Mick Lyons (Gaelic footballer)
Encyclopedia
Mick Lyons is a former Gaelic football
er who played for Summerhill
and Meath
. He won two All Ireland medals with Meath in 1987 and 1988 and has also won two All Star awards. He won the Meath Senior Football Championship with Summerhill in 1986. He has generally played at the full-back position for his county.
, Co. Meath, an area close to the Kildare border. His grandfather Captain Pat Giles was a long serving TD
for Meath. His father Paddy actually played against Meath in the 1949 Leinster Championship for Kildare
. On the Meath team of the late 1980s and early 1990s, Mick played alongside his brother Padraig (corner back) & cousin Liam Harnan
(centre back). He is also a cousin of another Meath football great, Trevor Giles
.
, playing at centre back. He became well known playing full back for Meath, following other notable Meath full backs Tommy "The Boiler" McGuiness
, Paddy O'Brien
and Jack Quinn
. He was one of the central figures of Seán Boylan's
All Ireland winning Meath teams of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Legend has it that on Seán Boylan's first training sessions as Meath Manager, Lyons told Boylan to "put your shyness in your a*se pocket."
Lyons won two Senior All Ireland
medals in 1987 and 1988, captaining the team in 1987 (Meath's first win for 20 years), as well as five Leinster medals and two National League medals. He also played on the Meath teams which lost the All Ireland finals of 1990 and 1991. In 1984 he was part of the Meath team which won the Centenary Cup, a competition which was contested to celebrate the GAA's
100 year anniversary. He has won two All Star awards for the full back position in 1984 and 1986. Surprisingly, despite enjoying most of his success after 1986, he failed to get another All Star. Some put this down to his reputation as a "hard man" on the football pitch.
During Lyons' playing career, Meath's greatest rivals were Dublin
and Cork. Meath played Dublin in the Leinster Championship most seasons, including four times alone in the famous saga of 1991, and played Cork in the All Ireland finals of 1987, 1988 (where the final went to a replay) and 1990. He retired from the Meath Senior team in 1992 after Meath suffered a surprise defeat to Laois
. This marked the end of an era in Meath football with many older players not featuring on the Meath team again. Lyons later served as one of Seán Boylan's selectors of the Meath Team in 1994 and 1995.
In the last game of Meath's four game saga with Dublin in 1991, Dublin were awarded a penalty, which Keith Barr
took. Lyons ran alongside Barr while he was taking the penalty, and Barr missed. The penalty was never retaken as it should have been. This incident got much coverage at the time and led to GAA changing the official pitch markings to include a semi circle exclusion zone around where a player takes a penalty from. No players other than the penalty taker are allowed inside this zone while the penalty is being taken.
During Lyons' career, injuries have had an impact. Hopes were very high for Meath for the 1984 season; in 1983 Meath had run Dublin, the eventual All Ireland Champions, very close, being beaten in extra time in a replay and they had won the Centenary Cup at the start of 1984. Meath were geared up for the Dublin game in 1984, but Lyons was missing due to injury (broken wrist) and Meath went on to lose. Again in 1989 Meath faced Dublin without Lyons. He had broken his leg playing club football and missed the season. Meath lost to Dublin and their "three in a row" All Ireland dreams were gone. Between 1984 and 1991, Dublin and Meath met in the championship eight times, of which Dublin won twice. Both of these times Lyons was injured, and in all the remaining he was guarding the square. In the 1991 All Ireland final Lyons had to leave the field with a knee injury, his injury compounding an injury crisis for Meath that day. Meath lost the final to Down.
) to be played he had to be taken from the field after a tackle from an Aussie rules
player. In subsequent matches he was involved in several disagreements with Australian players.
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
er who played for Summerhill
Summerhill GFC
Summerhill G.F.C. is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the town of Summerhill in County Meath, Ireland. The club competes in Meath competitions. The team was first founded in 1905 but later disbanded...
and Meath
Meath GAA
The Meath County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Meath GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Meath, as well as for Meath inter-county teams.- Pre-1960s :...
. He won two All Ireland medals with Meath in 1987 and 1988 and has also won two All Star awards. He won the Meath Senior Football Championship with Summerhill in 1986. He has generally played at the full-back position for his county.
Early life
Lyons is from SummerhillSummerhill, County Meath
Summerhill is a village in County Meath, Ireland. It is located at the intersection of the R156 and R158 regional roads. The Irish version of the town's name means "Lynch's Hill", and it was the ancestral home of the Norman-Irish Lynch family, whence came the Galway merchant family of the same...
, Co. Meath, an area close to the Kildare border. His grandfather Captain Pat Giles was a long serving TD
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
for Meath. His father Paddy actually played against Meath in the 1949 Leinster Championship for Kildare
Kildare GAA
For more information see Kildare Senior Club Football Championship or Kildare Senior Club Hurling Championship.The Kildare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Kildare GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kildare...
. On the Meath team of the late 1980s and early 1990s, Mick played alongside his brother Padraig (corner back) & cousin Liam Harnan
Liam Harnan
Liam Harnan is a retired inter-county Irish Gaelic footballer for County Meath in Ireland. He enjoyed much success play inter-county football in the 1980s & early 90s on the Meath teams managed by Sean Boylan. For Meath he played Centre Back. He played club football for Moynalvey...
(centre back). He is also a cousin of another Meath football great, Trevor Giles
Trevor Giles
Trevor Giles is a successful Meath Gaelic Footballer. He is regarded as one of the best players of his generation. He plays club football for Skryne. He came to prominence first when he won an All Ireland minor medal with Meath in 1992. He would go on to win 2 All Ireland Senior medals, 3...
.
Meath
Lyons made his Championship debut for Meath in 1979 against KilkennyKilkenny GAA
The Kilkenny County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland and is responsible for Gaelic Games in County Kilkenny. The county board has its head office and main grounds at Nowlan Park and is also responsible for Kilkenny inter-county teams...
, playing at centre back. He became well known playing full back for Meath, following other notable Meath full backs Tommy "The Boiler" McGuiness
Tommy McGuinness
Tommy “The Boiler” McGuinness is a former inter-county Irish Gaelic footballer for County Meath in Ireland. He enjoyed much success play inter-county football from around 1929 to the early forty’s on the Meath team. When he initially broke on to the Meath Team he usually played at midfield or...
, Paddy O'Brien
Paddy O'Brien (gaelic footballer)
Paddy O'Brien is a retired inter-county Irish Gaelic footballer for County Meath in Ireland. He enjoyed much success playing inter-county football in the forty's and fifty's on the Meath team. For Meath he played in the Full Back position. He played club football first for Skryne and later for the...
and Jack Quinn
Jack Quinn (Gaelic footballer)
Jack Quinn is a retired inter-county Irish Gaelic footballer for County Meath in Ireland. He enjoyed much success play inter-county football in the sixties on the Meath team. For Meath he usually played Full Back. Sometimes he played at midfield, and often when Meath were chasing games he was moved...
. He was one of the central figures of Seán Boylan's
Seán Boylan
Seán Boylan is a former football manager from Dunboyne, County Meath, Ireland. He retired from his position as manager of the Meath GAA Senior Football team on the evening of 31 August 2005 after twenty-three years in charge...
All Ireland winning Meath teams of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Legend has it that on Seán Boylan's first training sessions as Meath Manager, Lyons told Boylan to "put your shyness in your a*se pocket."
Lyons won two Senior All Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...
medals in 1987 and 1988, captaining the team in 1987 (Meath's first win for 20 years), as well as five Leinster medals and two National League medals. He also played on the Meath teams which lost the All Ireland finals of 1990 and 1991. In 1984 he was part of the Meath team which won the Centenary Cup, a competition which was contested to celebrate the GAA's
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
100 year anniversary. He has won two All Star awards for the full back position in 1984 and 1986. Surprisingly, despite enjoying most of his success after 1986, he failed to get another All Star. Some put this down to his reputation as a "hard man" on the football pitch.
During Lyons' playing career, Meath's greatest rivals were Dublin
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
and Cork. Meath played Dublin in the Leinster Championship most seasons, including four times alone in the famous saga of 1991, and played Cork in the All Ireland finals of 1987, 1988 (where the final went to a replay) and 1990. He retired from the Meath Senior team in 1992 after Meath suffered a surprise defeat to Laois
Laois GAA
The Laois County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Laois GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Laois and the Laois inter-county teams.-History:...
. This marked the end of an era in Meath football with many older players not featuring on the Meath team again. Lyons later served as one of Seán Boylan's selectors of the Meath Team in 1994 and 1995.
In the last game of Meath's four game saga with Dublin in 1991, Dublin were awarded a penalty, which Keith Barr
Keith Barr
Keith Barr is a former inter-county Gaelic footballer for Dublin. He played his club football with Erins Isle.-Sporting career:Barr made his inter county championship debut against Wicklow in 1989. Keith was on the 1995 All-Ireland winning team when Dublin narrowly defeated Tyrone...
took. Lyons ran alongside Barr while he was taking the penalty, and Barr missed. The penalty was never retaken as it should have been. This incident got much coverage at the time and led to GAA changing the official pitch markings to include a semi circle exclusion zone around where a player takes a penalty from. No players other than the penalty taker are allowed inside this zone while the penalty is being taken.
During Lyons' career, injuries have had an impact. Hopes were very high for Meath for the 1984 season; in 1983 Meath had run Dublin, the eventual All Ireland Champions, very close, being beaten in extra time in a replay and they had won the Centenary Cup at the start of 1984. Meath were geared up for the Dublin game in 1984, but Lyons was missing due to injury (broken wrist) and Meath went on to lose. Again in 1989 Meath faced Dublin without Lyons. He had broken his leg playing club football and missed the season. Meath lost to Dublin and their "three in a row" All Ireland dreams were gone. Between 1984 and 1991, Dublin and Meath met in the championship eight times, of which Dublin won twice. Both of these times Lyons was injured, and in all the remaining he was guarding the square. In the 1991 All Ireland final Lyons had to leave the field with a knee injury, his injury compounding an injury crisis for Meath that day. Meath lost the final to Down.
Compromise Rules
During his Meath career, Lyons was picked to play in the first three Test Series (1984, 1986 and 1987) for Ireland in Compromise Rules. In the first Compromise Rules match (First Test, 1984 Series1984 International Rules series
The 1984 International Rules series took place in Ireland and consisted of three Test matches between the Australian and Irish international rules football teams....
) to be played he had to be taken from the field after a tackle from an Aussie rules
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
player. In subsequent matches he was involved in several disagreements with Australian players.