Limerick turned in a very poor performance when beating Kerry in a disappointing National Hurling League game at Limerick yesterday. Indeed, with only seven minutes remaining, Kerry were within four points of Limerick after staging a spectacular second-half comeback .

With luck they might well have been closer and Limerick were certainly flattered by their winning margin, which came thanks mainly to a last-minute goal by Damien Quigley. Limerick had the benefit of a strong wind in the first half, at the end of which they led by 1-10 to 0-2, and the home side had nine wides in that period. Kerry had to wait for 18 minutes for their opening point from Michael Slattery and the Limerick goal came after only five minutes from Colm Hickey, whose back-flick deceived goalkeeper Pat Corridan. When Mike Fitzgerald had the opening point of the second half for Limerick, it seemed the home side might go on to give Kerry another hammering. However, it was Kerry who turned on the style and with Limerick going 17 minutes without a score, the Kerrymen picked off a succession of splendid points.

With only seven minutes remaining, Quigley raced clean through, but his shot was superbly saved by Corridan and it seemed this would spur Kerry further. But Limerick did not panic and a point by Mike Houlihan from a free three minutes from the end steadied the nerves. Kerry, however, will take more from their performance than Limerick, who hit an extraordinary number of wides in both halves and whose best-known players again failed to impress. But for the accuracy of Houlihan from frees - he also missed several easy chances - Limerick could have suffered a humiliation.

LIMERICK: J Quaid; S Lucey, B Begley, D Ryan; D Clarke, C Carey, C Smith; O Moran 0-3, J Foley 0-2; C Hickey 1-0, M Houlihan 0-6, M Foley; M O'Brien, M Fitzgerald 0-2, D Quigley 1-2. Subs: TJ Ryan for Hickey, B Foley for O'Brien (both 51 mins).

KERRY: P Corridan; T Cronin, S McIntyre, WJ Leen; Pat Cronin, M McCarthy, T Maunsell 0-1; C Harty, I Brick; I Maunsell 0-1, T O'Connell 0-1, C Walsh 0-3; M Slattery 0-5, Padraig Cronin, M O'Regan 0-1. Subs: JJ Canty for Padraig Cronin (50 mins), D Slattery for C Harty (56 mins).

Referee: G Hartigan (Cork).