Shane Annett’s 74th minute point was the difference as Down made it two victories from two in Division Three.
His right footed effort came after Limerick had hauled themselves level, while Jimmy Lee’s men wasted the final opportunity of the contest which could have bagged them a second draw.
In truth, Down were the more wasteful side, spurning a quartet of goal chances, as well as kicking some uncharacteristic wides, but plucky Limerick kept in the fight.
It is still a Treaty side without a number of would-be-starters but there was plenty to like about some of the newer faces in the green jersey.
Down had standout performances from captain Odhran Murdock, centre-forward Ceilum Doherty and the free-scoring Daniel Guiness. In the end, it was Annett who kicked the winner after a patient move.
Speedster Andrew Meade finished off a neat move after exactly three minutes, which saw James Naughton, Danny Neville and Colm McSweeney all link up with tidy handpasses.
A swift reply from Down, who profited off a solo-and-go, by curling over on a counter-attack through Daniel Guinness. They led when Pease McPolin arrowed over the static and stacked Limerick defence, and the early signs were good.
Down would fail to score for another 15 minutes. This allowed Barry Coleman to kick the hosts level but both sides were guilty of sloppy turnovers when they crept inside the arc.
Pat Havern punished Limerick, curling over a two-point free before Doherty, Ryan McEvoy and captain Murdock knocked over single points to open a healthy looking 0-7 to 0-2 lead by the 25th minute.
The Ulster side made it five points in as many minutes with a second from Doherty before Naughton and then Paul Maher curled wonderfully to boost the Treaty hopes.
Barry O’Hagan was withdrawn before half-time, his final act was to find the net but he had over carried the ball before kicking home.
Bob Childs’ two-pointer showed the power of the advantage, taking on a superb effort from range after initially being fouled. Down transitioned wonderfully on the next play with Daniel Guiness somehow palming the ball off the crossbar and over, with the goal at his mercy.
Half-time, it was Down in the ascendancy, 0-9 to 0-6.
A first goal chance for Limerick arrived when Neville and Jack McCarthy linked well only for a Down defender to thwart a near certain goal.
Havern extended the lead out to five, as the movement in the Down attack continued to cause problems for Lee’s men.
Another orange flag, this time from an Eliah Riordan free cut the gap to three, and he added another from play before agonisingly dropping one short when Limerick had momentum.
In between, Jeffrey Alfred denied Shane Annet at point blank range before Down rattled off three unanswered. Guinness and Havern (free) key once again.
With four points between the sides with eight remaining, debutant Shane Cross fed the onrushing Danny Neville, who buried to the corner. However, Guinness’ reply was top class, a two-pointer from play.
The late drama saw Riordan land an orange flag from a free outside the 45m line, before Naughton curled over the equaliser.
However, the creative play from Down saw Annett race onto a handpass and kick over from around 35 meters.
Down face Westmeath in two weeks, Limerick meet Wexford.
E Riordan 0-5 (2tpf); J Naughton 0-4 (0-4 frees); D Neville 1-0; B Childs 0-2 (1tp); A Meade, B Coleman, Paul Maher 0-1 each.
D Guinness 0-5 (1tp); P Havern (1 tpf, 1f), C Doherty 0-3 each; P McPolin, S Annett 0-2; O Murdock, R McEvoy, J Doran 0-1 each.
J Alfred; J Hassett, C McSweeney, M McCarthy; B Coleman, K Ryan, D Buckley; Jack McCarthy, P Maher; R O’Riordan, D Neville. S Clancy, J Naughton; R Childs, A Meade.
R O’Brien for Meade (half-time); S Cross for J McCarthy (56); O Collins for McSweeney (61); B Carr for Maher (69).
R Burns; P Fegan, P Laverty, B O’Hagan; P McPolin, R Magill, C Rogers; O Murdock (C), R McEvoy; D Guinness, C Doherty, S Annett; A Crimmins, P Havern, J McGeough.
J Doran for O’Hagan (33); D Scullion for Crimmins (44); T Close for McEvoy (53); P Brooks for Rogers (57); G McKibben for McGeough (69).
Fergal Kelly (Longford).
