finish, meaning second tier hurling next season.

They have games against Galway and Westmeath to come and with just one win so far, they need to put points on the board quickly.

Cian O'Sullivan and Donal Burke shared 10 points evenly between them and the return of Burke after a long-term hamstring injury was a giant boost while former captain Chris Crummey, who didn't feature in 2023, also lined out.

Dublin were neck and neck with Limerick for the first 30 minutes or so but played second fiddle thereafter as Limerick's quality and experience told.

Limerick went with a much changed lineup from the side that defeated Westmeath in Round 2, retaining just six players from their lineup in Mullingar.

Of the nine that came into the team, four of them - Nickie Quaid, Mike Casey, Hayes and Will O'Donoghue - were making their first starts of the league campaign.

Hayes slotted into the familiar left half-back