Lyons bows out as Boylan survives

TOMMY LYONS ended his stint as Dublin football manager in Parnell Park last night in the very same manner he entered it almost three years ago — head held high and with a smile.

But long serving Meath football manager Seán Boylan was last night voted in for a 23rd consecutive season in charge of the Royal County.

As endings go, for Lyons it was the polar opposite to the acrimonious departure of Tommy Carr in 2001, when Dublin chairman John Bailey's casting vote brought an end to Carr's tenure at the helm of the GAA's most high profile job.