Stylish Armagh, helped by a brace of goals from Oisin McConville, carried too many big guns for a weakened Limerick at Kilmallock yesterday.

Denied the services of Brian Begley and top scorer Colm Hickey, lightweight Limerick still led 0-5 to 0-3 after the opening quarter, with Michael Reidy scoring four of the points from frees.

Coming up to the break, Armagh clicked into a higher gear, and three scores inside the same number of minutes turned the tide in their favour.

Stephen McDonnell put them into the lead with a point and was fouled by goalkeeper Alan Kitson for Oisin McConville to strike home.

Armagh led 1-7 to 0-5 at half-time. Seconds into the second half, Limerick's Jason Stokes missed a golden opportunity for a goal, but there were no errors by McConville, Paul McGrane and Diarmuid Marsden, who sent the Ulster champions into a 112 to 0-6 lead after 54 minutes, when McConville took his second goal.

ARMAGH: P Hearty; E McNulty, G Reid, A O'Rourke; J McNulty, C McGeaney, A McCann; J McEntee (0-1), P McGrane (0-1); M O'Rourke (0-1), T McEntee, D Marsden (0-2); S McDonnell (0-3), D Mackin, O McConville (2-4). Subs: J Toal for E McNulty; P McKeever for A O'Rourke.

LIMERICK: A Kitson; M O'Riordan, D Sheehy, Denis Reidy; C Mullane, S Lucey, Damien Reidy; J Galvin (0-1), J Quane (0-1); M Reidy (0-6), M Gavin, S Lavin; N Hunt, J Stokes, J Murphy. Subs: S Kelly for Lavin; J Lydon (0-2) for Gavin; N Riordan for Murphy.

Referee: B Duff, Kildare.