At Pairc Esler, a golden 20-minute, first half spell heralded 2-6 without reply for Down, Odhran Murdock firing two penalties into the top left-hand corner of the net either side of a Daniel Guinness strike.
Limerick raced into an early lead, hitting the first three scores of the game. Iain Corbett was on target either side of efforts from Peter Nash.
The Mourne reply was emphatic, Murdock sending a penalty into the top left-hand corner of the net.
Murdock and Peter Fegan tagged on points before Nash tapped over for the visitors, who would not score again for another 22 minutes.
In that spell, Down hit 2-6 without reply, Shealan Johnston landing before Daniel Guinness rifled into the net, Murdock dispatching a second penalty into the exact same top left corner of the net.
To compound matters, Limerick had half-back Cathal McSweeney black carded for his foul on Liam Kerr in the build-up.
It was the home side who went in at half-time with a wealthy 3-8 to 0-5 lead.
It took Down twelve minutes to register their first score of the second half with Liam Kerr firing over after Nash tried to ignite fire in his side with a point of his own.
Pat Havern kept the scoreboard ticking over for Conor Laverty’s side in the second half with five points from placed balls across the second stanza.
By this juncture, Down’s attention had probably turned to a trip to Belfast to take on Antrim in a fortnight’s time.
