John Lyons (1923 - 11 June 2005) was an Irish hurler whose league and championship career with the Cork senior team spanned fourteen years from 1946 to 1960.
Here he was a key member of the college team that completed the final two stages of winning four successive Harty Cup titles.
In a club career that spanned three decades he won ten county senior championship medals, serving as captain of the team on two occasions.
As a Gaelic footballer with the Glen's sister club, St. Nicholas', he also won a county senior championship medal.
Lyons retired from club hurling at the age of thirty-eight following the Glen's failure to secure a fourth successive championship in 1961.
Lyons was recalled to the team in 1950 and retained the full-back position for a decade, winning a further three All-Ireland medals in succession.
Three-in-a-row hopefuls and fierce southside rivals St. Finbarr's provided the opposition as the Glen qualified for the county final.
The game started at a furious pace and inside a minute Denis Leahy had the ball in the St. Finbarr's net.
Divisional side Carrigdhoun provided the opposition as Glen Rovers reached the 1945 championship final in search of their tenth title.
Glen veterans Jack Lynch and Johnny Quirke were to the fore in securing the double scores 5-7 to 3-2 victory over roll of honour leaders Blackrock.
Glen Rovers were presented with their chance of retaining their title when they faced divisional side Imokilly in the 1949 championship decider.
Southside rivals St. Finbarr's were the opponents as Glen Rovers were determined to make it three titles in-a-row in the 1950 championship final.
The Glen backs gave one of the finest displays of defensive hurling ever seen in the championship and kept the southsiders tally for the first half to 0-4.
The 2-8 to 0-5 victory secured a third successive championship title for the club and a fifth winners' medal for Lyons, who also had the honour of lifting the Seán Óg Murphy Cup as captain.
Sarsfields ended the Glen's hopes of four-in-a-row in 1951, while defeat in the first round of 1952 looked like heralding a fallow period.
It proved a successful championship campaign as St. Nick's qualified for the county final with Clonakilty providing the opposition.
When both sides met in that year's Munster final, Tipperary looked the likely winners as Cork failed to score for the opening quarter.
After being denied twice by Tipperary goalkeeper Tony Reddin, he set up Liam Dowling for a vital goal to leave Cork just a point in arrears.
The Christy Ring-Des Ferguson duel was a highlight of the game, as Cork took a narrow 1-5 to 0-5 half-time lead after a Liam Dowling goal.
Cork took complete control after the interval, with Dowling netting a second goal and Ring adding four points to the two he already scored in the first half.
He had the sliotar in the Tipperary net from a 25-yards free after just a minute of play before adding eight further points, while also making a goal-line save to secure a 3-10 to 1-11 victory.
After a slow start, which allowed Galway take an early lead, Cork regrouped and were 2-1 to 0-3 ahead at half time after goals from Josie Hartnett and Christy Ring.
Tipperary looked likely winners for much of the match, however, a Christy Ring shot from 20 yards was saved by goalkeeper Tony Reddin before falling to the waiting Paddy Barry who clinched the winning goal.
Further points cut the Cork deficit to two and with four minutes left young Johnny Clifford trapped the ball on the end line, dribbled it along the ground and shot past Art Foley from a narrow angle.
Injury-time points from Hartnett and Ring gave Cork a 1-9 to 1-6 victory and secured a fourth All-Ireland medal for Lyons.
The defeat sparked several retirements and an influx of some new players to the Cork team which qualified to play reigning champions Limerick in the 1956 Munster final.
Within a minute of that save the sliotar dropped into Foley again and, after it was cleared, it made its way up the pitch and was buried in the back of the Cork net by Nicky Rackard giving Wexford a 2-14 to 2-8 victory.
Christy Ring contributed 1-5, including a late goal which looked like turning the game in Cork's favour, however, Waterford held out for a 3-9 to 2-9 victory.
Described as the toughest game of hurling ever played, Cork enjoyed most of the possession in the first half, however, Tipperary led by a goal at the interval thanks to the accuracy of Jimmy Doyle.
Christy Ring was the key player for the southern province and scored a goal when he cupped the sliotar to the net after falling.