All-Ireland final referee Colm Lyons grateful to those who have helped him along

As soon as a team wins a major trophy, the challenge will be laid down for them to ‘go again’ in order to underline their quality.

For referees, there is a same hunger, but one with major difference: performances alone cannot guarantee them a place on the pitch on All-Ireland final day.

Cork’s appearance in the hurling decider for the past two years prevented Colm Lyons being considered for the whistle but the Nemo Rangers man will be the man in the middle for Sunday’s clash between Limerick and Galway. He will have fellow Cork Philip Mackey and Finian Mullane – both Nemo – along with Ciarán Hanley of Brian Dillon’s and the current Cork County Board referees’ administrator Jim McEvoy (Blarney).

It follows on from his taking charge of the 2022 final, when Limerick beat Kikenny.

“All year, that’s all you’re looking for, that if your own county isn’t involved in the All-Ireland final, you want to be in the mix,” he says.

“Then, it's all it's up to those in charge to decide who gets to referee the final. I was hoping that I might have a chance and I’m delighted that my name has come out of the hat, thrilled.”

“Everybody wants to be involved in the biggest day on the hurling calendar. Ultimately, there can only be two county teams involved in the game and there can only be one team of officials.

“The phone went into absolute meltdown on Wednesday, with really great wishes, not just from the four corners of the county but from all over the world, really – people in America, people in Australia, people in Europe, people out in the UAE that I’ve met through refereeing.

“I’m very lucky that I have four extremely loyal umpires who have travelled the length and the breadth of the country with me over the last number of years. It’s just reward for their effort as much as my own.”

It’s a journey that began a decade and a half ago, with Colm taking up inter-county duty in 2011 and doing his first senior championship match in 2012.

That same year, he reffed the All-Ireland minor final while he oversaw the Allianz Hurling League and Leinster senior finals in 2017, All-Ireland Club SHC finals in 2018 and 2020 and the 2024 Munster final.

Now holding a developmental role on the Cork County Board referees' committee, Colm can appreciate how vital it is for a young referee to receive guidance as they take their first steps in what can be a trying role.

“It all comes back to the club and to Sciath na Scol, that’s where I got my first opportunity,” he says.

“When I was a teacher in St Anthony’s, the away school always provided the ref and that’s where I got my first bit of feeling for it. I remember then going out to junior hurling training one day and there was an U15 game that was going to be postponed because no referee had turned up and I happened to have a whistle!

“After that, then, I went on and did the course and the likes of Bernard Corcoran in the old City Division Bord na nÓg would have given me great opportunities and then I would have got some great games through the minor board with Jim Healy.

“In Seandún, Donal O’Conor put me on the right track and he challenged me with some fairly feisty rivalry derby games in the junior championship. You get tested in those and you move on to county level then.

“The likes of Michael Keane and all of the referees’ administrators after him, up to recent times with Niall Barrett and Jim McEvoy.

“They’re trying to develop referees all the time and I think that’s an amazing thing that Cork GAA are doing, they’re trying to encourage and support referees, to ensure that that third team – the officials – are able to do their best.”

And of course the principal of Crosshaven Boys’ NS is fully aware that none of his progress in refereeing would have been possible without the assistance of the team at home.

“I rely on a huge support structure of family and friends,” he says.

“There’s my own great wife Aine and two girls, Cathy and Aisling, and then my parents and brothers and sisters too – my father John umpired with me for the All-Ireland minor final in 2012, which was a great experience for us.”