Despite a family steeped in footballing tradition and his own standing as one of Fermanagh’s most accomplished players, Lyons was 31 before he collected his first senior championship medal.

Now 33, he is preparing to lead the Gaels into another showdown with old rivals Derrygonnelly, with a third consecutive county title within reach and a decade of rivalry between the clubs providing the backdrop.

He has pedigree in spades as his older brother Shane was a star club and county player, his late brother Mark an outstanding midfielder, and his other brother Damian was also a gifted player.

And his two grand uncles 'Yankee' Tommy and 'Yankee' Jimmy Gallagher played for famous cross border club Corlea, Donegal and New York and his uncle Jim Ferguson was an outstanding Erne Gaels defender for many years.

It is hard to believe that this well conditioned athlete is 33 and even harder to believe that he only won his first county championship medal when he was 31.

But opponents Derrygonnelly have a fair bit to do with that particular famine as Lyons reflects on a ten year rivalry.

"Yes they beat us late on the 2026 final and we had a big lead in the quarter final the following year and they reined us.

"Both clubs went on a different trajectory over the next few years as the Harps won five in a row and we were relegated to Intermediate championship football in 2020."

But two salient factors helped the Gaels revival as player Seamie Ryder "took the bull by the horns" and Brian Mullin came back from London.

The Gaels beat Devenish by a last minute goal in 2021 and in his victory speech, then team captain Brian Mullin (36) told the crowd that Erne Gaels were going to be back at the top in Fermanagh football.

That was prophetic as they contested the next four county finals, winning the last two in 2024 and last year and are now going for the elusive three in a row.

"The ship was steadied and we are really in seven county finals as we played in and won the SFL Division One final in 2022 as well as the Intermediate title.

"Success breeds success."

And this has truly been a golden era for the Gaels.

"I played in one final before I was 30 and maybe the young lads don't appreciate it at the minute but maybe they will looking back.

"I won my second title at 31 and it did not look good for a long part of my career, but I think you appreciate it a bit more when you get older.

"You are well aware of how long it can take to get back there.

"There are a few lads who have been in all six county finals-lads like Ultan Kelm, Aogan Kelm, Odhran Johnston, Dan McCann and they have known practically nothing else.

"That does not happen very often but that is massive for their confidence and success breeds success and you can never get enough of it.

"But it has not happened by chance and a lot of hard work has gone into it."

"But that Intermediate victory was huge as we could have gone either way and it could have been a slippery slope.

"It was a great psychological boost and we kicked on and Declan Bonner gave us a bit extra self belief when he and Paul Brennan came in in 2024.

"But we have been on the rack and almost beaten so many times, but have always come back and this is a very resilient bunch of lads.

"It would be easy to give up and now we have a golden era and its important that we maximise that."

Lyons added that it did not take Declan Bonner or Barry O'Hagan to re-invent the wheel, but they both came from top level county set ups and they know what is takes to succeed at the highest level.

"From the outside looking in it is hard to see but it is about doing those things that one or two per cent more."

So what will Derrygonnelly bring to this tie-bringing the hurt of the past two years along with their giant pedigree.

"It's going to be attritional, it's going to be physical and its going to be very tight and as usual in our games it will come down to the last five or ten minutes just like all our other games."