Lyons was appointed captain of the Glen's sister Gaelic football club St. Nicholas' in 1954. It proved a successful championship campaign as St. Nick's qualified for the county final with Clonakilty providing the opposition. Clonakilty had been the form team of the previous decade, having won seven county senior championship titles between 1939 and 1952. They were now a team in decline and were defeated by 2-11 to 0-3. Lyons, as captain of the team, retains the distinction of being the only player to captain a team to championship victories in both hurling and football in Cork.