Kildare were crowned Christy Ring Cup champions for 2018 at Croke Park today thanks to an impressive performance over London.

Joe Quaid's men scored an emphatic 3-19 to 1-11 victory over the Exiles who finished the contest with 13 men.

Jack Sheridan (2) and Shane Ryan bagged the goals for the Lilywhites while James Burke found the target with eight points.

A productive first-half saw them take a 1-9 to 0-6 to lead into the break while London's cause wasn't helped by the first-half dismissal of defender Lee Murphy for a second yellow card offence.

Kildare captain Brian Byrne lifts the Christy Ring Cup. ©INPHO/Tommy Grealy.

The Leinster outfit made their numerical advantage count in the second-half when outscoring Fergus McMahon's side by 2-10 to 1-5.

Ryan's goal boosted Kildare into a 2-14 to 0-8 lead and Sheridan applied the gloss to their victory with his second goal which arrived five minutes from the end of normal time.

Colin Nelson netted a late consolation goal for London but their woes were compounded when Mark Dwyer was shown a red card in the fifth minute of stoppage time.

Kildare's Mark Grace was also sent for an early shower on receipt of a second yellow card late on but the county's first outright success since 2014 was well wrapped up by that stage.

Kildare - P McKenna; C Forde, J Doran, P Sullivan; E O'Neill (0-2), M Moloney, M Grace; N O Muineachain, B Byrne (0-1); J Burke (0-8, 0-3f), P Divilly (0-3), K Whelan (0-1); S Ryan (1-0), M Fitzgerald (0-1), J Sheridan (2-2). Subs: M Delaney (0-1f) for S Ryan, B Deay for K Whelan, M Purcell for J Burke, P Dermody for P McKenna, B Cormack for M Fitzgerald.

London - J Barrett; L Murphy, B Regan, D O'Regan (0-1); C McAlinden, K Reid, C Burke; F Collins, M Dwyer; H Vaughan, C Nelson (1-0), S Conlon; M Duggan, S Lawless (0-1), A Sheehan (0-6, 5f). Subs: K O'Loughlin (0-2f) for H Vaughan, O Gately for S Conlon, D Moore for K Reid, J Troy (0-1) for A Sheehan, R Murphy for M Duggan.

Referee - P Murphy.

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