Ahead by 2-4 to 0-1 after just 10 minutes thanks to well-finished goals by Joe Stack and Arthur Nganou, Midleton were hauled back to earth during the remainder of the first half thanks to a determined effort by Our Lady’s to stay in contention and at the break there were just two in it, Midleton 2-8 to 0-12 in front.

However, they moved up a couple of gears thereafter and the title-holders could only score four more points themselves in the second half, while watching helplessly as Midleton took complete control.

Liam O’Shea could do no wrong at centre-forward, finishing with 13 points including one from a sideline cut, with Liam Gosnell on his left doing his best to keep up, with nine points while Joe Stack was always a threat and managed 1-2. The luckless Arthur Nganou managed 1-1 before having to retire injured at half-time.

Further back, the defence led by Sean O’Sullivan and Eoghan O’Sullivan, with Aaron Walsh Barry and Jamie Landers also ultra-effective, limited Templemore to just five from play throughout the match, Gearoid O’Connor keeping last year’s winners in the game with 10 converted frees.

Scorers: Midleton CBS - L O’Shea 0-13 (6F, 1SC), L Gosnell 0-9 (5F), J Stack 1-2, A Nganou 1-1, K Farmer 0-1, C Hickey 0-1; Our Lady’s - G O’Connor 0-10 (10F), J Devaney 0-3, A Ormonde 0-1, K Maher 0-1, S Doyle 0-1 (F).

Midleton CBS: A Power, D Hogan, S O’Sullivan, S O’Leary Hayes, A Walsh Barry, J Landers, G Millerick, K Farmer, D Moran, L O’Shea, L Gosnell, A Nganou, C Hickey. Subs: O Broderick for A Nganou (HT), M McCarthy for G Millerick (55m), G Carroll for J Stack (57m), D Scanlon for E O’Sullivan (58m), P Hassett for C Hickey (60m).

Our Lady’s Templemore: E Collins, S Friend, F Purcell, L Campion, M Egan, J Ryan, S Ryan, K Maher, E McBride, G O’Connor, S Doyle, J Campion, A Ormonde, T O’Farrell, J Devaney. Subs: S Lowe for S Friend (43m), C McGrath for T O’Farrell (55m), M O’Connell for S Doyle (55m), J Ryan for J Campion (58m).

Ref: Mike Sexton (Limerick)