His eight points were vital as London drew level seven minutes from time only to see victory slip from their grasp.

The loss makes London the second team to exit this year’s championship, after London, and Damien Dunleavy was their star with 1-5 from play.

Limerick were the first to light up the scoreboard when Ryan linked with captain, Seánie Buckley in the fourth minute, while Damien Dunleavy offered a reply two minutes.

However, the home side were far more efficient in front of goal in the opening-quarter and with their defence on top it provided the perfect platform for a bombardment of the London goal.

A wonderful point from the returning John Galvin signalled their intent in the 12th minute and with Danny Neville, Ger Collins, Brian Scanlon, Killian Phair and Ian Ryan, with two more, all finding the target in a devastating 15-minute spell, the signs were ominous.

Mark Gottsche’s introduction in the 24th minute gave the Exiles more impetus going forward and he got their account up-and-running again with a point four minutes later.

Further scores from Joe Feeney and goalkeeper, Adrian Faherty, from a free brought London to within four points with five minutes left in the half only for Limerick to go in with a 0-11 to 0-6 lead at the break as Phair, Ger Collins and Ryan all scored.

London steam-rolled their way into the seconf-half and by the 43rd minute they had taken a shock 1-10 to 0-11 lead thanks mainly to the prolificacy of Dunleavy, and it was he that hit the net for them eight minutes after the break to surge into the lead.

Nevertheless, Limerick were made of sterner stuff and substitute Gearóid Hegarty soloed through to finish emphatically into Faherty’s goal and give his side a two point lead with 12 minutes left.

Lorcan Mulvey and Tony Gaughan pointed for the visitors to draw them level but that was as good as it got as Brian Scanlon, from a free and two points from Ryan saw Limerick to victory.

Scorers – Limerick: Ian Ryan 0-8 (0-3f); G Hegarty (1-0); K Phair, G Collins and B Scanlon 0-2 each, J Galvin and D Neville 0-1 each. London: D Dunleavy 1-5; J Feeney 0-2; A Faherty 0-1 (0-1f), M Gottsche, M Miskelly, L Mulvey, E O’Neill and T Gaughan 0-1 each.

Limerick: B Scanlon; J McCarthy, S O’Dea, M O’Riordan; I Corbett (S Lucey 53), P Browne, P Ranahan; T Lee (J O’Riordan 58), J Galvin; S Buckley (G Hegarty 16), G Collins, D Tracey (M Brosnan 43); D Neville (J Lee 63), K Phair (E Hanrahan 48), I Ryan.

London: A Faherty; B Collins (M Gottsche 24), S Curran, D McCarthy; P Butler, S Mulligan, S Hannon (C Carty 71); A Bradley (S Kelly 62), M Carroll; G Crowley (C O’Neill 68), D Dunleavy, L Mulvey; M Miskelly, T Gaughan, J Feeney (B Mitchell 55).

Referee: Pádraig O’Sullivan (Kerry)