Out of the fire and into the Lyons’ den for Summerhill

Like a modern day Guy Fawkes the then Na Fianna manager tried to light the gunpowder under Summerhill and deny them Keegan Cup glory, but unlike the famed English rebel Lyons was very uncomfortable in that position and is happier to be on Summerhill's side rather than against them.
Lyons plan to defeat Summerhill and claim the 2013 SFC crown ended much like Fawkes failed attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament in England in 1605, but next Sunday the Summerhill boss is planning a new rebellion and this time he has no qualms about hurting the opposition.
"That was far from ideal for me back in 2013. I wound up in a position that I didn't want to be in, but I had a duty of care to the players I had been with for three years, so it would have been churlish and foolish not to have gone through with it. I had to do my duty and that was it," recalled Lyons.
"My agreement with Na Fianna at the time was that I would step down after we won the IFC, but the players and the club asked me to do one more year and cement their position at senior level, so I did it with Na Fianna's blessing that if we met Summerhill that I would step aside for a fortnight because I would be seriously uncomfortable managing against my own club.
"Of course as the way things happen, they both started to win. Summerhill had a poor start and were beaten twice and they weren't in form so I thought I was safe enough, but then they got their year going.
"Na Fianna had a magic year and had a straight run to the final and then of course the more you didn't want it the more likely it was to happen and it wound up as one of those things."
Taking over from Declan McCabe Lyons certainly had big shoes to fill after the Cavan native had let the village to Keegan Cup glories in 2011 and 2013, but the new man didn't make sweeping changes as he had to cope with the loss of several big names and ushered in a crop of exciting young talent.
"There was a big transition in players in a few short years, but there wasn't a whole lot different that I had to do when I came in to manage Summerhill," Lyons told the Meath Chronicle.
"Since 2013 13 players have left the panel for one reason or another between injuries, retirements and emigration and we lost some very, very big name players, so we have been trying to blend in a few younger lads with the experienced ones that were left.
"The attitude of the Summerhill players has always been fantastic. They are absolutely brilliant trainers and are a great bunch of lads, it is never a problem getting down to do the work, it has all been about blending in the young lads and maybe just getting the belief back.
"They lost that bit of belief after the 2014 and 2015 championships especially after the highs of winning in 2011 and 2013, they didn't have great seasons and had a couple of fallow seasons and then we were very disappointed with the way last year went, we were absolutely gutted because we just didn't get our game away against Skryne.
"This year has been pretty good for us and we seem to be coming out of the right side of the results and we seem to have a good spirit and we are playing a nice brand of football, but I don't think anything we have done this year will be good enough to win the final so we are going to have to improve again to be competitive and we are definitely going to have to improve to win it, but if we do then we will have a fighting chance."
Coming in and taking over a successful club like Summerhill could be seen as a daunting adventure, but Lyons believes the role of a modern day manager is over-exaggerated and he lays most of the credit for success firmly at the feet of the players and their attitude towards hard work.
"To me management is completely overrated. A manager is all about the players at his disposal, I know some people think they have a massive influence when they cross the white line, but I can tell you your influence is minimal," said Lyons.
"Sometimes you get lucky with a few calls, other times you are a fool. When the players cross the line, if they are mentally and physically ready, then that is all a manager can do.
"You do try to set up a strategy. I wanted us to play a fast brand of football at a high tempo because we are not a very big team. We have some pretty skilful players with plenty of pace, so that is my philosophy, but I don't pretend to think I have a huge influence on proceedings because I know I don't and any manager who thinks he does is a fool.
"I think Summerhill is a wonderful club, not just because I'm a member. For a rural club they have been punching above their weight for years. They have won four or five Minor A championships which for a club of this population is extraordinary. They have also won u-21 FCs and could have won a JFC this year.
"We don't have the huge population base that five or six other clubs do have so we have to get the very best out of what we have and I think the players have been doing that."
While fulsome in his praise for his own players Lyons is well aware of the talent and capabilities of defending county champions Simonstown and he knows his side will have to be at their best to put one over the Navan men.
"Simonstown are a very decent side. They will know better than any of us that they were serial underachievers before they went and won their championship.
"What changed last year? I don't know. If someone told us last August that Simonstown would win the championship after dropping four out of the first six points you would have said they were mad, but something changed for them.
"They changed their mentality and while I'm sure they have always been hard trainers and have always had good players I think they are an even better side this year because they have added a few more players to their roster.
"I think if we play to our absolute very, very best then it will give us a sporting chance against anybody," concluded the Summerhill manager.