Kildare claimed the Christy Ring Cup after a commanding victory over London in Croke Park.

Kildare had star performers up front with James Burke, Shane Ryan and Jack Sheridan hitting 3-10 between them as the Lillywhites secured their second ever title.

There was three men sent off throughout as Kildare’s Mark Grace saw the line with Dennis O’Regan and Mark Dwyer going the same way for London in what was an otherwise sporting game.

Kildare will now face off with Antrim next weekend in a playoff to determine a place in next year’s Joe McDonagh Cup.

James Burke was making his first start for Kildare since recovering from serious illness and he got his side off to the better start when he hit over from a Mark Moloney pass after two minutes.

London responded well to equalise with an Aaron Sheehan point when he got onto a breaking ball before consecutive scores from Burke gave Joe Quaid’s outfit a 0-03 to 0-01 lead.

In the 12th minute London looked to have got away lightly as corner back Lee Murphy appeared to strike out at Shane Ryan but after discussions with his umpires, referee Patrick Murphy let him away with a yellow card.

Eanna O’Neill pushed Kildare’s lead out to three with a fine effort from range after he powered forward before another Sheehan score reduced the lead again.

Halfway through the half Jack Sheridan got away from trouble for the Lillywhites but saw his blazed goal attempt go narrowly wide but his fellow Naas clubmate in Burke made up for the miss somewhat with a pair of points that pushed Kildare 0-06 to 0-02 in front.

Kildare looked in a degree of control at this stage but they were proving to be fairly wasteful in front of goal and the English visitors soon had the margin back to the minimum with frees from Sheehan and a fine Shane Lawless effort from play.

Kildare finished the half in style however as Paul Divilly landed his first point before Sheridan rattled the net in the 33rd minute with a bursting low shot going under the grasp of James Barrett in the London goal.

It was double trouble for London as Lee Murphy was also given a red card for an altercation with Sheridan after the goal and Brian Byrne and Kevin Whelan duly added on further points as Kildare opened up a 1-09 to 0-06 advantage at the break.

Kildare deployed wing back Mark Grace as the sweeper for the second period but in truth he was never really severely tested as the team in white continued where they left off at the end of the second half.

Burke landed a quick brace of frees to push the lead out to eight points and it was all plain sailing from there.

Sheehan landed his sixth point in response for London before Martin Fitzgerald and Jack Sheridan hit the target.

Sheridan could have easily plundered his second goal when he hit the side netting from a tight angle and after Shane Lawless and Burke exchanged scores, Shane Ryan extended the lead with a well taken goal to go 2-14 to 0-08 ahead.

Lawless and sub Kevin O’Loughlin knocked over frees for London but after Mark Grace received a red card in the 53rd minute, Kildare kicked clear again with Divilly, O’Neill and Mark Delaney on the double scoring.

Sheridan got Kildare’s third goal late on as he was left free in the London half and even though Colin Nelson scored a late consolation it was the Naas corner forward who had the final say as his brilliantly curled point from range put the seal on a thoroughly deserved 3-19 to 1-11 victory for Kildare.

Kildare: Paddy McKenna; Cian Forde, John Doran, Paul Sullivan; Eanna O'Neill 0-02, Mark Moloney, Mark Grace; Niall O Muineachain, Brian Byrne 0-01; James Burke 0-08 (0-03fs), Paul Divilly 0-02, Kevin Whelan 0-01; Shane Ryan 1-00, Martin Fitzgerald 0-01, Jack Sheridan 2-01.

Subs: Mark Delaney 0-2 (0-1f) for Ryan 50 mins, Bernard Deay for Whelan 55 mins, Mick Purcell for Burke 61 mins, Barry Cormack for Fitzgerald 70 mins, Paul Dermody for McKenna 71 mins.

London: James Barrett; Lee Murphy, Brian Regan, Dennis O’Regan, Chris McAlinden, Kevin Reid, Cillian Burke, Fergal Collins, Mark Dwyer, Henry Vaughan, Colin Nelson 1-00, Sean Conlon, Martin Duggan, Shane Lawless 0-03, Aaron Sheehan 0-06 (0-5fs).

Subs: Kevin O’Loughlin 0-01 (0-1f) for Vaughan 25 mins, Oisin Gately for Conlon h-t, Darren Moore for Reid 43 mins, Joseph Troy 0-01 for Sheehan 47 mins, Richard Murphy for Duggan 56 mins.

Ref: Patrick Murphy (Carlow)