DIVISION 2A/Limerick ... 2-12 Kerry ... 0-14: Limerick ended over 100 barren years against Kerry with a sensational win at the Gaelic Grounds yesterday to take them joint top of Division 2A.

Apart from a lone McGrath Cup win two years ago, statisticians claim the last time Limerick recorded a serious competitive win over their Munster neighbours was back in 1898.

Given the result, it was little wonder that Limerick's Kerry-born boss Liam Kearns was elated at the finish as thousands of fans invaded the pitch.

Limerick built up a nine-point advantage (2-10 to 0-7) by half-time, slicing the Kerry defence apart.

Midway through the second half, the reigning Munster champions trailed by six points and it was only when full back Seamus Moynihan moved to centrefield in an attempt to curb the threat of John Quane that they threatened Limerick.

Playing with the wind in the first half, Limerick stretched defenders Eamonn Fitzmaurice and Michael McCarthy, and led 0-3 to 0-1 after six minutes.

But when Noel Kennelly, Sean O'Sullivan and Declan Quill registered scores for Kerry, there were worries that Limerick's challenge may have petered out.

Not so. Jason Stokes scored their opening goal when he punished Kerry goalkeeper Declan O'Keeffe for failing to hold a half-hit shot from Michael Reidy.

Colm Hickey and Damien Reidy posed huge problems for Kerry, who were now becoming frustrated and three players - Eamonn Fitzmaurice, Tomás Ó Sé and Eoin Brosnan - were yellow carded by referee Pat Fox.

Twenty-five minutes into the contest, Limerick led by 1-7 to 0-6. Quill interrupted their scoring sequence, but just on half-time another error by O'Keeffe allowed Pat Ahern to finish a high lob from Michael Reidy for Limerick's second goal.

Hickey stretched Limerick's advantage after the break, and it wasn't until they trailed by 10 points that Kerry began to flow.

Dara Ó Cinnéide, Noel Kennelly, Aodhan MacGearailt and Brosnan, clearly determined to avoid an embarrassing defeat, put Limerick under severe pressure.

By the 50th minute the signs looked ominous for the home team, who saw their lead reduced to five points.

But there was a moment of relief for Limerick when Stokes converted only their second point of the half.

Stephen Lavin and Stephen Lucey were in overdrive at the back for the home side as Kerry sought an escape route, and Kennelly, Moynihan and MacGearailt points set up a rousing finale.

Limerick had Ahern sent off for a second bookable offence, but managed to hold on for a historic victory.

LIMERICK: S O'Donnell; S Lavin, D Sheehy, T Stack: C Mullane, S Lucey, D Reidy (0-1); J Quane, J Galvin; S Kelly (0-1), M Gavin, P Ahern (1-2); M Reidy (0-2), J Stokes (1-2), C Hickey (0-4). Subs: J Murphy for Gavin, N Hunt for Kelly.

KERRY: D O'Keeffe; J Sheehan, M McCarthy, M O'Shea; E Fitzmaurice, S Moynihan (0-1), T Ó Sé ; D Ó Sé (0-1); E Brosnan (0-1); S O'Sullivan (0-1), N Kennelly (0-5), A MacGearailt (0-2); D Quill (0-2) , D Ó Cinnéide (0-2), I Twiss (0-1). Subs: J Crowley for O'Sullivan, P Galvin for Twiss, T O'Sullivan for T O Sé.

Referee: P Fox (Westmeath).